Pulling off the annual Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir concert special is a gargantuan feat. There’s a reason that, as I toured the facility in December 2019, staff (from conductor and music director Mack Wilburg to the broadcast’s executive producer Ed Payne) were already talking plans for 2020. While COVID-19 foiled those efforts for an in-person concert in 2020, audiences around the world will finally be able to see the 2019 special featuring Tony Award winner Kelli O’Hara and Tony Award nominee Richard Thomas on PBS and BYUtv.
As you watch the special December 14 (check your local listings and their websites for streaming), the intimacy of the show will move you, but the scale of the production will shock you. Here, we outline some of the most impressive numbers behind the legendary Christmas.
720,000 Pieces of music in the Tabernacle Choir library—which puts university stacks to shame
63,000 Audience members who got to see the 2019 Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir concert December 18–20, 2019.
50,000 Miles of electric wiring in the LDS Conference Center—if you measure the full length.
21,000 Seats in the LDS Conference Center
7,667 Pipes in the Conference Center organ. The organ in the Tabernacle in Temple Square is actually larger, with 11,623 pipes. More are visible at the Conference Center, giving audiences the illusion that it is larger. The Tabernacle hosts organ recitals year-round, and the Conference Center hosts recitals Memorial Day through Labor Day.
5,000 Yards of fabric bought by Tabernacle seamstresses when they make a new dress. “They have to buy enough material to make gowns for 200 people and then to have enough for the future to be able to do others,” says General Manager of the Choir Scott Barrick.
250 Handbells used by the Bells on Temple Square ensemble. They also use 178 windchimes. The highest bell (in tone) weighs 0.25 pounds and the lowest handbell (a C2) weighs 17 pounds.
200 Volunteers in the Orchestra at Temple Square; but, 85 of them play each week on Music & The Spoken Word broadcast.
110 Years since the first recording of the Tabernacle Choir in 1910
100 Dancers in the special event—do not miss this brand-new number in this year’s concert.
91 Years since the first radio broadcast in 1929
60 Approximate number of crew members (camera operators, sound board operators, producers, etc.) to film the concert
45 New members each year (approximately). “You can sing in the choir for 20 years, until you turn 60, whichever comes first.” So the turnover is about 45-65 new members each year.
44 Granite columns that give the Tabernacle the hollowed out eggshell shape. “It’s construction was done principally by bridge builders, and that’s what gave it that arched roof with no support,” says Barrick. “When they did this seismic upgrade, the roof actually just sat on the 44 granite columns, so if there had been any significant seismic, it could have shaken the roof off. Well, this is in 2005–2007. They lifted the roof up six inches, they put concrete reinforcing, they put overshoes around each column, and then they banded it around and over the king trusses on each end. So this is one of the safest places in Utah to be in case of an earthquake.”
35 Years Ed Payne has executive produced the Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir specials. He retires this year.
32 Members in the Bells on Temple Square ensemble.
20 Years the Tabernacle Choir has performed in the Conference Center for the Christmas special, instead of the actual Tabernacle
19 Years the Tabernacle choir has invited guests to perform as part of the Christmas special. The first guests were Gladys Knight and Roma Downey. Over the years, the event has featured Broadway greats like Brian Stokes Mitchell, Sutton Foster, Hugh Bonneville, Laura Osnes, and Kristin Chenoweth.
17 Numbers in the 2020 broadcast’s show
15 Cameras used to shoot the special, which includes a combination of remote operated stationary cameras, in-hall manned cameras, and roving hand-held cameras in the choir loft and in the audience. They capture over 80 hours of footage that is then edited down to the 60-minute PBS broadcast and the 90-minute BYUtv version (which is also the DVD version).
4 Phases of the audition process to gain admittance to the Choir. “You have to apply online and send in a recording. Then, that’s reviewed by our music directors. You have to take a two-and-a-half hour written and oral hearing music tests. If you score 80 percent or higher, then you get to the in-person auditions. If you are accepted from the in-person auditions, then you get 16 weeks of training.”
3 Times a Choir member rehearses a piece of music before performing it. “In a normal rehearsal cycle: You’ll come on Thursday night. The first half of the rehearsal will be perfecting the work that will be done on that week’s broadcast. The second part of that rehearsal, we’ll introduce music that will be done on the broadcast ten days from now. You see it the first time. Then, you see it the second time a week later, and then you rehearse it on Sunday. That’s it. That’s as much as they get to see it.”
2 Guests at the 2019 concert (Kelli O’Hara and Richard Thomas) which airs December 14, 2020.
Just in time for Halloween 2020, Nick Cearley and Lauren Molina independently released THE ROCKY HORROR SKIVVIES SHOW THE ALBUM. Following COVID safety protocols, they gathered their friends and colleagues together to produce one of the most entertaining cast albums ever recorded.
Stars in the House, the daily live streamed concert series created by Playbill correspondent and SiriusXM Broadway host Seth Rudetsky and producer James Wesley, presents The Chelsea Symphony’s virtual premiere of Aaron Dai’s The Night Before Christmas December 11 at 8 PM ET.
John Lithgow narrates the evening featuring Andrea Martin, BD Wong, Caroline Rhea, Nicholas Pappone, Candace Chien, and more.
James Wesley and Seth Rudetsky Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Stars in the House launched March 16 to promote support for The Actors Fund and its services in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. It has also raised funds for the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIIDS.
New shows—typically streaming Monday–Saturday at 8 PM ET with afternoon shows Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM—feature performances by stars of stage and screen, in conversation and song with Rudetsky and Wesley. Peter Flynn serves as streaming director.
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square (previously known as The Mormon Tabernacle Choir) is an institution and an anomaly. There is no other choir in America of this size with as wide a reach for as many years. Approximately 360 singers perform a weekly international broadcast Music & the Spoken Word, the longest continuous broadcast on air that began in 1929. The Choir has performed at World Fairs and Presidential Inaugurations. But nothing more quintessentially encapsulates the Choir, its spirit, and its musicality than the annual Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir concert that emerges each December in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The production is so massive that the 2019 concert, which features guest appearances by Tony Award winner Kelli O’Hara and Tony Award nominee Richard Thomas, airs this December (as Kristin Chenoweth’s 2018 concert aired in 2019, Sutton Foster and Hugh Bonneville’s 2017 concert aired in 2018, etc.).
Talent of O’Hara and Thomas’ caliber (and their predecessors) jump at the chance to sing with the Choir because of their unparalleled sound and technique. Both come from music director Mack Wilberg. “He’s the genius behind all that we do. He’s got the talent, he knows the music, he’s got the vision. It’s really the man that makes the music,” says Choir President Ron Jarrett of Wilberg.
“It takes a tremendous amount of discipline and people don’t realize. They think that you just stand up and you sing,” says Wilberg. Choir members commit to a rigorous rehearsal schedule; they have to since they only rehearse a piece of music three times before singing on air. But the Christmas special is a highlight and an extra challenge. In a space that seats 21,000, the hardest part is singing together. “The singers from one side to the other and from the back of the choir to the front of the choir, it’s hard to hear each other,” Wilberg says.
And yet, there are things only a choir of this size can do. He says, “It takes 360 voices to really, what you would call, create a wall of sound. A small choir can’t do that.”
But the Christmas special is so much more than just the choir. The evening opens with a performance by Bells on Temple Square, an ensemble of hand bell musicians that suddenly makes the yearning in the song “Silver Bells” make sense. Over 100 dancers float through aisles and soar onstage. The sets, the costumes, the falling snow, this isn’t just a concert. Prepare yourself for poetry, choreography, spectacle, orchestrals, and storytime.
It’s also not just about Christmas.
While the Choir is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and members of the choir are members of the church, the evening isn’t about religious dogma. (Take it from this Jewish woman who was profoundly moved.) “It is a matter of sharing wonderful music with people everywhere because music makes such a difference in their life,” says Jarrett. “All the discord that you hear in all the uprisings and all the bad stuff, if you will, can be placated with someone feeling a little bit more at peace with themselves and with their environment. Music does that for people.”
“The message of the words always has to play a really important role in what the Choir does,” says Wilberg. “‘One Person’ by Jerry Herman that is just perfect for us because it talks about the difference one person can make in the world. Whether it be ‘The Impossible Dream’ or ‘Climb Every Mountain’ I should say that Broadway music, that ilk, plays a huge role on our repertoire.”
And a huge role in choosing guest artists.
“When we have someone with a Broadway background, I usually know that it’s going to be pretty smooth sailing because that’s just what they do,” says Wilberg. “They can just come in and hit the mark right from the top because they are so seasoned. They’re just troopers in the very best sense of the word. It really does make a big difference.”
It also makes a big difference to the song choice and story choice. Wilberg flew out to New York to meet with O’Hara and Thomas. The repertoire of the December 14 broadcast is very much a reflection of these performers’ sensibilities and collaboration—mixing songs from O’Hara’s Broadway appearances with a fable Thomas personally cherishes. The efforts of thousands of people accumulate to an atmosphere of joy and generosity. The aura will awe as much as it delights, you will beam as much as you tear up. As Wilberg says with a wink, “I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.”
Watch Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir December 14 on PBS and BYUtv. Check your local listings and streaming options.
On this day in 2006, the original Tony- winning production of Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater’s musical Spring Awakening opened at Broadway’s Eugene O’Neill Theater
The Tina Fey-hosted special One Night Only The Best of Broadway has announcedadditional talent to the telecast, airing Thursday, Dec. 10 8-10 p.m. ETPT on NBC, including special performances fromBarbra Streisand and global superstar Antonio Banderas with the Spanish cast of A Chorus Line.
Read on for some recent theatre headlines you may have missed in today’s news.
Jessica Vosk to Release Holiday EP Wicked alum Jessica Vosk (Fiddler on the Roof, Finding Neverland) announced on her Instagram that she’ll soon release a three-song holiday album, A Very Coco Christmas. No date was revealed, but she does promise “some sassy Holiday cheer.” We believe it!
Christian Borle and Michael Potts Land Recurring Roles in Prodigal Son Two-time Tony Award winner Christian Borle (Something Rotten!, Falsettos) and Michael Potts (The Prom, upcoming Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom for Netflix) are joining the second season of Fox’s thriller Prodigal Son, Deadline reports. The hour-long drama stars Michael Sheen as the captured serial killer known as “The Surgeon” and Tom Payne as his son, a profiler employed by the NYPD. Borle will play Friar Pete, a psychiatric patient imprisoned with Sheen’s character, and Potts portrays Dr. Marsh, a new therapist in the ward.
Marisha Wallace Sets Date for U.K. Concert Tour Broadway and West End performer Marisha Wallace has announced a six-date U.K. tour for fall 2021 to support her new album “Tomorrow,” now available from Decca Records. Wallace (Broadway’s Aladdin, Something Rotten!) made her West End debut in Dreamgirls and is set to star as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray at London’s Coliseum in April 2021. Also, catch Marisha performing her single “Tomorrow” from the album on Royal Variety Performance on ITV1.
NYGASP’s Virtual Season Will Conclude With Stream of Comic Operetta Cox and Box New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players’ finale of their 2020 virtual season, a cinematic experience of Sir Arthur Sullivan and F.C. Burnand’s comic operetta Cox and Box, will stream December 27–January 2, 2021. The 50-minute film, shot and staged at South Orange Performing Arts Center with an Actors’ Equity Association-approved COVID-19 safety plan, features Daniel Greenwood as Box, Creative Producer David Macaluso as Cox, and Matthew Wages as Sgt. Bouncer. The latter also directs and designed the sets. Tickets are available at NYGASP.org.
Below are just some of the digital offerings this week. For more, check out Playbill’s Streaming Calendar, presented in partnership with Broadway Podcast Network.
Monday, December 7
7 PM ET: Broadway Up Close With Stephen Schwartz Nikki Renée Daniels and Gabrielle Stravelli perform during this spotlight on composer Stephen Schwartz. Learn about his inspiring story and hear music spanning his entire career—including songs from Pippin, Pocahontas, The Baker’s Wife and his smash hit Wicked.
Tuesday, December 8
7 PM: Folksbiene Chanukah Spectacular Yiddish song, dance, comedy and celebration from across the globe come together when National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene presents a Folksbiene Chanukah Spectacular, featuring an international array of more than 50 stars from Broadway to the Yiddish stage. Expect musical segments, comedy, and some very special guest appearances and cameos.
Wednesday, December 9
7 PM: The Bestest Office Christmas Party Ever New York Theatre Barn continues its New Works Series live streams, featuring a full 35-minute excerpt from the new musical The Bestest Office Christmas Party Ever, book and lyrics by Drew Larimore and music and lyrics by Billy Recce. A conversation with the creators will follow the excerpt.
7:30 PM: An Evening With Audra McDonald Six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald headlines New York City Center’s 2020 gala. McDonald will be accompanied by music director Andy Einhorn. The event is filmed live on the venue’s stage and will be available on demand for one week following the premiere.
8 PM: Hamilton Virtual Tour Join Part 2 of Broadway Up Close and Playbill Social Selects’ HamilTour (Part 1 not required to follow along). In addition to exploring the historical sites from the musical, audiences will hear first-hand accounts about the making of the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner.
Thursday, December 10
8 PM: Robert O’Hara’s Barbecue Spotlight on Plays concludes its fall season with Robert O’Hara’s Barbecue. The virtual reading benefiting The Actors Fund will star Carrie Coon, Colman Domingo, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Annie McNamara, S. Epatha Merkerson, Metcalf, David Morse, Kristine Nielsen, Tamberla Perry, and Heather Simms, with O’Hara directing.
8 PM: Broadway Trivia Night Play seven virtual rounds of theatre trivia at Playbill Social Selects’ The ShowBiz Quizwith prizes and surprises around each corner. Yvette Kojic hosts, with players able to interact with each other online just like quiz nights at the pub.
Friday, December 11
7 PM: Meet Me in St. Louis Irish Repertory Theatre will present Meet Me in St. Louis: A Holiday Special in Song and on Screen. This new digital production, written by Irish Rep Artistic Director Charlotte Moore, is an abridged version of the 1989 Broadway musical, based on the 1944 film of the same name starring Judy Garland. The cast includes Shereen Ahmed, Melissa Errico, Ali Ewoldt, and Max von Essen.
8 PM: Who’s Holiday! Matthew Lombardo’s Off-Broadway comedy Who’s Holiday!, starring Lesli Margherita, will stream to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Filmed during the show’s 2017 run at Off-Broadway’s Westside Theatre, this will mark its first streamed showing. The solo play tells the story of a middle-aged Cindy Lou Who—of Dr. Seuss fame—now residing in a beaten-down trailer in the snowy hills of Mount Crumpit.
