The Center’s Got Talent: Meet Your Performers!

The Denver Women's Chorus

The Denver Women’s Chorus is an inclusive treble chorus dedicated to musical excellence, building community, and advocating for social justice. DWC owes its existence to a group of courageous lesbian singers who risked their livelihoods in 1984 to form a chorus that became both a safe place for its members and an outlet for artistic expression. Today they are a multigenerational chorus of LGBTQ+ singers and many wonderful allies and are open to everyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Take Note! is the (mostly) a cappella, select ensemble of the Denver Women's Chorus and has performed for DWC audiences and at community events throughout the Denver Metro area for more than 30 years. Take Note! and the Denver Women’s Chorus will proudly present Earth Songs, centering climate change and environmental action on May 19 & 21 at Wellshire Presbyterian Church in Denver and on May 21st in Boulder.

Robin Cohen (she/her)

Robin Cohen’s cartoons are in the book Dykes w. Baggage: the lighter side of lesbians in therapy. She plays blues, jazz and bluegrass harmonica and has helped produce and acted in numerous lesbian theater productions, and also had her own lesbian radio show. Few know she authored a lesbian advice column under the pseudonym Aunt Sophie, and novels under the pseudonym Jane Austen. A coveted entertainment achievement was winning the rhinestone tiara at Wyoming's Annual LGBT Rendezvous for this very skit!

Ezra Shane Elliot (he/they)

Ezra Shane Elliott is a thriving producer and performing artist from Little Rock, Arkansas. He demonstrates his artistry and musicianship in every aspect of their life. The journey undertaken by Ezra has brought them to a place of empowerment to where he is able to fully embrace themself and others in this beautiful existence we call life.

Nelly Grosso (she/her)

Nelly Grosso, 22, is from Ogden, Utah, and is currently a political science student at Metropolitan State University of Denver. She comes from a diverse Argentinian and Uruguayan culture and has been singing in different choirs since she was 5 years old. Her favorite artist is Queen, and her first concert experience was Warped Tour in 2016. A silly fact about her is that she once fractured her foot tripping over a couch, while sword fighting with her then crush (on Valentine’s Day). She would love to give a special shoutout to her therapist, Tayler, for pushing her to try new things.

Cristina Michaels (she/her)

Cristina Michaels began her stage experience in Colorado Springs at the age of 10. With four decades of performing experience locally and abroad. Cristina has choreographed countless modern, contemporary and classical ballet pieces. She began writing poetry 8 years ago as a way to process the social mis-treatment of the transgender community and those who identify outside of the gender binary. At the show, she will be reading two poems and performing one dance piece. Cristina is the proud owner of Healing Roots Acupuncture and Queer Dance Project.

Bo Parrish (e/er/ers)

Bo Parrish is a screenwriter, playwright, author, poet, lyricist, and unofficial anthropologist. E has written on the topic of adoption, race, culture, romance and sex, spirituality, and prison since 2008 through various mediums. E has been publishing creative and nonfiction works only somewhat longer than e has enjoyed membership in Toastmasters International. In the future, e plans to write more about Korean (and/or Asian) adoptees, prison, er personal experiences as a part of the TLGBQ* community, and paranormal topics. E has been happily married since 2018 and enjoys watching animé and musicals, listening to K-pop, and singing Beatles songs.

Ro Rains (she/her)

Most of my life I’ve been a musician, starting with parents who supported me in my talent pursuits.  I hold degrees in music and psychology, and was a public school music teacher for a few years. Now I am the Music Director at Wheat Ridge Congregational UCC, and have been there for over 15 years. My instruments include singing, playing flute and piano, plus I direct choirs and handbells.   I’ve been with my wife, Deana Carter, over 15 years, and we’ve been legally married for 8. I sing with Sage Singers, GLBTQ Elder choir, and I love The Center!

Michael van Dalsem (he/him)

Michael van Dalsem’s first theatre job was in a touring repertory company, performing in The Fantasticks (Matt), Once Upon a Mattress (Jester) and many children’s plays. After receiving his B.A. in Theatre, he toured in Cabaret (MC), Fiddler On The Roof (Fyedka), The Sound of Music (Rolf), Annie Get Your Gun (Wild Horse dance solo) and in numerous other plays, musicals and musical reviews. In Los Angeles and New York he performed in many original plays, taught acting and directed several new scripts. After his time in the theatre, he became an applications programmer and worked in the Denver Tech Center.

Tara-Lloyd Burton (they/them)

Tara-Lloyd Burton has a lot of memories stored in their 70+ year old mind-body process, from teen-age southern Arizona ranch hand, to Navy combat medic with the Marine Corps in Vietnam, to  CU Professor Emeritus of law and public policy, to mindfulness meditation teacher, to gender-fluid troubadour.  They’ve been playing and singing (and occasionally authoring) American Roots music for over six decades.  They feel honored to be invited to share their music at the Center’s talent bouquet to ourselves. It’s the best way they know to honor the Center as a safe and sacred space sustaining our community.

To come see all these talented individuals perform, attend The Center's Got Talent next Friday, April 28! Doors will open at 5:00 PM, and the show runs from 5:30-8:00 PM. For more information & to register for the event, visit lgbtqcolorado.org/event/centers-got-talent/!