Kelli O’Hara and Richard Thomas to perform in Christmas concert
Oct 25, 2019, 4:47 PM
Broadway vocalist Kelli O’Hara will headline the annual Christmas concert with The Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra at Temple Square and Bells on Temple Square, with actor Richard Thomas providing narration for the show.
As in years past, choir director Mack Wilberg of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is keeping the songs and theme of the show under a figurative lock and key.
In fact, Wilberg says they are “still working” on the repertoire of the Christmas concert.
Wilberg says the Christmas concert is a “great event every year.”
A Christmas tradition
O’Hara and Thomas joined the KSL Movie Show with Doug Wright for the highly anticipated announcement.
The concert will not be the first for O’Hara, who Wilberg calls “the celebrated Broadway actress.” However, O’Hara says it will be her first opportunity to perform with the Tabernacle Choir.
She said the Christmas concert will be a great opportunity.
“I feel fortunate to be asked,” she tells the KSL Movie Show.
A deeply personal performance
As for the theme of the show, O’Hara and Wilberg emphasized that the effort is a collaboration.
This collaboration, Wilberg says, will draw from O’Hara’s personal and family Christmas traditions.
O’Hara says the theme will be “a very personal theme” for her and for everyone. She hopes that the personal nature of the show “will just make the warmth and the celebration even greater.”
O’Hara has been nominated for seven Tony Awards. She won a Tony Award in 2015 in the category of “Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical.”
O’Hara played the role of Anna Leonowens in “The King and I” opposite Ken Watanabe.
Despite her powerhouse musical career, O’Hara found the Conference Center to be overwhelming.
She had an opportunity previously to see the center when there was no audience present.
“I had to sit down and take it all in,” she says.
Imagining the venue magnificently decorated and hosting a full audience, “It kind of took my breath away,” O’Hara added.
Richard Thomas is an Emmy Award-winning actor. The public will recognize Thomas for his role as John-Boy on the TV show “The Waltons.”
The concert will be on Dec. 12, 13, and 14.
Tickets are free, but registration begins Friday, Oct. 25 at noon and goes through Sunday, Nov. 3 at midnight. Those who register will become part of a random selection process. Ticket holders will receive notice via e-mail.
