Broadway Star Michael Maliakel and Beloved British Actress Lesley Nicol Inspire in "Joy: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir"

BYUtv and PBS present the 90-minute program filled with music and dramatic storytelling

SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- "Joy: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir" featuring Broadway star Michael Maliakel (Disney's "Aladdin") and beloved screen and stage actress Lesley Nicol ("Downton Abbey," the films and MASTERPIECE TV series) will premiere on BYUtv and PBS this holiday season. The beloved annual special, presented by GBH, now in its 21^st televised year, has been the top-rated performance program on PBS during the holidays for 19 years since it first aired in 2004 (Nielsen National Ratings Report, Dec 2005-Sept 2024). This edition weaves together uplifting music led by Maliakel and the world-famous Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square with powerful storytelling from Nicol and a cast of actors to celebrate the spirit of the season for viewers of all ages and backgrounds.

The 90-minute program will premiere on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. ET, repeat on Tuesday, Dec. 24 at 9:30 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, and stream Nov. 28–Jan. 1 on PBS.org and the PBS App. BYUtv will air it on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 9 p.m. ET with repeats through Christmas Day, and it will be available to stream for free on the BYUtv app and BYUtv.org.

"This truly epic Christmas has set an unattainably high bar for Christmases to come," said Maliakel, who joins the Choir in performing cherished Christmas carols, hymns and holiday classics. "I think I was nervous about feeling dwarfed, but being up there singing with them feels supportive. We are all in this together. I hope this will inspire people to think about those who have less than they have, to reach out and be of service, to be generous, and I hope that our music does that."

"Joy: Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir" is a universally moving program that combines timeless music like "God Helps the Outcasts" from "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "Joy to the World," "It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas," "I Wonder as I Wander," and "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas" from "Home Alone 2" with a real-life example of sharing joy.

As the evening's narrator, Nicol tells the tale of "Les Misérables" author Victor Hugo's selfless care for the impoverished children in his community. "When he says 'Aimer, c'est agir,' which is 'to love is to act,' it's just beautiful," she said. "As a performer, the thing that strikes me is the amazing teamwork that is happening from every angle, as everybody is absolutely working with each other as one, and the commitment of the crew and everybody backstage is at 100%. It's a group collective decision to make this wonderful experience for people. It's kindness in action."

Per tradition, "Joy: Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir" was filmed in December 2023 to air this year. The program united a 500-person-strong cast including The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, Orchestra at Temple Square, Bells at Temple Square and Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble to deliver an unforgettable program in front of three live audiences in Salt Lake City's 21,000-seat Conference Center at Temple Square, the No. 1 tourist attraction in the state.

"Both Michael Maliakel and Lesley Nicol brought powerful enthusiasm to this year's Christmas concert special, truly exemplifying the joy we worked to capture across the entire production," said Mack Wilberg, music director of The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. "I had worked with Michael before in New York and was honored to collaborate with him on tailoring new arrangements of this classic, inspiring music to his voice. Both he and Lesley have led bright careers that have impacted countless lives, and we are proud to share their wonderful voices through this performance with everyone and offer a message of kindness and joy this season."

Michael Maliakel is an award-winning actor and singer who starred as the title role in Disney's "Aladdin" on Broadway. He was recently featured in two PBS concert specials – "Broadway's Brightest Lights" alongside Broadway luminary Megan Hilty and "An Evening with Lerner and Loewe." He recently made his Kennedy Center debut in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Sunset Boulevard," and has starred in "Anything Can Happen in the Theater: The Musical World of Maury Yeston," Leonard Bernstein's "MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers," "She Loves Me" and the record-breaking world premiere of Mira Nair's "Monsoon Wedding."

Lesley Nicol, esteemed screen and stage actor, is best known for her role as the no-nonsense yet ultimately kind-hearted cook Mrs. Beryl Patmore in 52 episodes of "Downton Abbey" for over five years, along with the feature film continuations "Downton Abbey" (2019) and "Downton Abbey: A New Era" (2022), with a third in the works. She has also starred in "Mamma Mia!" and "Our House" on the West End of London; "The Boys," "Shameless" and "Supernatural" throughout her television career; and "East is East" as well as its sequel "West Is West" in her film work.

Over the past two decades, the annual television broadcast has featured stars such as Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Angela Lansbury, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Lea Salonga, Kelli O'Hara, Santino Fontana, Gladys Knight, Megan Hilty, Sutton Foster, Renée Fleming, Natalie Cole, John Rhys-Davies, Hugh Bonneville, Richard Thomas, Jane Seymour, Neal McDonough, Sir David Suchet and many more.

"Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir" is co-presented annually by inspirational family television network BYUtv and GBH, the largest creator of PBS content for TV and the web. BYUtv is the television home of the Choir's weekly program "Music & the Spoken Word."

Funding for "Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir" on PBS is provided in part by Ronald C. and Kaye Gunnell, Charles and Janet Stoddard and David B. and Jolynn Davies.

For more information, please visit pbs.org/tabernaclechoir.

About The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square is a world-renowned, 360-member choir credited with over 4,900 episodes of its weekly live performance of "Music & the Spoken Word." The program is the longest continuing network broadcast in history, now in its 96^th year. The Choir has traveled around the world performing in acclaimed concert halls, for the inaugurations of seven U.S. presidents beginning with its first for President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, at World's Fairs and expositions, in acclaimed concert halls, on television and radio broadcasts and now internet streams, and numerous other prestigious events and occasions. The Choir has won four Emmy Awards, one Grammy Award and multiple Grammy nominations, was awarded the National Medal of the Arts in 2003 and inducted into the Classical Music Hall of Fame in 2015. It has released over 200 recordings which have earned two platinum and five gold albums and hit #1 on Billboard's classical music charts 15 times.

The Orchestra at Temple Square is a 200-member, all-volunteer symphony orchestra organized in 1999 to perform and accompany the musical ensembles of The Tabernacle Choir organization. The Choir and Orchestra, with their incomparable medley of voices and instruments and their shared faith in God, are a significant, recognizable presence in the world of music, giving service through song. More info at https://www.thetabernaclechoir.org/ or by following the Choir on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

About BYUtv
BYUtv provides families more than 2,000 hours of uplifting and compelling programming they can enjoy together. The Emmy-winning network's content is trusted, contemporary and clean, yet clever and sophisticated enough to inspire children and parents alike. BYUtv's diverse portfolio of original, co-produced and acquired content includes scripted and unscripted dramas and comedies, competition shows, concert specials and collegiate sports pregame and postgame coverage. BYUtv is available in approximately 40 million homes in every state of the country on DISH Network, DirecTV and more than 130 major cable systems. A digital pioneer, BYUtv was the first U.S. television network to stream all its content live and free of charge over the internet. Today, BYUtv has more than three million YouTube subscribers and three billion views and is available live and on-demand on multiple digital platforms at no cost, including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Vizio, Samsung, LG, Sony, Xfinity X1, Xbox, Windows, digital apps for iOS and Android, and BYUtv.org. Based in Provo, Utah, BYUtv is part of BYU Broadcasting, which is owned by Brigham Young University.

About GBH
GBH is the leading multiplatform creator for public media in America. As the largest producer of content for PBS and partner to NPR and PRX, GBH delivers compelling experiences, stories and information to audiences wherever they are. GBH produces digital and broadcast programming that engages, illuminates and inspires, through drama and science, history, arts, culture and journalism. It is the creator of such signature programs as MASTERPIECE, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, FRONTLINE, NOVA, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, Arthur and Molly of Denali and a catalog of streaming series, podcasts and on-demand video. GBH's television channels include GBH 2, GBH 44, GBH Kids and national services WORLD and Create. With studios and a newsroom headquartered in Boston, GBH reaches across New England with GBH 89.7, Boston's Local NPR; CRB Classical 99.5; and CAI, the Cape and Islands NPR station. Dedicated to making media accessible to and inclusive of our diverse culture, GBH is a pioneer in delivering media to those who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired. GBH creates curriculum-based digital content for educators nationwide with PBS LearningMedia and has been recognized with hundreds of the nation's premier broadcast, digital and journalism awards. Find more information at gbh.org.

About PBS
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 120 million people through television and 26 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS's broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS's premier children's media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV – including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on Twitter.

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