By Andrew Gans
15 Feb 2008

Question: I would think this is probably something that never even entered your mind as a possibility.
Gettelfinger: Without a doubt. I laugh about it all the time. Dirty Rotten was winding down, and I'm kind of thinking, "What's next?" If someone had told me five years ago, "Well, naturally, at 30, you'll leave the theatre for a bit and go on a quest to be an international pop star," I would not have believed them! [Laughs.] . . . . I have been very blessed to have some wonderful experiences in the Broadway community… and had many, many mentors who were just so supportive, and they said, "Things come into your path for a reason," and you're sort of left with, "I don't ever want to shortchange or put limits on what I can do creatively." Especially when it is coming at a time in my life when I can go and become more of a musician than I would have ever had the opportunity to become [and] see the world. Thankfully, because my shtick in the Broadway community isn't exactly playing the 4'11" blonde ingénue, my age clock isn't ticking as much. [Laughs.] So it was very nice to have many directors and mentors that said, "Honey, go do it, and you can come back."

Question: I take it you aren't doing any auditioning for theatre at the moment.
Gettelfinger: No. For the past year and a half, I've had some wonderful opportunities of shows and readings that have come my way, but even if it's sometimes pulling at my heartstrings, this is my new commitment for the time being. It has been my full-time job. I have managed to squeeze in shooting a television show or a little spot in a movie here or there, but it's not really conducive to go out of town with something for six months and then open a show.

Question: I think the last time we spoke, you were doing Grey Gardens Off-Broadway. Was it difficult not to do Grey Gardens on Broadway?
Gettelfinger: Again, it's just amazing how things sort of fall into place as they are meant to. That whole journey in Grey Gardens with Michael Grief and with the phenomenal Christine [Ebersole] and Mary Louise [Wilson] and John McMartin and Michael Potts — that company that we had at Playwrights, that was truly one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life. At the time, as anybody in this business has experienced, when you find out that you're not going to continue on with it, of course it can be heartbreaking at the moment, but then it's really amazing to see how the path is going to unfold. You realize, "You know, I was supposed to do something completely different. Had it gone the other way, I would have never gone down this new road."

It was also wonderful because as that production on Broadway unfolded — as much as I loved being a part of the piece — I truly loved the piece itself. So, with Erin Davie coming in, [it was good] to see it turn into something new and something beautiful and something that ended up ultimately being so incredible for Christine and Mary Louise. Even not being a part of it in that stage, you can't feel anything but pride and happiness for the people that were involved. I think that it's one of those things where you're just reminded that, even in the moment, if it feels uncertain and you have questions about why things went the way they did, everything ends up happening as it should.

Question: Tell me a little bit more about the two women that are in this group with you.
Gettelfinger: Kelly Levesque is an incredibly accomplished pop singer. She has had three other record deals, one of which was on Warner Brothers. She had great success with a song called "Some Hearts" that was on the "America's Sweetheart" album. She's also a very accomplished songwriter. And, Joy Kabanuck, [who] had spent a lot of time in England performing and singing there, had come from the opera world. Her most recent New York credit, she was Mimi in Baz Luhrmann's La Boheme that was on Broadway. They are both, as I said, not only incredible women, but some of the most incredible singers that I've ever had the privilege of standing next to.

Question: What's the sound of the trio like for you — it must be pretty intense.
Gettelfinger: It's really great. . . . I don't know if you know that song where Celine Dion sang with Andrea Bocelli. They do "The Prayer." But it's sort of that power pop mixed with a classical type of sound that utilizes a full orchestra. I would say it's [like] if you could have a dream team of Renée Fleming, Linda Eder and Celine Dion — not that I'm comparing us to those specific voices [laughs] — but stylistically that's sort of the sound. It's very full, it's very grand, and especially with utilizing the other languages and having it be a full orchestra, it's sort of power pop meets the most classical, grandest sensibility.

For more information visit www.threegracesmusic.com.

	Ellen Greene in "Pushing Daisies."
	photo by ABC

DIVA TIDBITS
Had a great chat earlier this week with Ellen Greene, the singing actress who is as kindhearted as she is talented. Greene, who co-stars in the hit new ABC series "Pushing Daisies," is thrilled that she'll be heading back to work in June following the recent resolution of the Writers Strike. Greene has been busy the past few weeks traveling the country working for the Hillary Clinton campaign — "Daisies" producer Bruce Cohen, who is currently filming "Milk," brought her on board — an endeavor that she says has been truly rewarding and emotionally fulfilling. The Little Shop of Horrors star also said that a year ago she and her musical director spouse Christian Klikovits — the duo who made beautiful music on Greene's sensational debut solo recording, "In His Eyes" — downgraded their relationship to "best friends" but still plan to continue their musical partnership. In fact, Klikovits accompanied Greene on piano during her wonderful musical solo "Morning Is Broken" on the "Pushing Daisies" episode entitled "Sweet Smell of Success." "After an amazing Christmas the year before in Vienna with Christian and his family," Greene told me, "we came home and decided to be just best friends and collaborators." Greene said that she and Klikovits wanted some private time before announcing the news and didn't want to at all dampen the bright light surrounding "Daisies." Greene, I have to add, is currently in great spirits as she is preparing to celebrate her upcoming birthday on a Parisian adventure with "Daisies" creator Bryan Fuller, where they will be screening the "Pie-lette" of "Pushing Daisies" at the Sorbonne University and the French National Institute of Audio-visual. Then, she'll return to the States to continue her work for Clinton before production begins anew on "Daisies."

Initial casting has been announced for the upcoming concert staging of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's Show Boat at Carnegie Hall. Directed by The Little Mermaid's Francesca Zambello, the June 10 benefit for Carnegie Hall will boast the talents of Jessica Bogart (Ellie May Chipley), Carolee Carmello (Julie LaVerne), Nathan Gunn (Gaylord Ravenal), Marilyn Horne (Old Lady on the Levee), Gavin Lee (Frank Schultz), Alvy Powell (Joe) and Celena Shafer (Magnolia Hawks); show time is 8 PM. Additional casting will be announced at a later date; for more information visit www.carnegiehall.org.

Four-time Tony nominee Tovah Feldshuh, most recently on Broadway in Golda's Balcony, will make her debut at Feinstein's at Loews Regency March 4-15. Feldshuh has titled her newest concert act, Tovah in a Nutshell!, which will feature musical director Mathew Eisenstein on piano. In Nutshell!, Feldshuh, according to press notes, will sing "songs from Gershwin to Judy Collins and inhabit a gallery of hilarious characters, ages 8 to 80, ranging from Grandma Ada in the Bronx to socialite Muffy Brooke Asthma Alsop on Park Avenue." Side Show's Emily Skinner will also be part of the Feinstein's season. Skinner will perform Broadway, Her Way June 1 and 8 at the intimate nightspot. Feinstein's at Loews Regency is located in Manhattan at 540 Park Avenue at 61st Street. For reservations call (212) 339-4095; visit feinsteinsatloewsregency.com for more information.

Idina Menzel in Conversation at 92Y is the title of an upcoming evening at the famed Manhattan venue. The Feb. 26 interview with the Tony-winning Wicked star will begin at 8 PM. Glen Ballard, who produced Menzel's new CD, "I Stand," will chat with Menzel about her artistic journey. Following the discussion, Menzel will autograph copies of her new solo recording, which will be on sale at the 92nd Street Y, which is located in Manhattan at 1395 Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street. Tickets, priced $26, are available by calling (212) 415-5500 or by visiting www.92Y.org.

Mýa — the Grammy-winning singer known for such hits as "Case of the Ex," "Ghetto Superstar" and "Lady Marmalade" — will join the Tony-winning revival of John Kander and Fred Ebb's Chicago in May. The multi-platinum recording artist will begin performances as merry murderess Velma Kelly May 12 at the Ambassador Theatre and will stay with the long-running musical through July 13. Mýa's association with the razzle-dazzle world of Chicago dates back to 2003 when she played Mona in the Rob Marshall-directed film version of "Chicago." Chicago plays the Ambassador Theatre, located at 215 West 49th Street; for more information visit www.ChicagoTheMusical.com.

Well, that's all for now. Happy diva-watching! E-mail questions or comments to agans@playbill.com.