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Mayor Guest Stars in Mad Hatter Spoof

Boughton 'Runs' in Barbershop for President!                                    

Mad Hatters rehearse for 2008 annual showDANBURY, Conn.—The Danbury Mad Hatter Barbershop Chorus lampooned the 2008 election campaigns in an original musical comedy, “Barbershop for President!” on May 17 at the Brookfield (Conn.) High School. Among local political figures appearing in the group’s 41st annual extravaganza was Danbury Mayor Mark D. Boughton.

Besides Boughton and the 28-member Mad Hatter chorus, the show featured Reveille, a quartet from New York’s Big Apple Chorus, and a women’s quartet called Ringtones! Both groups are international prizewinners.

Also performing were three local quartets drawn from the Hatters’ own membership: Rare Occasion, the HatterTones and a new ensemble called Side By Side.

Emcee for the evening was Danbury native and WestConn alumnus Joe West, returning from his crowd-pleasing performance in the 2006 show. West is well known in the region for his vocal, sax, percussion, and voiceover work.

Six Mad Hatter singers collaborated in scripting this year’s show. One is the group’s director, Joe Hudson, who also leads the Danbury High School Choirs. Another is Terry Dunkle, a Danbury software entrepreneur and former Reader’s Digest editor with 30 years’ experience covering political campaigns. Still another is local pediatrician Robert Golenbock, renowned for his lead voice and zany one-liners. Rounding out the team are Bradley, a Carmel, N.Y., real-estate broker; show chairman Dick Zang, of Newtown, a semi-retired engineer; and Danbury native Art Roberts, who is boys varsity tennis coach at Immaculate High School.

The Danbury Mad Hatter Barbershop Chorus is a nonprofit volunteer organization affiliated with the worldwide 30,000-member Barbershop Harmony Society. The Hatters have been spreading goodwill among civic groups and shut-ins throughout the Danbury region since 1966.

Hatters Win 'Best Small Chorus' in Division Meet

Director Joe Hudson shows off winners' plaqueWappingers Falls, N.Y. (March 15, 2008)—The Danbury Mad Hatter Barbershop Chorus won Best Small Chorus and Most Improved Chorus in today's Northeastern District, Yankee Division convention of the worldwide Barbershop Harmony Society, held at the Roy C. Ketcham High School.

Singing "Over the Rainbow" and "Heart," the Mad Hatters finished third overall behind the division champion, Manchester Silk City Chorus, and just six points behind the second-place Poughkeepsie Newyorkers.

“Ahhhh, I’m happy,” said Mad Hatter director Joe Hudson, sighing as he collapsed into a chair after showing off the winner’s plaque in the Hatters' dressing room (left).

“This is probably the best contest performance we’ve given in my dozen or so years as a Mad Hatter,” said chorus president . “We’re so close to the best in the district. Some fine tuning and we’ll be there.”

Other contestants were central Connecticut’s Connecticut Yankee Chorus; Hartford, Connecticut's Insurance City Chorus; and Norwich, Connecticut's Rose City Chorus.

Besides winning top honors in the Small Chorus category, the Mad Hatters qualified to compete against choruses from all of New England and parts of New York and Canada in the Society's Northeastern District contest, to be held in Lowell, Massachusetts, from October 24 to 26.

For additional details on the Yankee Division contest, click the April 2008 Hatter Chatter link at right.