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by Denise Stone

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Singing Christmas Tree's 45th Year to Unite Past Performers

The Singing Christmas Tree has been a Portland tradition since 1962.
--The Singing Christmas Tree, photo

The Singing Christmas Tree will celebrate its 45th season of enacting the true meaning of Christmas on Nov. 23-Dec. 1.

A 30-foot Christmas tree fills center stage of a lavish set in the Keller Auditorium, located on the corner of Clay Street and Third Avenue in downtown Portland. The 160-member choir nestles in the green boughs glowing with thousands of twinkling lights.

Another 120 choir members and a 40-voice children's choir, all dressed in Victorian attire, form a production company that tells the Christmas story in two acts. A live 40-member orchestra enhances the voices with musical depth.

"The program always begins with 'Joy to the World,'" choir member Jennifer Belmont said. Ms. Belmont said the first act features secular favorites such as "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," "Let it Snow," and "Merry Christmas."

Act 2 re-enacts the birth of Christ. The nativity story comes alive with a blend of new songs and sacred favorites, sometimes re-arranged to give the songs freshness.

"We present what Christmas is all about," producer-director of the Singing Christmas Tree, Jim Boehner, said. "We've chosen, even though it is a tremendous financial risk, to do this in a public auditorium versus a church just so that it wouldn't be a barrier for people coming in. We look at it as a seed-planting opportunity."

"We do not sing the same thing every year. It is not a cookie-cutter program," Ms. Belmont said. Ms. Belmont, who has sung in the choir for 14 years, said most of the songs this year are from past programs.

This year's celebration will also reunite past guest performers: Katie Harmon, Miss America 2002; the a cappella group, Rescue; renowned pianist Michael Allen Harrison; concert rock violinist Aaron Meyer; radio personality Georgine Rice; and soloist Timothy Greenidge.

Started in 1962 by the First Assembly of God as a way to reach the Portland community with the gospel, The Singing Christmas Tree remained an outreach for 21 years. In 1983, the church no longer desired to continue producing the Tree.

Given the opportunity to take over the outreach, Mr. Boehner obtained permission from his church to form a non-profit organization. Singers from Rolling Hills Community Church performed with the Tree for five years.

Unable to remain a full-time pastor as well as produce and direct, Mr. Boehner became The Singing Christmas Tree's only full-time employee in 1989 and made the Tree a community-based effort with 20 churches participating.

Since then, The Singing Christmas Tree has grown into a multi-church collaboration. Members of the choir and production company attend 130 different churches.

"It works because we are ordinary people with extraordinary commitment," Mr. Boehner said. The choir rehearses for 12 weeks starting in September. At a retreat in Cannon Beach, the choir and guest performers produce a CD. Many more hours in the Keller Auditorium complete the preparations for the 10 two-hour performances.

Choir member pay dues to participate and rent their costumes, Ms. Belmont said.

Performances begin the day after Thanksgiving and end Dec. 1. Ticket prices start at $12 per seat and are available through Ticketmaster, the Portland Center for Performing Arts box office and Keller Auditorium.

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