In late January it was decided to hold a Follies Night in April. The event was scheduled for Town Hall and was planned as an evening of fun and music that would be presented as a benefit for the Chorus. Auditions of Chorus members were held in March and plans went forth for the April 9th evening. The funfilled evening was a huge success and added to the bottom line of fundraising for the Chorus. Half of the proceeds were donated to the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, and a second Follies was planned for the following season. On April 18, the members of the Chamber Choir earned money for the Chorus by appearing in the New Amsterdam Theatre production of Rosalie at Town Hall. On April 30, the Chorus made their first street fair appearance of 1983 at the Chelsea Gay Association Street Fair and Festival on West 21 Street. The Chorus had a booth and performed at 4 pm. Later that evening they attended the Circus benefit for the Gay Men’s Health Crisis at Madison Square Garden. In mid May, the Chorus spent a weekend working on their first commercial recording for Pro Arte Records. Under the guidance of recording producer Judy Sherman, the Chorus created Festival of Song, a recording of holiday music, which would be available in the fall on cassette and LP.
A concert of show tunes and popular music to benefit the group was held at Carnegie Hall on February 27. The February 27 concert would bring a star-studded guest list to the stage: Margaret Whiting, Stephen Hanan (Cats), Maureen McGovern and Liliane Montevecchi (Nine), Ellen Greene (Little Shop of Horrors), Loretta Devine (Dreamgirls), Terri Klausner (recently of Evita and Sophisticated Ladies), as well as Joe Sears and Jaston Williams (Greater Tuna) who served as masters of ceremony. This concert would also mark the debut of rhinestone jewelry donated by designer and Chorus member Larry Vrba. Larry was inspired to “put a little bit of glamour in your humdrum lives. I made every single one of them myself, taking eighteen minutes with each.” The after-concert party was scheduled for Roseland beginning shortly after the close of the concert and all—chorus, guests, audience—were invited to partake of the cash bar, disco dancing, and lounges.
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The Third Annual Gay Composers Concert on June 10 saw the appearance of the Chamber Choir performing James Adler’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience. An additional performance of the Chorus was scheduled for June 24 at the Stonewall Award Ceremonies at the Beacon Theatre. The Pride concert this year was slated for June 22 at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. Guest artist mezzosoprano Meredith Rawlins was featured on this concert. The Chorus began the program with a selection of German repertoire from Mendelssohn and