The Lyric Theatre Singers:
Together From Home!

Choir carries on with three virtual performances to delight you during the pandemic

The Lyric Theatre Singers recently released another music video, the second in a series of four they are recording in isolation and posting on Facebook and YouTube in place of the annual June Broadway revue, cancelled due to the pandemic.

Lyric’s Christmas concerts and Broadway revues traditionally raise food and money for The Depot (formerly the NDG Food Depot) and thanks to its generous audiences, the 30-year-old vocal ensemble has been able to make considerable contributions every year, at least until COVID-19 put an abrupt stop to that.

However, Lyric’s intrepid Artistic Director, Bob Bachelor, and the non-profit organization’s benevolent Board of Directors decided to create a series of music videos that would both lift spirits and make good on its spring contribution to The Depot.

Godspell’s Beautiful City

Aladdin’s Friend Like Me is the follow-up to the first video, Godspell’s Beautiful City, which was released in April. Under Mr. Bachelor’s musical direction, with Chad Linsley on piano, the semi-animated song is infused with the group’s trademark energy and ‘magic’. Since its May 28  Facebook post, Friend Like Me has reached 13,200 people with more than 6,000 views.

The video’s director and editor, Alessandro Mercurio, former radio personality and a relatively new Lyric member, revealed the inspiration behind his creative vision. “Friend Like Me is an incredible song with two special ingredients that are the heart of Lyric: friendship and the power of imagination. I wanted to honour that spirit by transforming the vocalists into cartoon-like personas with fantastic powers and flair, just like Aladdin’s genie.”

Aladdin’s Friend Like Me

Mr. Bachelor added, “All of this technology makes it possible for us to unite in song. Even though we are physically apart, we can create something that benefits those in need while encouraging our singers to stay strong and positive during these challenging times. As a community theatre company, The Lyric Theatre Singers do what communities always do: support one another.”

Fiddler on the Roof’s Les jours se lèvent (Sunrise Sunset)

Their latest music video, Les jours se lèvent (avec la prière du Sabbat), the French version of Sunrise, Sunset (with Sabbath Prayer) from Fiddler on the Roof, was released in late June and the last video in the series, will be a favourite from Into the Woods and is scheduled for distribution later in July.

Bonnie Soutar, The Depot’s Director of Development, stated that ”During COVID-19, The Depot Community Food Centre has put most of its programs on hold to focus on food security, a high priority for people struggling to feed their families during the crisis when their income has dropped. Since March 20th we have distributed over 100,000 pounds of healthy staples and fresh foods to over 4,500 people, 30% of whom are children who, in many cases, used to get some of their daily nutrition at school but that source isn’t there for them now.”

To donate to the Depot visit thelyrictheatre.ca/together-from-home

Feature image courtesy of The Lyric Theatre Singers

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