Kristin Chenoweth on 'Wicked,' new musical 'Queen of Versailles' and returning to Oklahoma
She may not come and go by bubble anymore like she did in her "Wicked" days, but the consistently bubbly Kristin Chenoweth is coming back to Oklahoma for a pair of spring shows before starring in the world premiere of her next Broadway-bound musical.
The Broken Arrow native is returning to the Sooner State on the lineup of the "Oklahoma Is All for the Hall" Country Music Hall of Fame benefit concert, featuring fellow Okie stars Blake Shelton, Vince Gill, Ronnie Dunn and more March 30 at Tulsa's BOK Center.
She also is set to perform a sold-out "An Evening with Kristin Chenoweth" concert April 20 at Oklahoma State University's McKnight Center for the Performing Arts.
The Tony Award winner's home-state performances will build up to the summer pre-Broadway engagement of her new musical "The Queen of Versailles" July 16-Aug. 18 at Boston's Emerson Colonial Theatre.
What is Kristin Chenoweth's new musical 'The Queen of Versailles' about?
Based on the acclaimed 2012 documentary of the same name, the musical "The Queen of Versailles" reunites Chenoweth with "Wicked" composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. Also a producer on the project, the Oklahoma Cultural Ambassador stars as computer engineer, beauty queen and socialite Jackie Siegel.
The show follows Jackie, her husband David "Timeshare King" Siegel and their eight children as they set out build the largest private home in the country, a $100 million Orlando, Florida, mega-mansion inspired by the legendary Palace of Versailles. But their dreams start to crumble with the onset of the Great Recession of 2008.
"I watched it, and I was like, 'OK, that's some crazy stuff' ... and I was interested to see how that would be a musical," Chenoweth told The Oklahoman in a 2023 interview. "We did a reading of Act 1, and I kind of fell in love with her and it."
Along with Chenoweth as Jackie, this summer's world-premiere run will co-star Oscar-winning actor F. Murray Abraham as David Siegel, along with Broadway standouts Melody Butiu ("Here Lies Love") and Nina White ("Kimberly Akimbo").
"I'm not looking to do an 'imitation;' I want to catch the spirit of her, which is a little bit underdog," Chenoweth told The Oklahoman. "The whole piece for me, the reason it's interesting, is it's a more innocent look at entitlement. And I don't know if you can put those two words together — innocence and entitlement. But I think in her case, coming from nothing and having learned a lot, as she did, the hard way, with all the money in the world and crashing and burning, I think that's a story worth telling."
Despite her busy rehearsal schedule, the Emmy winner fielded questions about "The Queen of Versailles," her upcoming Oklahoma shows and the legacy of "Wicked," which is playing OKC through March 10 on its national tour, in a new email interview with The Oklahoman. The OKC Thunder superfan even supplied her thoughts on her home-state NBA squad's promising season:
Q: What is the experience like for you when you come back to Oklahoma to perform?
A: Like anyone who loves their home state and is gone for a while, when you come back, you just feel the love — and that’s something that you can’t buy, it just IS.
Q: What can people expect from your 'An Evening with Kristin Chenoweth' concert at OSU's McKnight Center?
A: A very eclectic mix: I love all styles of music; I love jazz, opera, music theater, but I also will be representing some gospel and country — all over the map.
Q: You're also performing in Oklahoma at the 'Oklahoma Is All for the Hall' benefit concert with Blake Shelton at Tulsa's BOK Center. What are your thoughts on being part of that lineup?
I grew up listening first and foremost to country music. I think the reason that Broadway felt natural to me is because country music started with me, and all songs are built on stories.
For that night, I fashioned a country song and a Broadway song together. I’m very honored to have been asked to be there for Blake and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Q: Last year was the 20th anniversary of 'Wicked' on Broadway. Why do you think that show has proven so enduring?
It’s easy to see why it's still a success. Two girls, unlikely friends, are at the center. It has three themes that are very important: love, forgiveness and, ultimately, friendship.
We also know the source material very well in our country and in our world.
I had won a Tony for a show that closed the next day — I prayed for a show that people would have heard of, and I got my wish. It feels like less about 'what it did for me' and more about that 'I’m in something that will last many more years to come.' I’m glad I have my stamp on a role like that 'til the day I die.
Q: What can you tell us about your upcoming Broadway show, 'The Queen of Versailles?'
I’ve been working on this show now for three years with Stephen Schwartz and Lindsey Ferrentino: It’s a very different show, based on the documentary film of the same name.
Meeting Jackie and her family was very special; they completely opened up their home to me and seeing that this is a family that has gone through a great deal of trauma, I just really wanted to tell all sides of the story.
I’m glad I'm in something that has never been done, reuniting with the great, one-and-only Stephen Schwartz.
Q: This year marks the 25th anniversary of your Tony Award win for 'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.' How did that alter the course of your life?
I was given an opportunity to create a new character in the show revival; the director Michael Mayer gave me free reign to find the source material that we wanted to use in the show. It's very rare that an actor gets that opportunity.
That show 100% DID change my life. That show led me into other avenues of the industry: film, TV, a record label, endorsements. That was the show that truly changed my life.
Q: We're in the submissions period for this year's Kristin Chenoweth's Broadway Boot Camp. What are your thoughts on that program?
I’m starting to see many of our students actually book jobs and become professionals. That was my original dream for creating the KCBBC.
It’s funny, when COVID happened, I had to open it up virtually. Before that, it was only open to kids statewide; during COVID, we opened it up worldwide.
So, now we have kids auditioning from all over the world to come to Broken Arrow to work with the best of the best.
Q: You return to your alma mater, Oklahoma City University, regularly to give master classes. What inspired that?
Honestly OCU is where I grew up — it's not just about music, dance and the arts. I was on my own for the first time in my life, so life skills became pretty important. I met my best friends at OCU who are still my best friends to this day.
Most importantly, I worked with my mentor, Florence Birdwell, who really opened up my voice. Because of her, I have the technique to be singing and singing well 'til the day I die.
I want that for all the students at OCU. I know they’re getting top-notch training, and as long as I'm able, I will come back and teach!
Q: What do you think about this young OKC Thunder team? Think they have a chance to go all the way?
I think we have a chance this year! As young as we are, we are proving ourselves to be competitors. Not since we lost the trifecta (of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden) have we been this good.
And you know if we go all the way, I’M THERE. I’m the 'Jack Nicholson' of (the) OKC Thunder.
'OKLAHOMA IS ALL FOR THE HALL'
With: Blake Shelton, Vince Gill, Ronnie Dunn, Kristin Chenoweth, Wade Hayes, The Swon Brothers and more.
When: 7 p.m. March 30.
Where: BOK Center, 200 S Denver Ave., Tulsa.
Tickets: https://www.bokcenter.com.
'AN EVENING WITH KRISTIN CHENOWETH'
When: 7:30 p.m. April 20.
Where: McKnight Center for the Performing Arts, 705 W University Ave., Stillwater.
Tickets: Sold out.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Kristin Chenoweth on her new musical and the OKC Thunder's title chances
