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Kristin Dawn Chenoweth (; born Kristi Dawn Chenoweth; July 24, 1968)Kristin Chenoweth Biography
'' The Biography Channel''
A&E Networks A&E Networks (stylized as A+E NETWORKS) is an American multinational broadcasting company that is a 50–50 joint venture between Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company through its General Entertainment Content division. The company ...
, accessed December 1, 2014; according to her autobiography, she was named Kristi Dawn Chenoweth upon her adoption five days after her birth.
is an American actress and singer, with credits in
musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...
, film, and television. In 1999, she won a
Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical has been presented since 1950. The award was not given at the first three Tony Award ceremonies. Nominees were not announced publicly until 1956. Winners and nominees 1950 ...
for her performance as Sally Brown in '' You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown'' on Broadway. In 2003, Chenoweth received a second
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
nomination for originating the role of
Glinda Glinda is a fictional character created by L. Frank Baum for his ''Oz'' novels. She first appears in Baum's 1900 children's classic ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', and is the most powerful sorceress in the Land of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Coun ...
in the musical ''
Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe * '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...
''. Her television roles include Annabeth Schott in NBC's ''
The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White Hous ...
'' and
Olive Snook This is a list of fictional characters from the ABC television series ''Pushing Daisies''. Main characters Ned Ned (Lee Pace) is a 29-year-old pie maker with a unique magical ability to be able to bring back to life anyone or anything that ...
on the
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
comedy drama ''
Pushing Daisies ''Pushing Daisies'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007, to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to li ...
'', for which she won a
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. In early Primetime Emmy Award ceremonies, the supporting categories were not always genre-, or even gender-, specific. Begi ...
in 2009. She also starred in the ABC TV series '' GCB'' in 2012, played Lavinia in '' Trial & Error'' in 2018 and was the antagonist, Mildred Layton, in the
Apple TV+ Apple TV is a digital media player and microconsole developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is a small network appliance hardware that plays received media data such as video and audio to a television set or external display. Since its secon ...
musical comedy ''
Schmigadoon! ''Schmigadoon!'' is an American musical comedy television series created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, with all songs written by Paul, who also serves as showrunner. The series airs on Apple TV+ and premiered on July 16, 2021. The series has b ...
'' (2021). Chenoweth sang gospel music as a child in Oklahoma and studied
opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
before deciding to pursue a career in musical theatre. In 1997, she made her Broadway debut in '' Steel Pier'', winning a
Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...
, before appearing in ''You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown'' and ''Wicked''. Her other Broadway roles were in ''
The Apple Tree ''The Apple Tree'' is a series of three musical playlets with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and a book by Bock and Harnick with contributions from Jerome Coopersmith. Each act has its own storyline, but all three are tied toge ...
'' in 2006, '' Promises, Promises'' in 2010 and ''
On the Twentieth Century ''On the Twentieth Century'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. Based partly on the 1932 play ''Twentieth Century'' and its 1934 film adaptation, the musical is part operetta, part farce an ...
'' in 2015, for which she received another
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
nomination. She has also appeared in five City Center Encores!, Off-Broadway and regional theatre productions. Chenoweth had her own sitcom, '' Kristin'', in 2001, and has guest-starred on many shows, including ''
Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) ...
'' and ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
'', for which she was nominated for Emmy Awards in 2010 and 2011. In films, she has played mostly character roles, such as in '' Bewitched'' (2005), ''
The Pink Panther ''The Pink Panther'' is an American media franchise primarily focusing on a series of comedy-mystery films featuring an inept French police detective, Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The franchise began with the release of the classic film '' The Pi ...
'' (2006) and '' RV'' (2006). She has played roles in made-for-TV movies, such as '' Descendants'' (2015); done voice work in animated films such as ''
Rio 2 ''Rio 2'' is a 2014 American 3D computer-animated musical comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and directed by Carlos Saldanha. It is the sequel to the 2011 computer-animated film ''Rio'' and the second installment of the ''Rio'' franchise. ...
'' (2014) and ''
The Peanuts Movie ''The Peanuts Movie'' (known in some countries as ''Snoopy and Charlie Brown: A Peanuts Movie'') is a 2015 American computer-animated comedy film based on Charles M. Schulz's comic strip ''Peanuts'', produced by Blue Sky Studios and distributed ...
'' (2015) along with the animated TV series '' Sit Down, Shut Up'' and '' BoJack Horseman''; hosted several award shows; and released several albums of songs, including '' A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas'' (2008), ''
Some Lessons Learned ''Some Lessons Learned'' is the fourth album by singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth. Overview The country pop disc was released on September 13, 2011. The lead single, "I Want Somebody (Bitch About)" was released on May 31, 2011. The album con ...
'' (2011), '' Coming Home'' (2014), '' The Art of Elegance'' (2016) and '' For the Girls'' (2019). Chenoweth also wrote a 2009 memoir, ''
A Little Bit Wicked ''A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages'', or simply known as ''A Little Bit Wicked'', is the 2009 memoir of actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth. In the book, Chenoweth describes her early life and the first 16 years of her varied ...
''.


Early life

Chenoweth was adopted when she was five days old by Junie Smith Chenoweth and Jerry Morris Chenoweth, both
chemical engineers A chemical substance is a form of matter having constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Some references add that chemical substance cannot be separated into its constituent elements by physical separation methods, i.e., wi ...
from
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Broken Arrow is a city located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma, primarily in Tulsa County, with a portion in western Wagoner County. It is the largest suburb of Tulsa. According to the 2010 census, Broken Arrow has a popu ...
, a suburb of
Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
, and named Kristi Dawn Chenoweth. She has stated that she is of one quarter
Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...
ancestry and that she eventually met her biological mother. At an early age, she performed gospel songs for local churches. A performing highlight of her childhood was a solo appearance at the Southern Baptist Convention national conference at the age of 12, where she performed the
Evie Evie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Evie (given name) * Evie (singer), American contemporary Christian music singer Evelyn Tornquist (born 1957) * Evie (wrestler), ring name of New Zealand female professional wrestler Cheree Crowl ...
song "Four Feet Eleven". The chorus begins, "I'm only 4 feet 11, but I'm going to Heaven" (Chenoweth is in height). After graduating from
Broken Arrow Senior High School Broken Arrow Senior High School is the highest level of secondary education in the Broken Arrow Public Schools system, for students in tenth through twelfth grade. Combined with the Broken Arrow Freshman Academy, it is the largest high school in ...
, where she participated in school plays, Chenoweth attended
Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City University (OCU) is a private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church and located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The university offers undergraduate bachelor's degrees, graduate master's degrees and docto ...
, where she was a member of
Gamma Phi Beta Gamma Phi Beta (, also known as GPhi or Gamma Phi) is an international college sorority. It was founded in Syracuse University in 1874, and was the first of the Greek organizations to call itself a sorority. The main archive URL iThe Baird's Man ...
(Beta Omicron) sorority. She earned a bachelor's degree in
musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...
in 1990Allen, Silas
"Kristin Chenoweth says success is a combination of training, ambition"
NewsOK.com, May 12, 2013, accessed December 5, 2014
and a master's degree in opera performance in 1992, studying under voice instructor and mentor,
Florence Birdwell Florence Gillam Birdwell (December 31, 1924 – February 15, 2021), sometimes referred to as Flo Birdwell, was an American educator, musician, and singer. She taught musical theater and opera singing for more than six decades. She served as a pro ...
."Florence Birdwell, Emeritus Professor of Music"
Oklahoma City University, accessed February 12, 2017
While at OCU, Chenoweth competed in beauty pageants, winning the title of Miss OCU and was the second runner-up in the
Miss Oklahoma The Miss Oklahoma competition selects a winner to compete on behalf of Oklahoma in the Miss America pageant. Miss Oklahoma has won the Miss America crown on five occasions. Also, in the years when city representatives were common, Norma Smallw ...
pageant in 1991. In 1992, Chenoweth participated in a studio recording of ''
The Most Happy Fella ''The Most Happy Fella'' is a 1956 musical with a book, music, and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The story, about a romance between an older man and younger woman, is based on the 1924 play '' They Knew What They Wanted'' by Sidney Howard. The show i ...
''. While she was in college and working towards her master's degree, Chenoweth performed at the Lyric Theatre in
Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
, among other regional theatres, in roles like June in ''
Gypsy The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...
'', Liesl in ''
The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, ''The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. S ...
'', Fran in '' Promises, Promises'' and Tuptim in ''
The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the chil ...
''. As she completed her master's degree, Chenoweth participated in several vocal competitions and was named "most promising up-and-coming singer" in the
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is oper ...
National Council auditions, which came with a full scholarship to
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
's
Academy of Vocal Arts The Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) is a school dedicated to providing higher education to aspiring opera singers. It is the only tuition-free institution in the world devoted solely to operatic training and performance. The school was founded in 1934 ...
.Culwell-Block, Logan
"Over 20 Years of Popular: Kristin Chenoweth on Stage and Screen"
''Playbill'', February 7, 2015, February 12, 2017
Two weeks before school started, however, she went to New York City to help a friend move. While there, she auditioned for the 1993
Paper Mill Playhouse Paper Mill Playhouse is a regional theater with approximately 1200 seats, located in Millburn, New Jersey on the Rahway River. Due to its relatively close location to Manhattan, it draws from the pool of actors (and audience members) who live i ...
production of the musical '' Animal Crackers'' and was cast in the role of Arabella Rittenhouse. She turned down the scholarship and moved to New York to play the role and pursue a career in musical theatre.


Career


Theatre

After ''Animal Crackers'', Chenoweth continued to appear in regional theatre productions, such as ''
Babes in Arms ''Babes in Arms'' is a 1937 coming-of-age musical comedy with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and book by Rodgers and Hart. It concerns a group of small-town Long Island teenagers who put on a show to avoid being sent to a wor ...
'' at
The Guthrie Theater The Guthrie Theater, founded in 1963, is a center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The concept of the theater was born in 1959 in a series of discussions between Sir Tyrone Gut ...
in
Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
, and ''
Phantom Phantom may refer to: * Spirit (animating force), the vital principle or animating force within all living things ** Ghost, the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living Aircraft * Boeing Phantom Ray, a stealthy un ...
'' (as Christine; also touring in Germany in this role),Kristin Chenoweth bio
at Filmreference.com, accessed , 2010
also taking roles in Off-Broadway productions like Luisa in ''
The Fantasticks ''The Fantasticks'' is a 1960 musical with music by Harvey Schmidt and book and lyrics by Tom Jones. It tells an allegorical story, loosely based on the 1894 play ''The Romancers'' (''Les Romanesques'') by Edmond Rostand, concerning two neigh ...
'',Suskin, Steven
"Kristin Chenoweth Returns to Carnegie Hall with ''The Evolution of a Soprano''"
''Playbill'', May 5, 2014
and Kristy in ''Box Office of the Damned'' (both in 1994). In 1997, she appeared as Hyacinth in the
Roundabout Theater Company The Roundabout Theatre Company is a leading non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. History The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist, Michael Fried and Elizabet ...
production of Moliere's farcical '' Scapin'', earning her first ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' review, with
Ben Brantley Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 to ...
writing "Kristin Chenoweth's sob-prone ingenue is delightful". She made her Broadway debut in the spring of 1997 as Precious McGuire in the musical '' Steel Pier'' by
Kander and Ebb Kander and Ebb were a highly successful American songwriting team consisting of composer John Kander (born March 18, 1927) and lyricist Fred Ebb (April 8, 1928 – September 11, 2004). Known primarily for their stage musicals, which include ''C ...
, for which she won a
Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...
. In 1998 she appeared in the City Center Encores! staged concert of the
George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...
and Ira Gershwin musical '' Strike Up the Band'' as Anne Draper and created roles in the original
Lincoln Center Theater The Vivian Beaumont Theater is a Broadway theater in the Lincoln Center complex at 150 West 65th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Operated by the nonprofit Lincoln Center Theater (LCT), the Beaumont is the only Broad ...
production of
William Finn William Alan Finn (born February 28, 1952) is an American composer and lyricist. He is best known for his musicals, which include '' Falsettos'', for which he won the 1992 Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical, ''A New B ...
's ''
A New Brain ''A New Brain'' is a musical with music and lyrics by William Finn and book by Finn and James Lapine. Though many of Finn's previous musicals were to some extent autobiographical, ''A New Brain'' dealt directly with his own harrowing experience ...
''. Ben Rimalower, in ''Playbill'', wrote: "It's unlikely anyone will equal Kristin Chenoweth in the role of 'Nancy D., the waitress.'"Rimalower, Ben
"''Let Yourself Go'': The 11 Kristin Chenoweth CDs You Should Know"
''Playbill'', October 11, 2014, accessed February 12, 2017
In 1999, Chenoweth performed in the Broadway revival of '' You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown'' as the title character's little sister,
Sally Sally may refer to: People *Sally (name), a list of notable people with the name Military * Sally (military), an attack by the defenders of a town or fortress under siege against a besieging force; see sally port *Sally, the Allied reporting na ...
, a character that was not present in the original production. She won the
Tony Tony may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer * Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leagu ...
and
Drama Desk The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fol ...
awards for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Later that year, she starred on Broadway in the short-lived comic play ''
Epic Proportions ''Epic Proportions'' is a play by Larry Coen and David Crane. Set in the 1930s, it tells the story of brothers Benny and Phil, who go to the Arizona desert to work as extras in the Biblical epic film ''Exeunt Omnes'', directed by the mysteriou ...
'', followed by starring as Daisy Gamble in the "Encores!" production of ''
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever ''On a Clear Day You Can See Forever'' is a musical with music by Burton Lane and a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner based loosely on ''Berkeley Square'', written in 1926 by John L. Balderston. It concerns a woman who has ESP and has been re ...
'' in . After this, Chenoweth split her time between stage and TV or film roles and released her first solo album, ''Let Yourself Go'' (2001). In 2002, she performed in the City Center Encores! ''10th Anniversary Bash''. In October 2003, she returned to Broadway (after the San Francisco tryout) in the musical ''
Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe * '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...
'', as
Glinda the Good Witch Glinda is a fictional character created by L. Frank Baum for his ''Oz'' novels. She first appears in Baum's 1900 children's classic ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', and is the most powerful sorceress in the Land of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Cou ...
. She was nominated for a 2004 Tony Award as Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance; her co-star
Idina Menzel Idina Kim Menzel ( ; ; born May 30, 1971) is an American actress and singer. Particularly known for her work in musicals on the Broadway stage and having achieved mainstream success across stage, film and music, Menzel has garnered the honori ...
(who played Elphaba, the
Wicked Witch of the West The Wicked Witch of the West is a fictional character who appears in the classic children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900), created by American author L. Frank Baum. In Baum's subsequent ''Oz'' novels, it is the Nome King who is ...
) won the award. Chenoweth was also nominated for the Drama Desk Award and the
Drama League Award The Drama League Awards, created in 1922, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing. Each May, the awards ...
for this role. Ben Rimalower, in ''Playbill'', wrote that, for Glinda, "the gold standard was unquestionably and indelibly set" by Chenoweth's performances. After playing Glinda for nine months, Chenoweth left ''Wicked'', on , 2004, soon joining the cast of ''
The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White Hous ...
'' in Los Angeles. The ''Wicked'' cast album earned a 2005
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
. Chenoweth played Cunegonde in the
New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...
revival of '' Candide'', directed by
Lonny Price Lonny Price (born March 9, 1959) is an American director, actor, and writer, primarily in theatre. He is perhaps best known for his creation of the role of Charley Kringas in the Broadway musical '' Merrily We Roll Along'' and for his New York d ...
, in . The production was also broadcast on
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
's ''
Great Performances ''Great Performances'' is a television anthology series dedicated to the performing arts; the banner has been used to televise theatrical performances such as plays, musicals, opera, ballet, concerts, as well as occasional documentaries. It is p ...
''. A performance of the rarely sung duet "We Are Women", between Cunegonde and the Old Lady (played by
Patti Lupone Patti Ann LuPone (born April 21, 1949) is an American actress and singer best known for her work in musical theater. She has won three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, two Grammy Awards, and was a 2006 inductee to the American Theater Hall of F ...
), was included in the production. From December 2006 to March 2007, Chenoweth starred on Broadway as Eve in a revival of ''
The Apple Tree ''The Apple Tree'' is a series of three musical playlets with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and a book by Bock and Harnick with contributions from Jerome Coopersmith. Each act has its own storyline, but all three are tied toge ...
'' with co-stars Brian d'Arcy James and former fiancé
Marc Kudisch Marc Kudisch (born September 22, 1966) is an American stage actor, who is best known for his musical theatre roles on Broadway. Early life and education Kudisch was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, the son of Florence and Raymond Kudisch. His fami ...
. She received nominations for the Drama Desk AwardGans, Andrew; Pincus-Roth, Zachary
"Nominees for Drama Desk Awards Announced; ''LoveMusik'' Garners 12 Noms"
Playbill.com, April 26, 2007, accessed February 12, 2017
and the
Drama League Award The Drama League Awards, created in 1922, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing. Each May, the awards ...
. She hosted that year's Drama Desk Awards ceremony. She appeared in the Encores! semi-staged production of
Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in ove ...
and Oscar Hammerstein II's ''
Music in the Air ''Music in the Air'' is a musical written by Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics and book) and Jerome Kern (music). It introduced songs such as "The Song Is You", "In Egern on the Tegern See" and " I've Told Ev'ry Little Star". The musical premiered on ...
'' in 2009. Chenoweth was scheduled to return to The Metropolitan Opera in 2010 to play Samira in John Corigliano's opera ''
The Ghosts of Versailles ''The Ghosts of Versailles'' is an opera in two acts, with music by John Corigliano to an English libretto by William M. Hoffman. The Metropolitan Opera had commissioned the work from Corigliano in 1980 in celebration of its 100th anniversary, ...
''. The Met canceled the expensive production in 2008 as the U.S. economy weakened. Chenoweth starred as Fran Kubelik in the 2010 Broadway revival of the musical '' Promises, Promises'', opposite
Sean Hayes Sean Patrick Hayes (born June 26, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. He is best known for playing Jack McFarland on the NBC sitcom ''Will & Grace'', for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, and one American Com ...
, which opened on , 2010. The songs "
I Say a Little Prayer "I Say a Little Prayer" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Dionne Warwick, originally peaking at number four on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 pop singles chart in December 1967. On the R&B Singles chart it peaked at numbe ...
" and " A House Is Not a Home" were added for her to sing. Chenoweth and Hayes remained in the cast until the show closed on January 2, 2011,Hetrick, Adam and Andrew Gans
"Broadway Revival of ''Promises, Promises'' to Close"
Playbill.com, September 10, 2010, accessed February 12, 2017
although she missed performances from December 29, 2010, to January 1, 2011, to perform a New Year's Eve concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall on December 31, 2010. She played televangelist
Tammy Faye Bakker Tamara Faye Messner (née LaValley, formerly Bakker ; March 7, 1942 – July 20, 2007) was an American evangelist, singer, author, talk show host, and television personality. She gained notice for her work with ''The PTL Club'', a televangelist ...
in a reading of the musical ''Rise'' in 2011. Chenoweth played Lily Garland in a Broadway revival of ''
On the Twentieth Century ''On the Twentieth Century'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. Based partly on the 1932 play ''Twentieth Century'' and its 1934 film adaptation, the musical is part operetta, part farce an ...
'', opposite
Peter Gallagher Peter Killian Gallagher (born August 19, 1955) is an American actor. Since 1980, he has played roles in numerous Hollywood films. He is best known for starring as Sandy Cohen in the television drama series '' The O.C.'' from 2003 to 2007, recu ...
, which began previews on February 12 and opened on March 12, 2015, for a 22-week limited engagement through July 19, 2015, at the
Roundabout Theatre Company The Roundabout Theatre Company is a leading non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. History The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist, Michael Fried and Elizabet ...
.
Ben Brantley Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 to ...
of ''The New York Times'' wrote that Chenoweth "uses er character'shistrionics to create one of the most virtuosic portraits in song ever on Broadway. The vocal vocabulary she deploys here ranges from jazz-baby brass to operatic silver, often in a single number, and she switches among them with jaw-dropping ease. And every perfectly weighted note is set off by an impeccably exaggerated gesture." She was nominated for a Tony Award and won a Drama Desk Award for her performance.


Television

After a guest appearance on ''
LateLine ''Lateline'' was an Australian television news program which ran from 1990 until 2017. The program initially aired weeknights on ABC TV. In later years it was also broadcast internationally throughout Asia and the Pacific on the Australia Plu ...
'', a role in the short-lived television series ''Paramour'' (1999), and several roles in
television films A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...
such as ''
Annie Annie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Annie (given name), a given name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Annie (actress) (born 1975), Indian actress * Annie (singer) (born 1977), Norwegian singer The ...
'' (as Lily St. Regis), Chenoweth starred in her own
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...
, the semi-autobiographical '' Kristin'' in 2001. It was short-lived, with thirteen episodes filmed, but only six aired before it was canceled. Chenoweth appeared in the lead role of Marian in the 2003 television film, ''
The Music Man ''The Music Man'' is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments ...
'', opposite
Matthew Broderick Matthew Broderick (born March 21, 1962) is an American actor. His roles include the Golden Globe-nominated portrayal of the title character in '' Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' (1986), the voice of adult Simba in Disney's ''The Lion King'' (1994) ...
. She also guest-starred on such shows as ''
Frasier ''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons. It premiered on September 16, 1993, and ended on May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee (as Grub ...
'' (2001), ''
Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) ...
'' (2002 and several times afterward) and ''
Ugly Betty ''Ugly Betty'' is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which was originally broadcast on ABC. It premiered on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombi ...
'' (2007). In 2004, Chenoweth began playing the recurring role of media consultant Annabeth Schott in ''
The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White Hous ...
''. For her performance, she was nominated twice, along with the cast, for a Screen Actors Guild Award. She appeared in the final two seasons of the program through 2006. Chenoweth had been considered originally for the role of Ainsley Hayes, but she had already accepted her role in ''Wicked''. From 2007 to 2009, Chenoweth played
Olive Snook This is a list of fictional characters from the ABC television series ''Pushing Daisies''. Main characters Ned Ned (Lee Pace) is a 29-year-old pie maker with a unique magical ability to be able to bring back to life anyone or anything that ...
in the television series, ''
Pushing Daisies ''Pushing Daisies'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007, to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to li ...
''. For her performance, she received critical acclaim and was nominated two years in a row for an Emmy Award, winning in 2009 as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. The series was canceled after two seasons. In 2009, Chenoweth lent her voice to the animated comedy series '' Sit Down, Shut Up'', as Miracle Grohe, a science teacher who does not believe in science. The series lasted just thirteen episodes. Later that year, Chenoweth began a recurring role as
April Rhodes '' Glee'' is a musical comedy-drama television series that aired on Fox in the United States for six seasons from 2009 to 2015. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing in the show choir competition circuit, while its mem ...
in ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
'', singing several songs, earning enthusiastic notices. The character is a former member of the glee club who never finished high school and ended up hitting rock bottom. A review in ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
'' observed, "Her presence may not make much sense, but if it means hearing Chenoweth sing, we can put up with any explanation the show cares to offer." She received a
Satellite Award The Satellite Awards are annual awards given by the International Press Academy that are commonly noted in entertainment industry journals and blogs. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards. The award ceremonies take place ...
for Outstanding Guest Star. In 2010, Chenoweth returned to ''Glee'' as April Rhodes, singing more songs. The ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'' review commented, "the best part about ' Home' was undoubtedly the return of Kristin Chenoweth as April. From her spunky duet of
Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames a ...
with Schue, to the heart-achingly lonely coo of '
One Less Bell to Answer "One Less Bell to Answer" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Originally written in 1967 for Keely Smith, the song was rediscovered in late 1969 by Bones Howe, the producer for the 5th Dimension, and the song was included on the ...
' which segued into a fantastic reprise of ' A House Is Not a Home' and of course her bone-chilling take on Home I fell in love with her again." She was nominated for both 2010 and 2011 Emmy Awards for her performances on ''Glee''. Chenoweth returned again to ''Glee'' in " Rumours" in 2011,"Kristin Chenoweth: Credits"
''TV Guide'', accessed May 3, 2012
and for its 100th episode in 2014. In 2011, Chenoweth joined the cast of a pilot for
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
called ''Good Christian Bitches'' as a character named Carlene Cockburn. ABC picked up the show and changed the title to '' GCB''. The series debuted in 2012 but lasted only one season; Chenoweth generally sang a song in each episode. In 2012, she guest-starred in an episode of the sitcom ''
Hot in Cleveland ''Hot in Cleveland'' is an American television sitcom on TV Land starring Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick, and Betty White. The series, which was TV Land's first original series, premiered on June 16, 2010, and was TV Land's hig ...
'', titled "The Gateway Friend". Chenoweth played a recurring role as a political reporter in the fourth season of ''
The Good Wife ''The Good Wife'' is an American legal and political drama television series that aired on CBS from September 22, 2009, to May 8, 2016. It focuses on Alicia Florrick, the wife of the Cook County State's Attorney, who returns to her career in l ...
'' (2012). However, she soon left the show because of serious injuries suffered on the set, where she sustained a skull fracture, broken nose, spinal and rib injuries and cracked teeth. She appeared in the 2012 season opener and returned in a short scene for another episode. In 2013 and 2014, she made two appearances as Brittany Gold on the TV series, '' Kirstie''. From 2014 to 2019 she appeared in five episodes of the animated series '' BoJack Horseman''."Here Are the Voices Behind BoJack Horseman, Past and Present"
, Vulture.com, July 2016, accessed September 10, 2017; and Chappell, Les
"A ruthless ''BoJack Horseman'' breaks the life of Princess Carolyn and the heart of its audience"
''The A.V. Club'', September 16, 2017, accessed November 18, 2017
Chenoweth played
Maleficent Maleficent ( or ) is a fictional character who appears as the main antagonist in Walt Disney Productions' 16th animated feature film, ''Sleeping Beauty'' (1959). She is represented as an evil fairy and the self-proclaimed " Mistress of All Evil ...
in the live-action Disney Channel original movie, '' Descendants'' (2015). The ''Entertainment Weekly'' reviewer said that "Chenoweth stole much of the show". It drew the largest cable TV movie audience of 2015 to that date. later that year, Chenoweth appeared in an episode of ''
I Get That a Lot ''I Get That a Lot'' is a reality television special originally created by Danny Harris occasionally airing on CBS, which sets up celebrities in everyday working class jobs. Hidden cameras are used to capture the reactions of unsuspecting customer ...
'', posing as a waitress, and co-hosted the ''
69th Tony Awards The 69th Annual Tony Awards were held on June 7, 2015, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2014–15 season. The ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and broadcast live by CBS.Gioia, Michael"This Year ...
'', for which she was nominated for another Emmy Award. Chenoweth played Velma Von Tussle in NBC's ''
Hairspray Live! ''Hairspray Live!'' is an American television special that aired live on the American television network NBC on December 7, 2016. Produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, and hosted by Darren Criss, it is a performance of a new adaptation of the ...
'' in 2016.Taylor Weatherby, Taylor
"Watch Kristin Chenoweth Dominate ''Hairspray Live!'' With 'Miss Baltimore Crabs' Performance"
''Billboard'', December 7, 2016
In 2017, Chenoweth played the role of
Easter Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
in the Starz TV series '' American Gods''. In 2018 on '' Trial & Error'', she appeared as Lavinia Peck-Foster, an eccentric heiress accused of her husband's murder, who hires Josh Segal and Associates to defend her. She participated in a 2018 NBC broadcast, ''
A Very Wicked Halloween ''A Very Wicked Halloween: Celebrating 15 Years on Broadway'' is a Halloween television special commemorating fifteen years since the premiere of the musical ''Wicked'' on Broadway. The concert special aired on NBC on October 29, 2018, and was host ...
'', hosting and singing ''Popular'' and other numbers to celebrate the 15th anniversary of ''Wicked'' on Broadway.Lenker, Maureen Lee
"The 5 best moments in ''A Very Wicked Halloween''
''Entertainment Weekly'', October 29, 2018
The same year, she appeared as a guest on another NBC special, ''
Darci Lynne Darci Lynne Farmer (born October 12, 2004) is an American ventriloquist, singer and actress. Lynne has been credited with the revival of ventriloquism, earning praise and numerous accolades for her work. Born in Oklahoma, Lynne developed an int ...
: My Hometown Christmas''. In March 2019, Chenoweth appeared on British TV as a judge on an ITV special "All Star Musicals". She and
Elaine Paige Elaine Jill Paige (née Bickerstaff; born 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, making her first professiona ...
also both performed "
I Know Him So Well "I Know Him So Well" is a duet from the concept album and subsequent musical ''Chess'' by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. It was originally sung by Elaine Paige (as Florence) and Barbara Dickson (as Svetlana). In this duet, two wom ...
". A six-episode
Food Network Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (which holds a 69% ownership stake of the network) and Nexstar Media Group ( ...
television competition show, derived from the game ''
Candy Land ''Candy Land'' (also ''Candyland'') is a simple racing board game published by Hasbro. The game requires no reading and minimal counting skills, making it suitable for young children. No strategy is involved as players are never required to ma ...
'', premiered in November 2020, hosted by Chenoweth. In 2021, PBS aired a ''Wicked'' concert special, hosted by Chenoweth and Menzel, with "a starry line-up" of singers and actors performing the musical numbers. She also appeared as the villainous Mildred Layton in the
Apple TV+ Apple TV is a digital media player and microconsole developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is a small network appliance hardware that plays received media data such as video and audio to a television set or external display. Since its secon ...
parody musical comedy television series ''
Schmigadoon! ''Schmigadoon!'' is an American musical comedy television series created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, with all songs written by Paul, who also serves as showrunner. The series airs on Apple TV+ and premiered on July 16, 2021. The series has b ...
''Jacobs, Matthew
"For ''Schmigadoon!'' Star Kristin Chenoweth, Nothing's As Good as Playing Bad"
'' Town and Country'', July 16, 2021
for which she was nominated for the 2022
Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series The Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series is one of the award categories presented annually by the Critics' Choice Television Awards (BTJA) to recognize the work done by television actresses. Winners and ...
. Later that year, she joined '' The Voice season 21'' as advisor to Ariana Grande's team.Bergeson, Samantha
"See Kristin Chenoweth Gush Over Joining The Voice With Coach Ariana Grande"
EOnline, August 16, 2021


Film

Chenoweth made her theatrical film debut in ''Topa Topa Bluffs'' in 2002 playing "Patty". After a few years away from film, she returned to the big screen in the 2005 film version of '' Bewitched'', directed by
Nora Ephron Nora Ephron ( ; May 19, 1941 – June 26, 2012) was an American journalist, writer, and filmmaker. She is best known for her romantic comedy films and was nominated three times for the Writers Guild of America Award and the Academy Award for ...
, as Maria Kelly. In 2006, Chenoweth played supporting roles in five films, ''
The Pink Panther ''The Pink Panther'' is an American media franchise primarily focusing on a series of comedy-mystery films featuring an inept French police detective, Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The franchise began with the release of the classic film '' The Pi ...
'', '' RV'', '' Running with Scissors'', ''
Deck the Halls "Deck the Hall” is a traditional Christmas carol. The melody is Welsh, dating back to the sixteenth century, and belongs to a winter carol, "Nos Galan", while the English lyrics, written by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant, date to 1862. ...
'' and '' Stranger Than Fiction''. On February 24, 2008, Chenoweth sang " That's How You Know" from the film '' Enchanted'' at the
80th Academy Awards The 80th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2007. The award ceremony took place on February 24, 2008, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. During t ...
in the Kodak Theatre. She also voiced Rosetta, the garden fairy in the 2008 animated film ''
Tinker Bell Tinker Bell is a fictional character from J. M. Barrie's 1904 play '' Peter Pan'' and its 1911 novelisation ''Peter and Wendy''. She has appeared in a variety of film and television adaptations of the Peter Pan stories, in particular the 1953 ...
''. Later that year, Chenoweth appeared in the 2008 holiday
romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...
film ''
Four Christmases ''Four Christmases'' is a 2008 American Christmas comedy film about a couple visiting all four of their divorced parents' homes on Christmas Day. It stars Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon with Robert Duvall, Jon Favreau, Mary Steenburgen, Dwight ...
'', playing the sister of
Reese Witherspoon Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (born March 22, 1976) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, she ...
's character. In 2009, Chenoweth starred as a "suicidal prostitute" in the indie drama '' Into Temptation'', written and directed by Patrick Coyle. The film was screened at the
Newport Beach Film Festival The Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) is an annual film festival in Newport Beach, California, typically held in late April. In 2022, it was announced that the festival have permanently changed its date to be held in October, as the festival beg ...
and was later released on DVD. Also in 2009, Chenoweth reprised her voice role of Rosetta in ''
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure ''Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure'' is a 2009 American computer-animated adventure film directed by Klay Hall (in his feature directorial debut) and the second installment in the ''Disney Fairies'' franchise. Produced by DisneyToon Studios, it ...
'' and filmed the Disney comedy ''You Again'' (released in 2010). She voiced Gabi, a poisonous frog, in the 2014 animated film, ''
Rio 2 ''Rio 2'' is a 2014 American 3D computer-animated musical comedy film produced by Blue Sky Studios and directed by Carlos Saldanha. It is the sequel to the 2011 computer-animated film ''Rio'' and the second installment of the ''Rio'' franchise. ...
''. In 2015, she appeared with Jennifer Lopez and Ryan Guzman in the thriller film ''The Boy Next Door (film), The Boy Next Door'' and voiced Fifi (Peanuts), Fifi, Snoopy's love interest, in ''
The Peanuts Movie ''The Peanuts Movie'' (known in some countries as ''Snoopy and Charlie Brown: A Peanuts Movie'') is a 2015 American computer-animated comedy film based on Charles M. Schulz's comic strip ''Peanuts'', produced by Blue Sky Studios and distributed ...
''. She voiced Princess Skystar in the 2017 animated film ''My Little Pony: The Movie (2017 film), My Little Pony'' and voices Abby the Mouse in the animated movie ''The Star (2017 film), The Star'' (2017).


Other media

Chenoweth often appeared on ''A Prairie Home Companion''. On August 27, 2008, Chenoweth released an internet video with Funny or Die called ''Intervention with Kristin Chenoweth''. The video parodied A&E Network, A&E's show ''Intervention (TV series), Intervention'', with Chenoweth starring as a singing, dancing interventionist. The song in the video was composed by Andrew Lippa, with lyrics by Amy Rhodes, who also wrote the script for the video. Chenoweth admitted that she was hesitant about performing the lyrics. In 2010, she appeared in a three-minute video short for ''Glamour Magazine'' titled "iPad or Bust". She posed for the cover and a photo spread in the March 2006 edition of ''FHM'' magazine. In 2011, Chenoweth released her first televised music video on Country Music Television, directed by Roman White, for her song "I Want Somebody (Bitch About), I Want Somebody". The video for the single peaked at #19 on Country Music Television, CMT's Top 20 Countdown. In 2022, Chenoweth appeared in ''Keeper of the Ashes: The Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders'' on Hulu. In the special, she investigates the Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders, 1977 murders of three girls at a Girl Scouts of the USA, Girl Scout camp that the young Chenoweth had been unable to attend that year due to illness.


Recordings and concerts

Chenoweth has a distinctive speaking voice, one she has compared to that of Betty Boop. She is a classically trained coloratura soprano, able to sing the note "F6" (also known as "F above High C"). Among other early recordings, Chenoweth participated in a studio cast recording of ''
The Most Happy Fella ''The Most Happy Fella'' is a 1956 musical with a book, music, and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The story, about a romance between an older man and younger woman, is based on the 1924 play '' They Knew What They Wanted'' by Sidney Howard. The show i ...
'' in 1992. She was also in the cast recordings of ''A New Brain'' (1998) and ''You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown'' (1999) and a studio cast recording of ''110 in the Shade'' (1999). In 2000, she was featured on the album ''Grateful: The Songs of John Bucchino''. The next year, with Mandy Patinkin, she was featured on the album titled "Kidults". Also in 2001, she released her debut solo album ''Let Yourself Go (Kristin Chenoweth album), Let Yourself Go'', which was a collection of standards from the musicals of the 1930s. One of the tracks featured a duet with Jason Alexander. In , Chenoweth performed songs from the album in concert for Lincoln Center's American Songbook concert series. Ben Rimalower, in ''Playbill'', praised the album as "a joyous affair". The same year, she appeared as Fanny Brice in the Actor's Fund Benefit Concert of the musical ''Funny Girl (musical), Funny Girl'' in New York City. In 2003 in London, she performed a solo concert as part of the ''Divas at the Donmar'' series for director Sam Mendes. Later that year, she sang Glinda in the cast recording of ''Wicked'' and the soundtrack recording of Disney's ''The Music Man''. Rimalower wrote that Chenoweth "sparkles" on the album. In 2004, she released her second album ''As I Am (Kristin Chenoweth album), As I Am'', which was a Christian music album containing various spiritual songs. The album peaked at number 31 on the U.S. Christian Albums Chart. The same year, Chenoweth gave Kristin Chenoweth at Carnegie Hall, a concert at Carnegie Hall. On January 19, 2007, Chenoweth performed a solo concert at The Metropolitan Opera in New York titled Kristin Chenoweth Live At The Met, making history as only the third musical theatre star ever to present a solo concert at that location, following Barbara Cook and Yves Montand. The same year, she was featured in songs with Nathan Gunn on an album titled ''Just Before Sunrise''. The next year, she released her third solo studio album, titled '' A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas''. The album included a duet with John Pizzarelli, and there are several modern holiday tunes, but many traditional carols as well, including ''The Lord's Prayer''. This album has been her best-seller, reaching number 77 on the U.S. Billboard Albums Chart, number 7 on the U.S. Holiday Albums chart and number 1 on the U.S. Heatseekers chart. Ben Rimalower, in ''Playbill'', observed that the album "proved an ideal showcase for [Chenoweth's] many gifts". Among many other solo concerts around the U.S., Chenoweth performed her own concert in 2009 with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at the Fox Theatre (St. Louis, Missouri), Fox Theatre. In August 2010, during her nights off from ''Promises, Promises'', Chenoweth recorded her fourth album, a country pop, country-pop CD titled ''
Some Lessons Learned ''Some Lessons Learned'' is the fourth album by singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth. Overview The country pop disc was released on September 13, 2011. The lead single, "I Want Somebody (Bitch About)" was released on May 31, 2011. The album con ...
''. Released on September 13, 2011, the album contains songs by Diane Warren, Dolly Parton and Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott, among others. Chenoweth co-wrote two of the songs. In advance of the album, Chenoweth released the song "I Want Somebody (Bitch About)". Ben Rimalower, writing in ''Playbill'', thought that the album "may be Chenoweth's most accomplished". From the TV show ''GCB'', in 2012, Chenoweth released "Blessed Be the Ties that Bind", "Jesus Take the Wheel", "Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace, Prayer of St. Francis" (which was also on ''Some Lessons Learned'') and "This Little Light of Mine". Chenoweth conducted her first Kristin Chenoweth In Concert, U.S. concert tour in the summer of 2012. The reviewer for BroadwayWorld.com wrote: "Kristin shines on stage." Less than four months after her July 2012 injury on the set of ''The Good Wife'', Chenoweth returned to the concert stage for a short series of dates in California, where she performed "a sagely programmed 90-minute set, which merged pop, Broadway, gospel and country with perky, unforced-feeling remarks. Chenoweth's range, timbre and versatility are in peak form, with astonishing top notes, equalized registers and a delicious ability to variegate attack from number to number."Nichols, David C
"Review: Kristin Chenoweth in top form at Segerstrom Concert Hall"
''Los Angeles Times'', November 6, 2012
In 2013, Chenoweth performed at the Sydney Opera House as part of an Australian concert tour. In 2014, Chenoweth returned to Carnegie Hall with an autobiographical concert, ''The Evolution of a Soprano'', where she sang "as good a rendition of 'Much More' as we're ever likely to hear". She also made her London solo concert debut at the Royal Albert Hall, where a reviewer's five-star review noted: "Chenoweth undeniably knows how to engulf a venue, not only with her (sometimes surprisingly) powerful, operatic voice but also with her irresistible personality that audience was in the palm of her hands for the duration of the evening". She joined Andrew Lippa in his oratorio ''I Am Harvey Milk'' at Avery Fisher Hall on October 6, 2014. In 2014, Chenoweth released an album titled '' Coming Home''.Watts, James D. Jr
"Kristin Chenoweth: Coming Home"
TulsaWorld.com, August 23, 2014, accessed June 2, 2015
The album charted at No. 48 on the Billboard 200 chart. Her Coming Home Tour continued into 2017. Chenoweth released her next album, '' The Art of Elegance'', in 2016, which debuted at No. 36 on the ''Billboard 200'' and No. 1 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. One of the songs on the album, "I'm a Fool to Want You", was nominated for a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
for its arrangements. She gave a series of concerts at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, titled ''Kristin Chenoweth: My Love Letter to Broadway, My Love Letter to Broadway'', in 2016. In 2017, she gave a concert at the London Palladium, where she "put on a spectacular show and simultaneously formed a heartfelt connection with her fans." Chenoweth released the album '' For the Girls'' on September 27, 2019, which features covers of songs by female performers from various genres that have influenced her. She collaborated with Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Jennifer Hudson and Ariana Grande on the album. In support of the album, she presented a concert series titled ''Kristin Chenoweth: For the Girls'' at the Nederlander Theatre from November 8 to 17, 2019."Kristin Chenoweth Will Bring ''For the Girls'' Solo Show to Broadway This Fall!"
BroadwayWorld.com, September 17, 2019
She released a second holiday album, ''Happiness Is Christmas'', in October 2021, and returned to the Metropolitan Opera House with a new program, ''Christmas at the Met'', on December 13, 2021, to promote the album.


Special events and appearances

Chenoweth and the cast of the Broadway musical ''Wicked'' performed the song "One Short Day" in the 2003 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. In the 2005 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Chenoweth performed the song "Oklahoma" while riding aboard the "Oklahoma Rising" float. The float was making the first of three annual appearances commemorating the state of Oklahoma's statehood centennial in 2007. She was the star performer of the opening ceremony of the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade. She sang "Our Good Nature", an original composition written to coincide with the Oklahoma centennial celebration and the theme of the parade. In the 2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, she performed the song "The Christmas Waltz" from her "A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas" album while riding aboard the "Care Bears Winter Fun-Derland" float. She sang with Il Divo as part of Il Divo's Christmas Tour on , 16 and 17, 2009, in New York City and in Boston. She has sung the The Star-Spangled Banner, U.S. national anthem at various sporting events, including the 2010 New York Yankees home opener, at Candlestick Park for the NFL's 2011–12 NFL playoffs, NFC Conference Championship on January 22, 2012, at the Arizona Cardinals' season opener in 2016 and their game at University of Phoenix Stadium against the Seattle Seahawks on November 9, 2017. Also in 2010, Chenoweth hosted the 15th Critics' Choice Awards, 15th Annual Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards on VH1. In 2013, Chenoweth co-hosted the Oscars Red Carpet Live immediately prior to the 85th Academy Awards and also sang the closing number of the ceremony, "Here's to the Losers", with host Seth MacFarlane, in which, paraphrasing the original Frank Sinatra song, the two poked genial fun at nominees who had not received awards. Chenoweth was the solo performer in the Live from Lincoln Center feature "The Dames of Broadway... All of 'Em!!!" In July, she hosted the fifth Just For Laughs gala in Montreal. She also appeared in the 2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade performing the song "Theme from New York, New York, New York, New York" while riding aboard Royal Caribbean International, Royal Caribbean's "A World at Sea" float. In 2015, she co-hosted the Tony Awards. She appeared as a guest with Andrea Bocelli on some of his 2017–2018 American tour stops. In December 2018, Chenoweth was the guest artist for The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square's Christmas Concert in Salt Lake City, Utah.


Personal life

In 2009, Chenoweth published a memoir, ''A Little Bit Wicked, A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages'', describing her life and career, including her adoption, her turn in ''Wicked'' and her time in Hollywood. Chenoweth suffers from Ménière's disease, an inner-ear disorder that can cause vertigo, headaches and nausea, among other symptoms. She has said that during some performances, she leaned on her co-stars to keep her balance, and that it has caused her to miss performances. Chenoweth has spoken publicly about her religious faith; she describes herself as a "non-judgmental, Liberal Christianity, liberal Christian". According to ''The New York Times'', when Chenoweth "assured her theater fans that she supports gay rights, her Christian base was outraged; she was disinvited from performing at a Women of Faith conference in ". Chenoweth released an album in , ''As I Am (Kristin Chenoweth album), As I Am'', a mixture of hymns and contemporary Christian music, with adult contemporary music, adult contemporary arrangements. To promote the album, she made an appearance on ''The 700 Club'', which upset some of her gay fans. 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. In May 2010, Chenoweth wrote in response to Newsweek gay actor controversy, an article in ''Newsweek'' by Ramin Setoodeh, an openly gay writer. Setoodeh thought that her Tony-nominated '' Promises, Promises'' co-star,
Sean Hayes Sean Patrick Hayes (born June 26, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. He is best known for playing Jack McFarland on the NBC sitcom ''Will & Grace'', for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, and one American Com ...
, "comes off as wooden and insincere" in playing the straight character Chuck and that Jonathan Groff has a similar credibility problem in the TV show ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
''. He questioned whether any openly gay actor could acceptably portray a straight character. Chenoweth called the article "horrendously homophobic" and criticized Setoodeh's view as rationalizing "the same kind of bullying" that gay youths face in high school. Chenoweth argued that audiences "come to the theater to go on a journey" and do not care about an actor's sexual orientation. The story was discussed in media including ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. Chenoweth has dated several men in Hollywood, including producer Dana Brunetti, actors Seth Green, Lane Garrison and
Marc Kudisch Marc Kudisch (born September 22, 1966) is an American stage actor, who is best known for his musical theatre roles on Broadway. Early life and education Kudisch was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, the son of Florence and Raymond Kudisch. His fami ...
(to whom she was engaged from 1998 to 2001), and producer/writer Aaron Sorkin. In Sorkin's ''Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip'', the character of the Christian Harriet Hayes bears significant resemblances to Chenoweth, and the relationship between Hayes and "East coast liberal Jewish atheist" (Hayes' description) Matt Albie is modeled after that of Chenoweth and Sorkin. For example, Chenoweth's decision to appear on ''The 700 Club'' and her falling out with Women of Faith were depicted with the Hayes character. Since 2018, Chenoweth has been dating Josh Bryant, the guitarist for country band Backroad Anthem. They became engaged on October 27, 2021.


Credits


Broadway


Other selected theatre productions


New York City Center Encores!


Film


Television


Discography


Studio albums


Singles

Notes


Awards and honors

Chenoweth was awarded an honorary doctorate in Performing Arts from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2009, where she was the commencement speaker. Oklahoma City University, where she received her undergraduate and master's degrees, awarded her an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in 2013. In 2010, Chenoweth was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. In 2011, she won the GLAAD Vanguard Award. In 2012, the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center named its theatre the Kristin Chenoweth Theatre. Chenoweth received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015.Adams, Thelma
"Kristin Chenoweth Receives a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame"
''Variety'', July 24, 2015
In 2015, she was inducted as an honorary member of the Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity's Sigma Theta chapter at Eastman School of Music.Kristen Chenowth
Sigma Alpha Iota of the Sigma Theta chapter, Eastman School of Music, October 10, 2015


References


Sources

* *


External links

* * * * * *
Biography
at Biography.com
Excerpt from ''A Little Bit Wicked''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chenoweth, Kristin 1968 births 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers Actresses from Oklahoma American adoptees American Christians American women country singers American women jazz singers American women pop singers American jazz singers American film actresses American memoirists American musical theatre actresses American people of Cherokee descent American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent American performers of Christian music American sopranos American television actresses American voice actresses American women memoirists Clarence Derwent Award winners Country musicians from New York (state) Country musicians from Oklahoma Drama Desk Award winners Jazz musicians from New York (state) Jazz musicians from Oklahoma LGBT rights activists from the United States Living people Oklahoma City University alumni Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners People from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma People with Ménière's Disease Singers from Oklahoma Theatre World Award winners Tony Award winners