Kansas City magazine sat down with Shawn Cullen, artistic director and conductor of the gay Heartland Men’s Chorus, for a quick Q&A about life, music, the weather and, of course, their new show, Y’all Means All. Yeehaw!
Tell us how you got to Kansas City. I had a full career as a K-12 music educator, and I was an adjunct professor at the University of Arizona, conducting a lot of musical theater. I also had two LGBTQ choruses in Arizona. A buddy who was the conductor said, “You should check out this program (at UMKC) for your doctorate.” I checked it out and I loved it.
What is the best thing about living here? The best thing about living in Kansas City? It’s the seasons. Moving here from the desert, I’ve had to, uh, deal with winter. And I’m still learning how to deal with winter. But I’ve started to acclimate and, man, there’s nothing better than seeing the fall color changes. I grew up in the desert: xeriscapes, cactus, dirt. And to see running water and beautiful trees and color changes is just something that’s really magical.
What do you love most about your job? I love working with people. It kind of sounds kind of a little bit out there, but as a conductor, people are your instrument. I started as a trumpet player and then became a vocalist and transitioned into becoming a conductor. And it’s the people that really become the instrument, which is such a wonderful gift.
When did you know that music would be your career? At a really young age. I didn’t know that I could do anything else. I was always an artsy kid. I grew up dancing in a living room to La Cage aux Folles, my parents not having any clue [that I was gay]. They must have been blind and deaf. That grew into me studying trumpet and being involved in everything possible with music growing up. And I just kind of didn’t see any other option. It’s just, like, this is what I was born to do.
Your parents were supportive, yes? Because this business is so insanely competitive and you have to be the best if you’re going to get the gig, there were times when I thought, Why did I have such amazing, supportive, loving parents growing up? They said, “You can do anything you want, but why not do the thing that you’re most passionate about?” And I love that. But also, during the challenging times, I’ve often looked back and said, “Man, you should have just told me to become a pilot or a doctor.”
Tell us about this show. What is the inspiration behind Y’all Means All? The inspiration behind the show was to celebrate country music, which has always had a rich tradition in storytelling, but then utilize the LGBTQ lens to create a more inclusive and diverse experience.
Can you expand on that? Sure. I mean, country music has been very heteronormative. How many times have we listened to a country song where it’s, you know, love, but we [the gay community] are often translating that and putting ourselves into the place of one part or the other in the song? It’s important that [the gay community] reclaim our space and present country music in a way that’s more inclusive.
Lovely! Yeah. And it’s gonna be fun!
