On March 20, 2012, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus premiered Testimony at Davies Symphony Hall. Stephen Schwartz, the composer of Wicked and Godspell, wrote the piece specifically for SFGMC, bringing the words and experiences of LGBTQ+ people into a major concert hall.
Schwartz drew on contributions to the It Gets Better Project and worked with its co-founder, Dan Savage. The premiere featured 275 singers. Their collective voice carried a journey from isolation toward hope and belonging.
A new work with a lasting purpose
Under Dr. Timothy Seelig, SFGMC presented the work in its spring program, Enchantingly Wicked, and took it to the 2012 GALA Choruses Festival in Denver. The festival program documents how Schwartz’s interest in the It Gets Better Project became a new commission for the chorus.
The recording was released on March 22, 2012. This performance preserves a defining moment when Broadway artistry and community testimony met in song.
