Scene Magazine
It’s a wonderful hometown, Hometeam life for Denise Dufala. The award-winning WOIO-TV anchor and North Olmsted native proudly counts the local Make-A-Wish Foundation and Cleveland Community Building Initiative, as well as a singing career, among her prized projects. This weekend, she’ll get her wings as guest soloist on a program featuring the internationally acclaimed Singing Angels.
Says Bill Boehm, the octogenarian who founded the Angels 37 years ago, “I hear such fine reports about her.” So does Scene. But how does Dufala feels about this gig? WOIO management put the kibosh on a proposed interview with us. (Something about a propensity toward “twinges of sarcasm.”). George Bailey would not approve.
But he’d likely smile to the strains of the 175 performing members of the Singing Angels, girls and boys ages 8-18. (A separate group of 100-plus youths 8-14 composes its training chorus.) Boehm stresses a philosophy of inclusivity. “If they can sing in tune, they’re on the team. No music background or teaching is necessary. If they come to us as ugly ducklings, we are able to transform them into beautiful swans.”
However, their swan song is nowhere in sight, as the Angels continue to add to a rich resume: four appearances at the White House; gigs alongside Celine Dion and Kenny Rogers; and concerts in 26 foreign lands, many before high-ranking officials. Such are the payoffs for “demanding rehearsals” that run from 3 to 8 hours a week, depending on the time of year, says Boehm.
While the “performing” contingent graces concert halls, the training group raises spirits at hospitals, senior citizen residences and nursing homes. The Angels’ diverse repertoire includes country, pop, religious songs, Broadway tunes, and, notes Boehm, “we’re possibly the only youth chorus to sing barbershop harmony.”
How will it all play out for Dufala? How will we know? For when you sing with angels, you must be careful with whom you speak. — Jeff Woodard
The Singing Angels and guest soloist Denise Dufala will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday Nov. 19 at the State Theatre. Tickets, $10-$30, are available at the Playhouse Square Box Office or through tickets.com at 216-241-6000.