DIVA TALK: A Chat with Wicked 's Jennifer Laura Thompson Plus Kristin Chenoweth Soars at Carnegie Hall
By Andrew Gans
Q: Were there any performers who inspired you or singers you admired?JLT: It's funny because I've never been a fan of a specific performer. I have voices that I've always liked. But when I first visited New York, I think I was 16, I saw my first Broadway show. I was in admiration of the second chorus girl on the left. I said, at that point, "I'd give anything to do what she's doing, and she must be so proud."
Q: What was the show?JLT: It was The Mystery of Edwin Drood . And I remember it was just so amazing, and [the performer] must be so proud. In reality, she was probably like, "Oh my God, I can't wait for 11 o'clock." [Laughs.]
Q: You mentioned there were some voices you liked. . .JLT: I'm trying to think of who I listened to. Some of my current favorite voices — Idina has always been a favorite. I love her voice. Alice Ripley's voice. Back then I was listening to Mystery of Edwin Drood , Betty Buckley. These were all people that I thought I could never aspire to be as incredible as they are. I always viewed them on some sort of pedestal.
Q: Are you involved in any other projects or workshops?JLT: No, this is the first time that the most important project outside of my work and above and beyond my work is my son. I've turned down anything and everything that came my way. I just don't think I could possibly do it.
Advertisement
Q: How long are you contracted with
Wicked ?
JLT: Through April.
Q: Do you think you will extend?JLT: I don't know. It depends on if they're interested, and it depends if I'm still standing. [Laughs.]
KRISTIN CHENOWETH at CARNEGIE HALL Wicked , opened her solo evening with "A Girl Like Me," a specialty number penned by the evening's musical director and pianist, Andrew Lippa. The song, which jokingly asked, "What's a [country] girl like me doing in Carnegie Hall," can easily be answered — pure talent.
With a voice that easily glides from Broadway belt to soaring soprano, Chenoweth — backed by a 13-piece orchestra — delighted the crowd with an evening that featured classic tunes as well as works by 14 living songwriters. "I don't want to forget anything about this night," Chenoweth quipped, as she fetched a Polaroid camera and aimed it at the adoring crowd. "Okay, now where are the stars?" she then asked, before pointing the instant camera at a row that included theatre supporters Rosie O'Donnell and Alec Baldwin. "And, I almost forgot the most important person," Chenoweth said, before turning the camera around and aiming the lens at herself. A roar of laughter followed; in fact, the performer, who is arguably the most gifted comedic musical-theatre singer-actress of her generation, drew laughs from most everything she said during the two-hour evening.
Paul Loesel and Scott Burkell's "Parsley" and Bobby Troup's "Daddy" followed Chenoweth's opening, and she was joined by two skilled Broadway dancers, Seán Martin Hingston and David Elder, for the latter. "Bill," "Why Was I Born?" and "Nobody Else But Me" comprised a gorgeous Jerome Kern medley that demonstrated how much Chenoweth has grown as a lyric interpreter in the past few years. There is now an equal amount of depth to go along with her beautiful vocal tones. Richard Dworksky's comical "Going to the Dance with You" — again featuring the nimble-footed Hingston and Elder — preceded Jodi Marr and Peter Zizzo's ballad, simply titled "Boy."
The highlight of the evening's first half followed: Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich's "Taylor [the Latte Boy]." As many times as I've heard it, I'm always moved by the warmth and joy that the song encompasses, and Chenoweth's rendition may be definitive. She knows when to go for the comedy, and she also knows when to pull back and let the lyric speak for itself. She closed the first half of the night with a rousing, well-acted version of the Jule Styne-Betty Comden-Adolph Green tongue-twister, "If."
The second act, which began with another Lippa tune, "Spread a Little Joy" — from his forthcoming Betty Boop musical — had its share of highlights as well. Jeanine Tesori and Dick Scanlan's "14G" allowed Chenoweth to display the incredible range and agility of her voice as she detailed the plight of an apartment dweller sandwiched between an opera singer (in 13G) and a jazz singer (15G). With tongue firmly planted in cheek, she dedicated her show-stopping rendition of Wicked 's "Popular" to Nicole Kidman (her co-star in the upcoming "Bewitched" film), who has "all that excess height." Diane Warren's touching "Borrowed Angels" preceded Jonatha Brooke's "Fatso," and Stephen Foster's "Hard Times," dedicated to the third anniversary of September 11, concluded the evening and brought the crowd, once again, to its feet. The audience would not let Chenoweth leave; they brought her back for three encores: a brilliant "Glitter and Be Gay"; the self penned "A Ride Home" lovingly dedicated to her dad, who was in attendance; and a slowed-down take on The Music Man 's "'Till There Was You."
DIVA TIDBITS Kristin Chenoweth , the Tony winner was the one star announced for the upcoming City Center Encores! season. Chenoweth will head the cast of The Apple Tree , the final offering of the Encores! 2005 season, playing May 12-16. The other two slots will be filled by A Tree Grows in Brooklyn , (Feb. 10-13) and Purlie (March 31-April 3).
Complete casting was announced earlier this week for the new Disney musical On the Record , which kicks off its national tour Nov. 9 at Cleveland's Palace Theatre. Side Show alum Emily Skinner and The Sound of Music 's Brian Sutherland will head the cast of the musical, which features 60 tunes from the Disney catalogue of songs. Skinner will play Diane, the celebrated recording star, and Sutherland will play Julian, the "forty-ish matinee idol." The company will also include Ashley Brown as Kristen, the fresh-faced newcomer, and Andrew Samonsky as Nick, another up-and-coming performer, with Tony Award winner Richard Easton as the voice of the Sound Engineer. The cast will also include Meredith Inglesby, Andy Karl, Tyler Maynard, Keewa Nurullah, Josh Franklin, Leigh Ann Larkin, Koh Mochizuki and Lyn Philistine .
And, finally, Dixie Carter , the "Designing Women" star most recently on Broadway in Thoroughly Modern Millie , kicks off the Café Carlyle's 50th anniversary season tonight, Sept. 17. Carter, backed by musical director and long-time friend John Wallowitch on piano, will play three weeks at the intimate cabaret on Manhattan's East Side. The singer actress will offer tunes by Bob Dylan, Don Henley, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Wallowitch through Oct. 9. Call (212) 744-1600 for reservations or visit www.thecarlyle.com.
Well, that's all for now. Happy diva-watching! E-mail questions or comments to agans@playbill.com.
(Look for a condensed version of "Diva Talk" in the theatre edition of Playbill Magazine.)
Kristin Chenoweth wows 'em at Carnegie Hall
