Men Alive - The Orange County Gay Men's Chorus was founded in 2001 by Artistic Director Rich Cook. In the short time since, Men Alive has quickly grown into one of Orange County's largest choruses and an active & respected partner in Southern California's arts scene.

Since its first rehearsal in September 2001, Men Alive has grown from 13 singers to more than 130 singers today, with a support team of more than 50 volunteers. The Chorus is run by a Board of Directors composed of both singing and non-singing members. It is a 501(c)3 non-profit arts organization.

Men Alive is more than simply a local arts organization. It is also, as part of its Mission Statement, a "bridge to the public at large."  Through entertainment and musical excellence, the Chorus serves as an ambassador of the gay community to the general public, spreading harmony and goodwill and a message of acceptance.

Mission
The Mission Statement of Men Alive, below, has been the guiding philosophy of the Chorus since the first year of its founding:

"Through music, men's voices unite as a vehicle to entertain, educate, bring healing, joy, community and build bridges to the public at large."

Performances
Men Alive's shows are much more than just "choral performances."  They are full productions that can combine song, dance, and theatrics to create shows of enormous popular appeal for all ages and backgrounds. The Chorus performs a wide range of musical styles including classical, jazz, gospel, traditional, contemporary, and popular.

The Chorus presents a three-concert series each season using mostly our home theatre, the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California. At times, for very special shows, we have also used both the main Segerstrom Theater and the Segerstrom Concert Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

Several major and noted guest stars have joined Men Alive in performance over the years, including Michael Feinstein, Debbie Reynolds, Sam Harris and Broadway legend Bernadette Peters.

Artistic Director
Rich Cook, founder of Men Alive, has been the Artistic Director since the Chorus' inception in 2001. Cook is an experienced director who comes to Men Alive and the gay choral family via the Christian/Gospel music world. His background includes serving as musical director/artistic director for several large Christian ministries, including Pat Robertson's Political Rallies, Trinity Broadcasting (TBN), and Melodyland in Anaheim, California. He also served on the Gospel Music Association's Board of Directors. Besides being a skilled director, Rich is also an accomplished ASCAP and BMI composer with numerous published songs and works.

Recordings
Men Alive has released one CD, "Curtain Up! Light the Lights" in 2006. This celebration of Broadway showstoppers includes many of best-loved tunes from the Great White Way, from such classics as The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady, to such current blockbusters as The Lion King and Wicked. The CD is available for immediate order on this website.