The DIA’s Detroit Film Theatre was packed with love, laughter, cheers, and tears on Saturday for the Detroit Youth Choir’s screening of their upcoming Disney+ series Choir.
The event was held in anticipation of the release of the six-part docuseries, which showcases the group working toward a big performance while dealing with the highs and lows of growing up in Detroit, as well as the challenges of balancing school and athletics with a demanding passion for the arts.
The screening, open free for residents of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, began with a surprise speech from Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who expressed his pride in the local choir. He said that while the city is currently getting a lot of national attention because of the Lions, even if our team doesn’t win (which now we know they unfortunately didn’t after losing to the San Francsciso 49ers on Sunday), Detroit will still be cheering because of the Detroit Youth Choir. The series will stream globally.
Following the speech, the first episode of Choir was played, and anytime a member of the organization appeared on screen, loud and proud cheering erupted from the right side of the theater where the choir was sat together. It was awesome.
The first episode was super emotional already, displaying choir director Anthony White’s dedication to the organization and care for the children he helps succeed, alongside a strict, tough-loving demeanor. The episode centers on young members who are working to gain confidence, some determined to move up in the choir’s ranks, and others faced with a hard choice between multiple passions.
After the episode played, there was a short panel discussion featuring Lansing-raised series director Rudy Valdez, along with White and three members of the Detroit Youth Choir that the episode heavily focused on. The group spoke about their pride in showcasing the city of Detroit through a beautiful lens and their hopes for more big opportunities for the choir moving forward.
Ending the event on a high note, the Detroit Youth Choir hit the stage to perform two songs, showcasing the same star-power as they did on America’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent All-Stars.
In the talent competition, the Detroit Youth Choir’s shining performances left judges in tears, and were awarded a “golden buzzer,” from Michigan-born Terry Crews twice.
Soon, you’ll be crying too. All six episodes of Choir will go live on Disney+ on January 31 so you can binge it all at once.
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Detroit Youth Choir docuseries to premiere on Disney+ in January
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This article appears in Jan 24-30, 2024.
