Gay Chorus Deep South

Gay Chorus Deep South is a documentary that premiered in 2019 and features Tim Seelig, Chris Verdugo, and Ashle Blow. Directed by David Charles Rodrigues and produced by Bud Johnston and Jesse Moss, this film takes a moving look at how music can bridge divides while challenging deep-seated prejudice.

The narrative explores the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (SFGMC), led by artistic director Tim Seelig, as they embark on a tour of the deep south. The journey had clear goals: to use their music to challenge the rising tide of intolerance and discrimination, change hearts and minds, and above all, to bring a message of love, acceptance, and equality.

Given the polarized state of the country in 2016 following the Presidential election and subsequent passage of laws throughout the country deemed discriminatory against the LGBTQ+ community, this was a journey weighted with significance. The chorus embarked on a heartfelt and courageous tour through Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and North and South Carolina to challenge these discriminatory actions head-on with their music, their message, and their enduring hope.

During the bus tour, across performances in churches, community centers, and concert halls, audiences are introduced to a range of charismatic and heart-warming characters. Driven and inspired by Seelig’s personal backstory, as a former pastor who lost his church and family when he came out as gay, the film shows the community as it engages with the south in conversations about faith, politics, and the traumatic fallout of the AIDS crisis.

At the heart of Gay Chorus Deep South, however, is music — the great unifier. For the chorus and audiences alike, music offers a means to transcend the tedium of politics and prejudices. It highlights the raw emotion and unity that both a shared song and shared humanity can bring. Throughout the journey, the power of the chorus's personal narratives and performances blend to create moving experiences, fostering understanding, empathy, and an emotional change of heart within their audiences.

Yet, despite their noble intent, their tour was not without its trials. As the chorus members come face-to-face with their pasts or the harsh realities of existing bigotry, the film captures the very real emotional toll that this takes. It also offers a glimpse of the harsh realities of the discrimination faced by the LGBTQ+ community, particularly in areas where acceptance may be slow to come.

Away from the spotlight, the film presents an intimate look at the chorus members' lives, revealing a tapestry of grief, resilience, and longing for change. They’re individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences, bound by their collective strength and their shared experience of being different. As they open up about past traumas and share their stories, the camaraderie and shared determination that permeates the chorus become evident, adding depth to the film's narrative.

The film is as much about the chorus members as it is about the people and places they encounter on their journey. From churches turned into impromptu concert venues to community reactions ranging from the harshly dismissive to the genuinely welcoming, the film gives a sensitive portrayal of the Deep South, showing it's much more complex than the stereotypes suggest. It portrays a region that grapples with its own contradictions, slipping away from old biases, but still struggling with change.

In the end, Gay Chorus Deep South is a powerful testament to human resilience, an inspiring journey of a community determined to spread love in the face of adversity. It is a heartening reminder of the power of collective action and the incredible potential music has to heal, transcend barriers, and bring people together. Through its honest and touching portrayal of the SFGMC's tour, the film indirectly asks you, the viewer, to question what it means to be accepting, to be open to change, and to respect the dignity of each individual's life journey.