This was not one of the awkward interviews I mentioned in a previous entry. Oddly enough, I only discovered the acting/musical superstar Kristin Chenoweth after this interview, which was conducted in February 2005. She was releasing a gospel album, As I Am, and I was presented the opportunity to speak to her. The publicist told me she’d become famous for a role in Wicked, a musical about the Wicked Witch. At that time, I’d never heard of the musical, either. But I knew plenty of friends who loved her in the West Wing.
She was a total sweetheart when we spoke, often referring to me as “hon.” I loved her down-home attitude and friendliness and quickly discovered who she was, renting “The Music Man,” watching Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (one character was modeled after her), and seeing R.V. and Bewitched. Since then, she’s become more and more popular and this interview has continued to be one of my favorites.
So I’ve been told you’ve been sick. Are you getting better?
I don’t know what’s going on around the West Wing cast. Everybody on the set is sick. I don’t get to rest. On Wednesday I was feeling so poor, but I worked about 17 hours that day. Today, I’m about half a day in.
I’m very lucky in that I get to do a lot of stuff. My album is a priority, West Wing is a priority, I’ve just done a couple movies and I’m getting ready to do a couple more. Whatever is important that day is what I focus on. I just have to constantly be adaptable. Two weeks ago, I was singing at Carnegie Hall. You just have to switch modes.
How do you manage it all?
My manager helps me out a lot with my schedule. Coming from Broadway, it’s not for wimps, I’m pretty hard on myself and I keep myself on schedule. I have an assistant who helps. I pray a lot. I do a lot of praying that I’m not missing something.
Are you still doing musicals?
I left Wicked in July. It was a great experience. I loved it. There are a couple of things in development. I have ample opportunity. I will always go back to Broadway.
I just finished Bewitched and Pink Panther. They were amazing experiences. I got to play opposite Steve Martin and Nicole Kidman. It doesn’t get better than that. As an actor or singer, you want to keep it changing and not be pigeon-holed. Both parts are very different and it’s different from West Wing. That’s rewarding as an artist.
I think Sally Field has had a good career. I think she’s been smart in what she’s chosen to do. I really respect Patricia Heaton, just an example of someone who’s worked really hard and hit it at the right time. Julie Andrews, she does it all. She’s a singer. She’s done Broadway. She’s my favorite performer. I do really enjoy her music.
What are your highlights from As I Am?
Growing up in Oklahoma, country music was an important part of my life. It wasn’t til college and my voice teacher opened up my voice and help me train it. For me, “It Will Be Me” is a song that, even though Faith Hill did it, it’s something that I hope I can be for my friends and family. It has a country flair, and that’s how I grew up singing. Definitely “The Song Remembers When.” Of course, Sandy Patti was an influence on my life. It shows the more operatic, gospel-y type. It’s fun, because (the album) shows a variety of what I can do. I just got lucky because I got an Amy Grant song on there. I grew up singing. I remember my aunt singing “Poor Wayfaring Stranger.” “Abide In Me” and “Borrowed Angels” are new. Those are songs that touched me when I first heard them. The rest are songs that have been in my past.
My first album was definitely Broadway and this album is totally different for most of my fans. I wanted to do it after 9/11 because I wanted to have a spiritual record out there. Integrity asked if I wanted to do this, and I said heck yes, I wanted to do it two years ago. This is more a blessing for me than anyone. I grew up wanting to be a Christian singer. My path ended up changing but this is still who I am.
I was in New York when (September 11) happened. I saw first hand how it affected me, and even people who weren’t believers. I felt at that point, people wanted hope. They wanted something to grab onto, they wanted something to believe. That’s what struck me. I want to do this. Sony Classical, this wouldn’t normally be their thing. I’m lucky because I have people who believe in me. When Integrity came on board, it just was a God thing. Now is the right time for this to happen.
And you’re appearing at Women of Faith?
I’m really excited about that because it’s something that I’ve always heard about. It was great because when I talked to ladies on the phone, I told them “I have a lot of Jewish friends, I have a lot of gay friends, I have a lot of friends who don’t believe in my life. But I certainly would like to do this.” I just wanted to go to the Women of Faith, to go and be blessed myself. I have a certain fan base, but this has also given me an opportunity but this is giving me a new audience. This is something that’s like a lifelong dream for me. It’s kind of going to feel like a homecoming. Now I do concert work. I’ll be doing LA opera, Paris opera, I’ll be doing the met. This is yet another aspect of my life.
Would you do another gospel album?
I’d love to do another project like this. I have a bunch of songs that I wrote when I was little. I’d like to take those out and polish them up and do some original stuff. Certainly I’d like to see how this goes over. It does matter but it doesn’t matter. It’s out of my hands. I know it’s what God wants me to do.
What’s next?
There’s an animated movie for Disney and that’s huge for me. I’m going to get to sing in that. I recently got a movie with Emma Thompson and Annette Benning. Then I have concerts. Then I go on tour with Domingo. I really wanted to stay away from the classical sound.
The GRAMMYS are coming up. Have you been?
I have. Joshua Bell, my ex-boyfriend was nominated. I love it, because there’s so many singers, spiritual and gospel and Christian singers. These are amazing voices. I was singing at the White House. Yolanda Adams was there. She was unbelievable.
As we ended the interview, we spoke about equity and non-equity traveling Broadway shows, her hometown of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and even the Christian singer, Carman, who filmed a movie there. She said she’d like to see it, gave me her agent’s address and I sent her the movie. She also mentioned she’d be coming soon to Atlanta and asked what spots she needed to see. Perhaps if I were thinking more clearly, I would have offered to show her around. She certainly seems like a person you’d easily become friends with.
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