Ruthie Ann Miles and Dennis Haysbert are the latest in an eclectic list of esteemed individuals from stage and screen to participate in Hope of the Season: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir. The Tony Award-winner and acclaimed actor performed during the annual tradition, now in its 22nd year. They join the likes of past collaborators Kristin Chenoweth, Gladys Knight, Walter Cronkite, Jane Seymour, Audra McDonald, and even The Muppets.
The special, airing throughout the holidays via PBS and BYUtv, was filmed last year at the 21,000 seat Conference Center at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. Miles and Haysbert showcased their respective talents alongside the cast of 500 volunteers. Miles, known for The King & I and All Rise, sings a medley of holiday classics with the Choir, including the hymns “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” The star also brings “Spirit of the Season” and “Believe” from “The Polar Express” to life.
Haysbert is known for his prolific career with turns in the Major League films and shows 24 and The Unit . He also tells the remarkable true story of African philanthropist Dr. Charles Mulli and narrates the original Christmas story of Luke. We sat down with the entertainers to reflect on their emotional experiences.
Ruthie Ann Miles
Ruthie Ann Miles (PBS and BYUtv)
How would you compare preparing for this performance with the others you’ve done in your career?
Ruthie Ann Miles: The way I prepare singing with the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra was different in that I was listening to Christmas music back in July. Not something I typically would be doing over the summer. I started to listen to all of the music I grew up listening to for as far back as I can remember. Songs in English, songs in Korean, songs in Hawaiian. I was asking my mom, “remember this one Christmas we did in 1996. What was that cantata name?” I would go in and research. I did a lot of research on choral music, holiday music, Christmas music, and I found the ones that spoke close to my heart. I was speaking with Mack [Wilberg] (music director), David [Warner] (writer/director) and Ron [Jarrett] (producer/Choir president), and we found a set of songs that not only spoke to my heart, but also remembered my past and helped me reminisce. It was a longer process than I’d normally do for a concert, but it made it so much more personal. It allowed me time to make it more personal.
What did it mean to have your mom in attendance as she helped cultivate your faith and love of music?
Having my mom in attendance at Temple Square was a gift I couldn’t have expected to receive. My mom is the singular influence of music in my life from a very young age. She was a musician herself. She taught the choir and gave me a love of music myself. I never thought I would be able to express myself in a theatrical way and that is truly me in front of my mom where she truly sees me for who I am and also shares my love of music which she gave to me. It inspired me, made me a little nervous, ,but more than anything, helped us bond over our love of music and the ways we overcame the hardships growing up.
So many from stage have been part of this holiday tradition every year, how is it to be part of its legacy?
I feel like I was handed a baton for so many of my friends who cherished me and who I cherish myself. I love them and they said this is a special experience where you get to share the deepest and most traditional parts of your soul for a very wide audience. You get to sing the music you grew up singing. You get to sing along with the Tabernacle Choir and orchestra, which is a part of so many of our childhoods and upbringings and to have that baton given to me was a gift, but also gave me and allowed me to express myself in a joyous way that I never thought to do. It’s not something we get to do on Broadway.
What did you take from the experience?
What I love about being able to bring characters to life on stage and television is that you get to create these stories that are just two-dimensional on paper and get to embody it and share it with a three-dimensional audience. What made performing with the Tabernacle Choir and orchestra is these songs that I loved have always been two-dimensional to me. “O Little Town of Bethlehem” has always been in my mind a story. Yet when we sing it with the Choir it seems two-dimensional in some ways to be able to paint the picture with Mack and paint the picture with the orchestra. It was special in that I got to create a character in a different way. I want to paint a picture in a way I get to do on stage and screen that I haven’t been able to do in concert before. That was very special to me.
Dennis Haysbert
Dennis Haysbert (PBS and BYUtv)
How do you compare preparing for a film or TV role with this?
Dennis Haysbert: I would prepare very much differently for the Tabernacle as I’m being me where I have to prepare that character and figure out who that character is. It’s other than myself. It’s basically two different people.
What did it mean to you to be part of the legacy of this holiday tradition and have these new opportunities at this stage of your career?
It’s definitely a highlight working with the Tabernacle choir and the orchestra. It was nothing short of incredible. I’ve never experienced anything like this before in my entire career. I only wish I had done it sooner.
How was it for you to spotlight Dr. Charles Mulli’s efforts and impact he has made? What was it like to meet him?
It’s really hard to answer that question without getting emotional, but I’m going to try my best. It was like meeting a brother I’d never known. An incredible man. I think I cried often when I was on stage, just telling his story.. It was sort of electric.
You tell the powerful story of Dr. Charles Mulli and his selflessness and sacrifices he has made to make an impact. Did you expect to get as emotional as you did?
I really didn’t have any idea until I was rehearsing it and then finding out this man was real. And then finding out he was going to be there. That was a surprise. I’m sure it was a surprise for the audience because I had met him prior. He was just an incredible man.
Do you have any unique Christmas time traditions?
Not anymore. We’re all spread out. My children are in another country and here. We’re kind of reinventing traditions. I have a lot of nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. Yes, I am a grandfather this year. So we’re kind of creating our new traditions now because it’s very rare we can get the entire family together. That’s over a hundred people now. I come from a family of nine. So all my siblings have children and their children are starting to have children. I am eight in the line. I was deemed the lucky one.
How is it for you to be recognized for Allstate commercials just as you would for your other work like 24 and The Unit?
This compared to a TV show where you might get maybe, I think the height of our popularity of the show The Unit, I think we had 12.5 million a week per episode. Then you go to All State where it’s on 24/7, 365 days of the year. Millions between 50 to 75 million people see that a week. The commercials are immensely popular. As a matter of fact, I haven’t been doing it for five years and people still think I’m doing it. I stopped doing it five or six years ago, and I’m still considered the spokesperson. I wish I was being paid like I am, but I’m no longer doing it.
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Your voice is so recognizable. How often are you recognized on the phone when ordering say a pizza or calling customer service? Any fun stories from that?
Not as many as you might think as many might be afraid to say something. It’s mostly when I’m out and about and I happen to open my mouth and say something. People would stop in their tracks and say, “say it ain’t so.” I’d just repeat, “say it ain’t so.” They say, “You are. You’re him.” I’d respond with, “well, that depends on who you think I am.” I never assume. People always come up with another name. This happened just recently. I was at a hotel and going to visit my family for Thanksgiving. I’m walking past people in the lobby and they’d say hi and I’d say hi. “Where have I heard that voice,” they asked. I asked “where haven’t you heard it?” It’s fun. It always tickles me. It beats the alternative. If people didn’t recognize you, that’d be a shame.
You’ve been on so many TV shows. Is there one set you wish you could have been on longer or a character that you wish went more than an episode or more?
One that comes to mind, and I did five or six episodes on it, but I wish I’d done an entire season. I had a great deal of fun with that.
Hope of the Season: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir premiere, December 15, 8/7c, PBS (repeat December 24; check local listings)
The 90-minute program is also streaming now through January 1 on PBS.org and the PBS app.BYUtv will air it on December 18 at 8/7c with repeats through Christmas Day and through BYUtv app and BYUtv.org.
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