Talk of Iowa

The Des Moines Gay Men's Chorus celebrates 25 years

By Charity Nebbe,

Caitlin Troutman, Dani Gehr, Neve Kelley

Published June 23, 2026 at 10:25 AM CDT

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This year the Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus turns 25.

On this episode of Talk of Iowa, we hear from artistic director Chase Shoemaker and associate artistic director Ben Hagen. They look back at the group's history and talk about the powerful community it has created. Their 25th Anniversary performances, The Silver Party, will be at 7:30 p.m. June 26 & 27 at the Sheslow Auditorium at Drake University in Des Moines.

Then we hear from Kitty Sheehan, founder of The Healing Obituary. An obituary is a way to preserve someone’s legacy. However, funeral homes are turning to AI to save time and cost. Sheehan teaches how to write obituaries and makes the case for why they should be done by humans.

Guests:

Chase Shoemaker, artistic director and conductor, Des Moines Gay Men's Chorus
Ben Hagen, associate artistic director and principal accompanist, Des Moines Gay Men's Chorus
Kitty Sheehan, co-founder of The Healing Obituary, part of the Iowa Writer’s Collaborative

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Charity Nebbe

Charity Nebbe is the host of 'Talk of Iowa'. She also hosts IPR's podcasts 'Garden Variety' and 'Unsettled'. Since 2010, Nebbe has interviewed, conversed with, and shared ideas from guests of all backgrounds and locations, and has helped listeners better understand, appreciate, and explore their state and the world around them. Nebbe has a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University.

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Caitlin Troutman

Caitlin Troutman is an award-winning talk show producer for Iowa Public Radio. She holds a bachelor's degree from William Jewell College. Since 2022, Troutman has worked with IPR's talk team to bring news and features to IPR's listening audience.

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Dani Gehr

Dani Gehr is a talk show producer for Iowa Public Radio. She holds a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University. Since 2022, Gehr has worked with IPR's talk team to bring news and features to IPR's listening audience.

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Neve Kelley

Neve Kelley was a 2025 summer intern with IPR's talk show team and a senior at Oberlin College studying English, environmental studies and education. She is originally from Peoria, Illinois. Some of her favorite things to do in Iowa include going to shows at Codfish Hollow and the Englert, visiting different coffee shops and taking yoga classes.

See stories by Neve Kelley