Diane Wittry wanted to create a “Christmas Spectacular.”

The first concert that Witty, Allentown Symphony Orchestra (ASO) Music Director, conducted in December 2021 with the ASO was so successful that a second concert and a Broadway star was added for 2022.

“It went so well that we have two performances this year,” says Wittry.

“Holiday Pops,“ 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17, Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown, features Broadway’s Phoenix Best.

“I’ve definitely done solo concerts but none this big,” says Best in a phone interview.

Best presented a concert at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PSF) in 2021.

Best, DeSales University Theatre Department musical theater graduate, Class of 2015, performed in shows at PSF and DeSales while a student there. Best has also sung at PSF “Luminosity” gala fundraisers.

“I love the Festival. I will always love to come back,” Best says.

Best, a Philadelphia native, moved to New York City after graduating from DeSales.

NYPhil online explains what happened next: “Exactly one month after moving to New York City, she was cast in the Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award-winning Broadway revival of ‘The Color Purple.’ as a swing-assistant stage manager covering five ensemble tracks for the entire run, and earned a Daytime Emmy Award for the cast’s appearance on ‘The Today Show.’”

Best performed the roles of Deena Jones in “Dreamgirls” at Theatre Under the Stars, Éponine in the North American tour of “Les Misérables” and Alana Beck in “Dear Evan Hansen.”

Best appears in “The Best Man: The Final Chapter,” premiering Dec. 22, NBC Peacock streaming service, in a cast that includes Regina Hall, Taye Diggs, Nia Long and Terrence Howard.

As with many actors, went through the coronavirus (COVID-19) shutdown.

“It was opening night for the show ‘Six.’ I was in my Uber. I got a call that the show was shut down.”

Best was on a national tour.

“I headed on a plane to Durham [North Carolina]. We were told we would be shut down the next day. I, like a lot of people, thought that it was going to be two weeks. It was two years.”

Broadway and most of the world shut down March 2020. Best was not back on stage until August 2021.

“I had done some projects in between. I did a lot of staged readings on Zoom,” says Best.

For the “Holiday Pops” concert, Best will sing a variety of Christmas songs.

“I’m so excited to do the concert. It’s close to where I live. So, a lot of my friends and family will be there,” says Best.

“Christmas is my favorite holiday. My birthday is four days before Christmas,” Best says.

Wittry knew she wanted to ask Best to headline the “Holiday Pops.”

“I heard sing at one of the Shakespeare galas,” Witty says in a phone interview.

Songs that Best will perform in “Holiday Pops” include ”Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Sleigh Ride,” “A Gospel Christmas,” “Oh Happy Day,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Caroling, Caroling” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”

Other pieces on the program include: “A Christmas Scherzo,” “The Nutcracker Overture,” “Rejoice,” “A Charleston Christmas,” “We Three Kings,” “Let’s Have a Christmas Celebration,” “Sheep May Safely Graze,” and “Hanukah Fantasy.”

Also: “In the Bleak Midwinter”-”Still, Still, Still,” “Ho, Ho, Ho,” “Jingle All the Way” (audience sing-a long), “Jingle Bells,” “Deck the Halls,” “Jolly Old St. Nicholas,” “Over the River and Through the Woods,” “Up on the Housetop,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and “Feliz Navidad.”

Of the concert, Witty says, “It’s fun music. It think people are going to enjoy it.”

Witty says she got the idea to present a concert that would be a “Holiday Spectacular.”

“There wasn’t like a big family fun concert event. In New York City, people go to Radio City Music Hall. We wanted to create our own ‘Christmas Spectacular’ here,” says Wittry.

“Everybody just raved about the 2021 ‘Holiday Pops’ concert,” Wittry says.

“One of the nice things about owning a concert hall is that you can turn it into a fun show. We can set the mood,” says Wittry.

Wittry credits Lighting Designer Kevin Kiernan, Miller Symphony Hall Director of Hall Operations. There will be a two-hour tech rehearsal, plus a dress rehearsal, for the concert.

It’s a big production, says Wittry: “I actually become a little bit of a director and choreographer.

“One of the goals of this concert has to do with involving the community, We want the community to feel enriched by the concert,” Wittry says.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk is concert emcee.

Participants, in addition to Best and the approximate 65-member orchestra is a Community Chorus, with Tom Dressler, director, of singers from First Presbyterian Church, Allentown; College Hill Presbyterian Church, Easton, and members of the Allentown Symphony Chorus.

Dancers Ariana Hernandez, Sophia Marut and Kathryn Rodger are from the Lehigh Valley Charter Arts High School, with Jennifer Weaver, director-choreographer.

Jameson Platte, cello, ASO, will perform a solo.

The featured choir is Parkland Chorale, with Allison Lagan, director.

Special guest is Jarrod Yuskauskas.

An appearance by Santa Claus is expected.

Wittry is already thinking about the 2023 “Holiday Pops” concert.

School choirs, community choirs and church choirs can submit taped performances to be considered as the featured choir. Information will be on the Miller Symphony Hall website.

Tickets: Miller Symphony Hall box office, 23 N. Sixth St., Allentown; https://www.millersymphonyhall.org; 610-432-6715