Kristin Chenoweth May Star in City Opera's Pirates of Penzance | Playbill

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Classic Arts News Kristin Chenoweth May Star in City Opera's Pirates of Penzance

Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth, most recently on Broadway as the "Popular" Glinda in Stephen Schwartz's Wicked, may be seen in the New York City Opera's 2007 staging of The Pirates of Penzance.

A spokesperson for the actress told Playbill.com that Chenoweth is currently "in discussions" for the Gilbert and Sullivan work, which will play NYCO March 3-31, 2007. The Pirates cast, according to the opera company's official web site, will feature Myrna Paris as Ruth and Matt Morgan as Frederic. No other casting has been announced.

The NYCO mounting of Pirates will be directed by Lillian Groag with choreography by Lynn Hockney. The creative team is set to include John Conklin (set design), Jess Goldstein (costume design), Pat Collins (lighting design), and Abe Jacob (sound design).

With a book and lyrics by William S. Gilbert and music by Arthur Sullivan, some of the operetta's songs include "When Frederic Was a Little Lad," "Poor Wandering One!," "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General," "A Rollicking Band of Pirates We," and "No, I Am Brave." The most recent Broadway revival of Pirates played the Uris Theatre in 1981. Directed by Wilford Leach, the musical featured a starry cast led by Kevin Kline, Estelle Parsons, Linda Rondstadt, George Rose, and Rex Smith.

Kristin Chenoweth, who received a Tony nomination for her work as Glinda in Stephen Schwartz's Wicked, has been seen on the New York stage in The Fantasticks, Scapin, Steel Pier, A New Brain, Epic Proportions, Strike Up the Band, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, The Apple Tree, and Candide. The actress won her Tony Award for her performance as Sally Brown in the Broadway bow of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Chenoweth recently released her second solo recording, As I Am (Sony Classical); her screen credits include Kristin, The West Wing, The Pink Panther, Asphalt Beach, Running with Scissors, and Stranger Than Fiction."

Chenoweth may also return to Broadway in a fall revival of The Apple Tree. Malcolm Gets, who co-starred opposite Chenoweth in the City Center Encores! mounting of that Sheldon Harnick-Jerry Bock musical, told Playbill.com columnist Michael Buckley, "Producers are ready to move [The Apple Tree] to Broadway. It was delayed because Kristin was on West Wing, but now that's canceled. They're talking about how many players they need in the orchestra. We should be on Broadway in the fall or next spring."

The Metropolitan Opera is considering casting Chenoweth in its 2008-09 production of John Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles, incoming general manager Peter Gelb told the Associated Press recently.

For more theater news, visit Playbill.com.

 
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