Audra McDonald, a four-time Tony Award winner, and Peter Graves, best-known for his lead in TV's "Mission: Impossible," will join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for annual Christmas concerts.

McDonald, who has been compared by the New York Times to a young Barbra Streisand and by USA Today to a young Judy Garland, will be this year's featured guest artist with the choir, according to a church news release.

Graves, who has appeared in more than 70 screen and TV films, will be this year's guest narrator.

The Christmas concerts by the Tabernacle Choir will be Thursday, Dec. 16, at 8 p.m. and Friday, Dec. 17, and Saturday, Dec. 18, both at 7:30 p.m.

In addition, the "Music and Spoken Word" on Sunday, Dec. 19, at 9:30 a.m. will feature McDonald and Graves as guest performers.

Free tickets for the concerts and "Spoken Word" performance are required and will be available at the Conference Center ticket office and on the Internet starting Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 10 a.m. The church Web site for tickets on Nov. 9 is www.lds.org/events.

On Tuesday, Nov. 9, only, the line for patrons seeking tickets will form at Door 12 of the Conference Center beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Standby tickets will not be issued. However, patrons are invited to stand for last-minute seating each evening and for the "Spoken Word" performance. The standby line for the evening performances will form at the north gate on Temple Square, 6 p.m., while the "Spoken Word" line will form at 7:30 a.m. in the same location.

Craig Jessop and Mack Wilberg will conduct the choir and orchestra. John Longhurst, Clay Christiansen and Richard Elliot will accompany at the organ.

"Having a young star of the stature of Audra McDonald join us for our Christmas concert is an absolute dream come true," Jessop said. "Her broad array of talents opens a wide range of creative doors for this year's Christmas program."

Jessop also said he is excited to have Graves join the choir on stage.

"His famous voice will add greatly to this program," he said.