Performing in the Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert

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This is the Place Heritage Park

Michael Maliakel, the star of Broadway's Aladdin, grew up watching the Tabernacle Choir's Christmas program — it introduced him to musical heroes Renee Fleming, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra McDonald — and this year, he's the program's guest artist.

“The first time walking into this space was breathtaking,” Maliakel said of the Conference Center during a press conference Friday morning. “It is unlike any other space that I’ve performed in.”

Ironically, the Broadway star isn't the first of the Maliakels to perform with the Tabernacle Choir. His younger brother performed with the choir as a member of the American Boychoir School in Princeton, an opportunity that wasn't available until a year after Maliakel graduated.

Maliakel was joined by this year's narrator Lesley Nicol, who is known for her role as the cook Mrs. Patmore on “Downton Abbey.” Nichol heeded the advice of co-star Hugh Bonneville, who was the show's narrator in 2017 and told Nichol “You’ve got to do this.”

“His whole feeling was, you will never get an opportunity like this again,” she said.

Rams receiver Puka Nacua: His growing brand explained by his high school basketball coach

Years before Puka Nacua took the NFL by storm, he was a star point guard at Orem High School, where he was coached by Golden Holt.

Nacua invited his former coach to watch him play at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles for the team's game against the Cleveland Browns on Dec. 3. That day, Holt not only witnessed Nacua break the Rams' single-season rookie receiving yards record, but he witnessed the Puka fever that's taken over Los Angeles.

“He’s a rock star,” said Holt. “I haven’t been to many NFL games and SoFi was enormous. It meant so much to be there and see him because we’d bonded over the years for a lot of reasons.”

The surreal experience for Holt included his amazement at the number of Nacua jerseys in the stadium being worn by fans or on sale and the adulation fans had for the rookie wide receiver.

Read more about Nacua's journey from high school basketball star to NFL Rookie of the Year candidate.

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FROM THIS IS THE PLACE HERITAGE PARK

Take a Step Back in Time with Candlelight Christmas at This is the Place

Visit Father Christmas, enjoy the live Nativity in the quiet of the Village, and feel the warm fire while listening to the Heritage Village Carolers. Enjoy candle making and letters to Santa. Get all your holiday shopping done when you visit the Gift Shop and ZCMI Mercantile. Click for details.

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