Tony-Award winner Ruthie Ann Miles joins Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square for holidays

SALT LAKE CITY — A Tony Award-winning actress and Broadway star, Ruthie Ann Miles, will join The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square for its annual Christmas concert in December. 

Miles will be the featured guest performer at the concerts on Dec. 19, 20, and 21, the Choir announced Friday morning.

Mack Wilberg, the Tabernacle Choir’s music director, told KSL in an exclusive interview he’s thrilled this year’s concert will feature Miles, who is currently starring in “McNeal” on Broadway at Lincoln Center Theater. She won a Tony Award for her performance in “The King And I” in 2015.  

“She’s as warm and generous as anyone that I’ve ever met, and I think that she’s going to bring that warmth to our performance,” Wilberg said. “I think everybody can really look forward to this year’s concert.”

The Christmas concert series with Ruthie Ann Miles

This will be the first Christmas concert in five years open to a capacity audience at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, which seats around 21,000 people. Seating had been limited for several years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and construction around Temple Square.  

“We’re looking forward to having all 21,000 there,” said Choir President Michael Leavitt. “This is something that I think everyone – not just in Utah but around the country – look forward to.”  

Tickets to this year’s concert are free and will be distributed through a random selection process, the Choir said. The registration period opens Tuesday, Oct. 15 and runs through Friday, Nov. 1. You can sign up on the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square’s website. Admission is open to those 8 and older.  

For those who do not get tickets, a standby line will form each night at the Tabernacle on Temple Square at 6:30 p.m. The concert begins at 8 p.m.  

More than just Christmas music

Miles is also scheduled to perform on the Choir’s weekly “Music and the Spoken Word” broadcast on Sunday, Dec. 22. Tickets are not required for that.  

“Every year’s a bit different, but there’s a special spirit about Christmas,” said Kelly Taylor, director of marketing and reputation for the Choir. “It’s the reason why people want this to be a part of their regular tradition. When you’ve experienced it once, you wish you could do it again and again.”

Miles has also had roles on Broadway in “The Light in the Piazza” and “Sweeney Todd.” She also received wide acclaim for playing in “Here Lies Love.” 

Related: ‘Indescribable’: Tabernacle Choir performs with African American glee clubs in Georgia

The actress is also known for her work on television, including “All Rise” and “The Americans” as well as Netflix’s “Over the Moon.”

Choir member Chathum Nielsen said he’s excited for this year’s concert and always enjoys working with guest performers.   

“Every guest artist that comes just brings something really unique and special,” Nielsen said. “They just are so gracious, and so you just feel like you’re the important one to them, and I think that’s what makes them such great performers, too. The audience just connects on that one-on-one basis.”

In a news release, the Choir said Miles has also been recognized for her work “empowering women, teaching students, and especially uplifting the Asian-American performing community.”

“We are delighted to have her join with the Choir and Orchestra to bring joy into the hearts of our audiences as we celebrate the Savior’s birth,” Wilberg said.  

Last year’s Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert featured Broadway star Michael Maliakel and film and television actor Lesley Nicol. That concert will air on PBS on Dec. 17 and 24, and the DVD and CD versions will go on sale Oct. 25.