Two paths crossed six years ago as two firsts were happening. First, I was beginning to write for Los Angeles Magazine’s website a regular column entitled Curtain Call. At the same time Tony Award-winner Kristin Chenoweth was just about to make her headlining debut at the Hollywood Bowl. This Sunday Chenoweth returns to the Bowl and I’m obviously still writing.
Since 2013, Chenoweth has appeared on Broadway in a revival of On the Twentieth Century. She recently appeared in the second season of Trial and Error. She also performed her show My Love Letter to Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 2016. It is that show that will partially serve as the basis for her concert on Sunday, as she told me when we caught up by phone earlier this week.
What do you remember most about your debut as a headliner at the Bowl?
Six years ago? I was only twenty… (she lets out a big laugh.) Time has flown. Oh gosh, probably my parents flying in and my family being there. Just standing in front of that 100-piece orchestra and singing songs I love. Looking up and seeing stars. Music is such a healer, it’s so amazing.
At that concert you pulled up voice teacher Sarah Horn to sing “For Good” from Wicked with you. How much did her talent surprise you?
I loved it because no one expected it, least of all me. She just did so well after that and I’m so proud of her. It doesn’t always work – that’s even better actually. A lot of times people say, “I’m a performer” or “I know the song very well.” Then you see the nerves take over. But you want to see the switch happen. I want someone to have an experience, whoever that may be: child, boy, girl, teacher, accountant. Who knows who I will pick. I don’t do it a lot.
How much of this concert will be based on My Love Letter to Broadway?
Some of it will definitely be there because I haven’t done that show here. There’s new stuff and I’ll be doing songs I have to do or I’ll be killed. I have a new album called For the Girls coming out September 27th and I’ll be doing two songs from that. I want to give people a taste. It’s a little bit of the last record (The Art of Elegance), new stuff and stuff from the new album.
The Art of Elegance is the kind of album you don’t get to hear very often. How difficult is getting an album like that made?
It’s so difficult to get an album like that made. Especially with a full orchestra. On the next record a lot of it has been fully orchestrated with songs, but not songs you’d expected to be fully orchestrated. From Dinah Washington to Carole King to Linda Ronstadt to Eva Cassidy. This is my wheel house and these songs changed my life.
You’re going to be back in Los Angeles for New Year’s Eve at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. I assume that will be a different show.
It’ll be mostly stuff from For the Girls. It will be different. And you never know what kind of guests I might have and all.
Wicked was the last new musical you appeared in. Does the reality of Broadway make it tougher for you to star in new musicals?
I’m in development for two Broadway shows right now. I’ll never stop going. That’s where I made it. That’s where I cut my teeth. The truth is if I have the right audience, whether on a Broadway stage or a concert stage, I’m home. I’m attached to Death Becomes Her based on the film and I’m attached to a Tammy Faye Baker musical. It’s a race. Whoever gets there first, I’m in.
[No current information exists on the creative team for Death Becomes Her. The Tammy Faye Baker musical is being written by David Yazbek and Robert Horn – the duo who wrote Tootsie which is now on Broadway.]
You’ve been a staunch supporter of LGBTQ rights. A lot of Christians believe that Leviticus is the final word on homosexuality. As a Christian do you get pushback from people when you speak so openly – as you recently did with Matt Easton*?
Yes! Of course! That’s okay with me. I would expect people to push back because that’s what they’ve been taught and it’s ingrained. I don’t want to be judged for my belief. I don’t judge others for what they believe. I would like that respect in return. Whether you believe in Jesus as the Messiah or not, all he talked about was love and loving one another.
Speaking of love…what challenges did you have to overcome to love yourself and fully accept who you are?
I had to learn to accept that I am petite at 4’11”. I had to learn to love I had a unique speaking voice. I had to learn to love that not everyone is going to love what I do. As long as you remember that, that all you can do is do the music that speaks the truth for you. If you speak or sing the truth, really people can’t get too mad at you.
*Easton came out during his valedictorian speech at Brigham Young University in April.
For tickets go here.
Photos of Kristin Chenoweth by Gian Di Stefano/Courtesy of Kristin Chenoweth.