'24' actor Dennis Haysbert to narrate Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Dennis Haysbert will narrate the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square Christmas concert in Salt Lake City.
Ruthie Ann Miles will also perform; concerts are scheduled for December 19-21.
The event marks the first full-capacity audience at the Conference Center since the pandemic.

SALT LAKE CITY — Dennis Haysbert, an actor known for his role as President David Palmer on "24," will be narrating the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square's annual Christmas concert.

"The iconic voice and great stage presence of Dennis Haysbert will greatly add to the spirit and meaning of Christmas at this year's Tabernacle Choir concert," music director Mack Wilberg said in a statement.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Haysbert's role on Wednesday. The church previously announced Ruthie Ann Miles, a Tony award-winning Broadway actress, would be the featured guest artist for the concerts on Dec. 19, 20 and 21.

Tickets for the 2024 concerts are already given out, but there will be a standby line starting two hours before each concert. The church said these concerts will be the first time the conference center will fill its 21,000 seats since the COVID-19 pandemic began. More recently, tickets have been limited due to construction at Temple Square.

Haysbert and Miles will also perform during the "Music and the Spoken Word" broadcast on Dec. 22, and tickets are not required for that performance.

Wednesday's statement said Haysbert is a "sought-after narrator" because of his resonant voice.

The Tabernacle Choir consists of 360 vocalists and will be joined by the 150-member Orchestra at Temple Square and 32 members of the Bells at Temple Square, a handbell choir, for the Christmas concerts. Each musician is a volunteer.

Members of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square perform during the First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Sunday. (Photo: Brice Tucker, Deseret News)

"Together, they provide inspiring music that has the power to help people feel closer to the divine and celebrate God's love for all his children," Wednesday's statement said.

Last year's live Christmas concert, featuring Broadway-actor Michael Mliakel and television actor Lesley Nichol, will be broadcast on PBS on Dec. 17 and Dec. 24, and will run on BYUtv between Dec. 21 and 25. The choir will also be releasing the CD and DVD versions of the 2023 concert.

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