By Brian Scott Lipton
Where in the world is Kristin Chenoweth? While it’s been nearly two years since she last graced the Great White Way in “Promises, Promises,” the Tony and Emmy Award winner has let no grass grow under her feet lately, as she has embarked on a rich variety of projects.
None, however, are closer to her heart than the new charity she has formed with the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center Foundation in her home town of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. “I am so excited to work more closely with the theater in my hometown that bears my name. My first charity venture, Maddie’s Corner, was a huge inspiration for me to continue to learn about how to make my mark in the world,” says Chenoweth. “Growing up in Broken Arrow, we didn’t always get the opportunity to see Broadway tours or concerts. The message of my charity is to give back to local arts programs and to have the arts become more prevalent there! Arts really make a difference in people’s lives.”
The rest of 2013, as is typical of Chenoweth’s hectic schedule, will find the actress spanning the country. On Saturday, November 2, she gave a live performance at the prestigious Breeder’s Cup horse race in Santa Anita, California. “The Breeders Cup was so cool because the audience was dressed to the nines and ready to roll!” she says. “The excitement in the air was intense, and I got caught up in it. And of course, I had a blast singing their new theme song ‘The Best Is Yet To Come’ by the great Cy Coleman.”
On Thanksgiving Day, she’ll be back in the Big Apple, as one of the many celebrities participating in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “I’m the official Godmother to Royal Caribbean’s “Quantum of the Seas!” ship. So I will be on their float representing their brand, and singing as well.”
As to the musical question, “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” Chenoweth already knows the answer: she’ll be giving a solo concert at the beautiful Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas. “What better place is there to be on New Year’s Eve than Vegas?” she says. “And what’s great is that my brother and his family are coming in. That will be fun!”
If you can’t see Chenoweth in person, you still have many opportunities to take in her talent. For example, she can be heard with the musical supergroup Il Divo on their recently released CD “A Broadway Affair.” “They’re so amazing and I’ve always wanted to sing ‘All I Ask Of You,’” she confesses. “It’s a beautiful version and arrangement of this song.”
Finally, her ever-growing film career is in full swing. “Right now, I’m shooting ‘The Boy Next Door,’ which is this thriller with Jennifer Lopez, and I’m super-excited,” she says. “I did the animated film, ‘Rio 2,’ in which I play Gabi, the poisonous frog. She’s pink, though. And I recently made “Hard Sell,’ which is a coming-of-age story about a young boy whose mother is agoraphobic and an alcoholic. Yep, that’s me!”
For further information on the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center or to make a donation, please log onto http://www.brokenarrowpac.com/give.html
