HMMMMM--BARBERSHOP CHORUSES TO PERFORM

Tucked away in the basement of a Fullerton convalescent hospital, the Orange Empire Chorus was polishing its repertoire of barbershop standards.

Renditions of “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah,” “The Soft Shoe Song” and “We Kinda Miss Those Good Old Songs” were punctuated only by the clatter of utensils from the nearby cafeteria and the instructions of chorus director Paul Olguin, who periodically stopped the singing to smooth out a rough spot in the harmony or work out a kink in the choreography.

The chorus was rehearsing for a pair of concerts to be held today and Saturday at 8 p.m. at Plummer Auditorium in Fullerton.

The Orange Empire Chorus is part of the Orange Empire chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America Inc., a nationwide group boasting more than 800 clubs with more than 40,000 members. According to Orange Empire chapter president Jack Murphy, his chapter is known for its full-chorus presentations of barbershop favorites. The chapter was formed in 1957 and has 97 members, about 70 of whom participate in the chorus.

Dave Johnson, chapter publicity chairman, said that while some of the singers are formally trained musicians, “mostly it’s just people who like to sing.” Membership is open, he said: “People hear about it, come along and end up joining.” The chorus performs in public about once a month, Johnson said, in a variety of situations, including weddings, funerals, public parks and barbershop competitions.

The Orange Empire Chorus is not the only group offering barbershop fare this weekend in Orange County. “The Showboat Came to Town,” a barbershop harmony show, is slated Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. at Saddleback College’s McKinney Theatre in Mission Viejo and will feature the Saddleback Valley chapter of the nationwide barbershop society along with the Beach Cities Chorus and special guest quartets. John Hulbert will direct the show.

Proceeds from the Plummer and Saddleback concerts will support the society’s unified service project, the Institute of Logopedics, a center for correcting children’s hearing and speech defects located in Wichita.

Tickets for the Plummer Auditorium concerts range from $3 to $8. For information, call George Helmer, (714) 774-1598. For information on the Saddleback College shows, call (714) 582-4656.