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Kristin Chenoweth

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 76.212.57.95 (talk) at 05:29, 19 October 2008 (this isn't a press release, you don't start a article with "award winning", most people with articles win some sort of award, look at FAs of actors). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Kristin Chenoweth
Born
Kristi Dawn Chenoweth
AwardsDrama Desk Award - Outstanding Featured Actress - Musical
1999 You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Outer Critics Circle Award - Best Featured Actress - Musical
1999 You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Theatre World Award
1997 Steel Pier
Websitehttp://www.kristinchenoweth.com

Kristin Chenoweth (born July 24, 1968) is an American singer and musical theatre, film and television actress. Some of her best-known roles have included Glinda in Broadway's Wicked and Annabeth Schott in television's The West Wing. She is currently appearing in the role of Olive Snook on the ABC dramedy Pushing Daisies for which she received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy. She is also the face of Jude Frances jewelry.

Chenoweth has a distinctive speaking voice. In FHM's March 2006 issue, she compared her voice to that of Betty Boop. Chenoweth is a soprano known for her powerful singing technique.

Early life

Chenoweth was born Kristi Dawn Chenoweth (she added an "n" in her first name later because she thought that "Kristin" was a more operatic name than "Kristi") in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and was adopted at birth. Chenoweth's ancestry includes one-quarter Cherokee lineage. After studying drama at Broken Arrow High School under Billie Sue Thompson, Chenoweth attended Oklahoma City University, where she was a member of Gamma Phi Beta (Beta Omicron) Sorority. She earned a bachelor's degree in musical theater and a master's degree in opera performance, studying under Florence Birdwell who taught Miss America 1981 Susan Powell and three-time Tony nominee Kelli O'Hara. While at OCU, Chenoweth won the title of "Miss OCU" and went on to win second runner-up in the Miss Oklahoma pageant in 1991. She also performed at Opryland USA.

Chenoweth won a "most talented up-and-coming singer" award in the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, which came with a full scholarship to Philadelphia's Academy of Vocal Arts. Two weeks before school started, she went to New York City to help a friend move. While there, she auditioned for the Paper Mill Playhouse's production of the musical Animal Crackers and got the role of Arabella Rittenhouse. She turned down the scholarship and moved to New York to do the show and pursue a career in musical theater.[1]

Career

Theatre

Kristin Chenoweth (holding her dog, Madeline Kahn "Maddie" Chenoweth) joins Laura Bush and celebrity models to raise awareness of heart disease in the Red Dress Collection Celebrity Fashion Show.

Chenoweth made her Broadway debut in a production of Molière's Scapin starring Bill Irwin, followed in the spring of 1997 by the musical Steel Pier by John Kander and Fred Ebb, for which she won a Theatre World award. The following season, she appeared in the City Center Encores! production of the George and Ira Gershwin musical Strike Up the Band and the Lincoln Center Theater production of William Finn's A New Brain. She has performed several times on the radio program A Prairie Home Companion.

During the 1998–1999 season, she performed in the Broadway revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown as the title character's sister, Sally, a character that was not present in the original production. (That character replaces the obscure Peanuts character Patty, not to be confused with Peppermint Patty.) The production won Chenoweth the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards as the season's Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She then starred in the Broadway comedy Epic Proportions, followed by appearances in ABC's television adaptation of the musical Annie (as Lily St. Regis), and in the leading role of Daisy Gamble in the City Center Encores! production of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.

In 2003, Chenoweth performed songs from her album Let Yourself Go in concert for Lincoln Center's 5th American Songbook. She also performed in City Center Encores! 10th Anniversary Bash. In London, she was involved in Divas at Donmar for director Sam Mendes, then appeared in the Actor's Fund Benefit Concert of the musical Funny Girl in New York City.

In October 2003, Chenoweth returned to Broadway in Wicked, the smash hit musical about the early years of the witches of Oz. She was nominated for a Tony Award as Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance as Glinda. After playing Glinda for nine months (not including the years leading up to the Broadway run where she played the role in all of the show's workshops), Chenoweth left Wicked on 18 July 2004 along with co-stars Joel Grey and Norbert Leo Butz. Chenoweth was replaced by Jennifer Laura Thompson.

Chenoweth played Cunegonde in a revival of Candide, directed by Lonny Price in 2004. Price's semi-staged concert production with the New York Philharmonic under conductor Marin Alsop, ran for four performances between 5 May 2004 and 8 May 2004. The production featured Paul Groves as Candide, Sir Thomas Allen as Dr. Pangloss, Tony Award winner Patti LuPone as the Old Lady, with choruses from both Westminster Choir College and the Juilliard School completing the performance cast, and was also broadcast on PBS's Great Performances. A performance of the rarely sung duet "We Are Women" between Cunegonde and the Old Lady was included in the production.

From December 14, 2006 to March 11, 2007, Chenoweth starred on Broadway in a production of The Apple Tree and received rave reviews for her performance. On 19 January 2007, she performed a solo concert at The Metropolitan Opera in New York, only the third musical theatre star ever to present a solo concert at the Met, following Barbara Cook and Yves Montand.[2] Chenoweth has also performed leading roles at the Goodspeed Opera House and the Guthrie Theatre, and she was chosen by the late Jerome Robbins as the guest soloist in his West Side Story Suite of Dances at New York City Ballet.

Chenoweth hosted the 52nd Annual Drama Desk Awards on 20 May 2007.[3]

Chenoweth played Elizabeth in the pre-Broadway workshop in Mel Brooks' Broadway adaptation of his film Young Frankenstein, however, due to her Pushing Daisies commitments, she was unable to appear in the production. Similarly, in 2008 she had been scheduled to reprise her role as Cunegonde in an English National Opera production of Candide , but she had to pull out because of the resumption of filming.

Television and film

In television, Chenoweth starred in a short-lived sitcom, Kristin, for NBC that ran for six episodes (13 were filmed). It was a mid-season replacement in 2001 that co-starred Jon Tenney. Beginning in the sixth season (2004–2005) of The West Wing, Chenoweth had a recurring role playing media consultant Annabeth Schott, and became a main cast member in the show's seventh and final season (2005-2006). She performed "For Good," a song she had sung in Wicked, at the memorial service for her friend and West Wing costar John Spencer.

Chenoweth was a part of ABC's An American Celebration at Ford's Theater with Kelsey Grammer, NBC's Salute to the Olympic Winners, The Kennedy Center Gala honoring Julie Andrews, and an episode of Frasier on NBC. She also starred as Marian Paroo in the ABC television production of Meredith Willson's The Music Man, opposite Matthew Broderick.

Chenoweth appeared in Nora Ephron's 2005 film version of Bewitched. The film's star, Nicole Kidman, had attended a performance of Wicked and was so impressed with Chenoweth's charisma and stage presence that Kidman asked Ephron to cast Chenoweth in the film. Chenoweth got the part of Maria Kelly, Kidman's character's best friend. In 2006, she appeared in five films including The Pink Panther, RV, Stranger Than Fiction, Running with Scissors and Deck the Halls. Chenoweth also appeared as Mr. Noodle's Sister Ms. Noodle in Sesame Street's Elmo's World television series alongside Michael Jeter and Bill Irwin.

In February of 2007, Chenoweth co-hosted on an episode of The View and was invited back after performing a song from The Apple Tree on the show. She was also featured briefly in the first season finale of Ugly Betty. In fall 2007, she became a member of the cast of the ABC show Pushing Daisies. The comedic drama is the story of Ned, a man who can bring the dead back to life. Chenoweth plays Olive Snook, a co-worker and neighbor of Ned's who is in love with him. Chenoweth sang "Hopelessly Devoted To You" (originally performed by Olivia Newton-John in the musical film Grease) in the second episode of season one. She has received good reviews including many that say she is perfect for the role.[4] She received an Emmy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 2008 for her role as Olive in Pushing Daisies. On February 24, 2008 Chenoweth sang "That's How You Know" from the movie Enchanted[5] at the 80th Annual Academy Awards in the Kodak theatre.

Internet

On August 27, 2008, Chenoweth released a video with funnyordie.com titled Intervention with Kristin Chenoweth.[6] The video parodied A&E's show Intervention, with Chenoweth starring as a singing, dancing interventionist. The song was composed by Andrew Lippa, Chenoweth's frequent musical director and composer for her concert songs as well as the composer of "My New Philosophy", which she sang in the revival of Charlie Brown, and the lyrics were written by Amy Rhodes, who also wrote the clip.[6] The video was shot in five hours in a room of a Hilton Hotel.[7]

Chenoweth admits that when she was first given the lyrics of the song, "I was a little nervous at first, to be honest...with the subject matter and singing, 'You make cash giving head, and [spend it buying] Sudafed,' did I really want my young fans hearing me say that?"[7]

Upcoming roles

Personal life

Chenoweth has agreed to write a memoir about her life, describing her adoption, her turn in Wicked and her time in Hollywood. She has stated that the book will not be a 'tell all' one, and instead will focus on "how I got where I am so far."[13] The planned date of publication is 14 April 2009.[14] The title has been revealed to be A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages.[15]

Chenoweth has spoken publicly about her faith; she describes herself as a non-judgmental Christian.[16] Raised as a Southern Baptist, she later chose to have a personal connection to a faith that is not based in any one denomination. When in California, she attends a non-denominational church in Malibu. In New York, she attends a United Methodist Church.

Chenoweth also has a large gay fanbase, and was uninvited from a Women of Faith conference in September 2005 "due to her publicized and heartfelt beliefs that God is accepting of all people on earth", including homosexuals.[17]

Chenoweth released an album in April 2005 called As I Am, a mixture of hymns and contemporary Christian music, with adult contemporary arrangements. To promote the album, she made an appearance on The 700 Club, an appearance that upset some of her gay fans.[18] She later said she thought that the "Pat Robertsons and Jerry Falwells of the world are scary" and that she regretted appearing on the show.[19]

Chenoweth was once engaged to actor Marc Kudisch and previously dated virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell.

She also dated producer/writer Aaron Sorkin. In Sorkin's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, the character of Harriet Hayes bears significant resemblances to Chenoweth (a Christian in Hollywood).

She reportedly is dating 25 year old producer/writer/director, Charlie McDowell. He was her date at the 2008 Tony Awards. (June 15, 2008)[20]

Sorkin accompanied her to ABC's Television Critics Association press tour party at the Beverly Hilton on July 17, 2008.[21]

Credits

Theatre

Broadway
Off-Broadway
  • The Fantasticks (year unknown) — Luisa
  • Dames at Sea (year unknown) — Ruby
  • Box Office of the Damned (1994) — Kristy — The New Girl
  • Scapin (1997) — Hyacinth
  • A New Brain (1998) — Nancy D./Waitress
New York City Center Encores!

Filmography

Films

Upcoming:

Television

Discography

Awards

Awards
Nominations

References

  1. ^ movies.yahoo.com article, accessed on 25 March 2008
  2. ^ Metoperafamily.org, accessed on 22 May 2007
  3. ^ Playbill News: Kristin Chenoweth Will Host Drama Desk Awards
  4. ^ Playbill.com, accessed on 22 May 2007
  5. ^ Youtube clip of Chenoweth singing "That's How You Know"
  6. ^ a b Intervention with Kristin Chenoweth at funnyordie.com
  7. ^ a b Kristin Chenoweth Reveals Her Crystal Method
  8. ^ playbill.com article, April 21, 2005
  9. ^ IMDB listing for Rapunzel
  10. ^ Playbill.com, accessed on 22 May 2007
  11. ^ Internet Movie Database listing
  12. ^ Kristin Chenoweth lured to "Temptation"
  13. ^ TheaterMania article, April 25th, 2008, "Kristin, Kristin, Everywhere"
  14. ^ Chenoweth's Autobiography, "A Little Bit Wicked," Due in April 2009
  15. ^ Amazon.com — A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages
  16. ^ The New York Times — Fashion & Style "A Night Out With: Kristin Chenoweth: Head Shots"
  17. ^ Kristin Chenoweth Online
  18. ^ GayCityNews — "Kristin Chenoweth's Gospel Journey"
  19. ^ The Kristin Library
  20. ^ Stars stay classy in glam gowns at Tony Awards, The Associated Press
  21. ^ Pennington, Gail (18 July 2008). "TCA press tour: Out of nowhere, it's Aaron Sorkin!". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ Sony BMG Masterworks Announces New Christmas CD by Kristin Chenoweth
Awards
Preceded by Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
1998–1999
for You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown 		Succeeded by
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