Kristin Chenoweth returns to the Segerstrom with Broadway favorites in tow
She’s won a Tony and an Emmy and been nominated for a Golden Globe Award. She has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and written a book based on her life that landed on the New York Times best-seller list.
But Kristin Chenoweth says there is so much more to this 4-foot-11 Broadway and television star with the powerful voice, and she wants her fans to know it.
When the 47-year-old Oklahoma native returns to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts on Saturday night, she will be backed by a five-piece rhythm section and belting out selections from her Broadway breakout, “Wicked,” as well as other theater classics and songs that showcase her varied music interests, from pop standards to gospel and contemporary music.
But she will also sing songs from her first live album, “Coming Home,” that hold deep meaning for her. And she will share the stories behind the songs she wrote for the album, including “Fathers and Daughters,” an emotional ballad that tells of her dad’s love and encouragement.
In this more personal vein, Chenoweth will also present a number of songs that either pay tribute to artists who were her early musical influences or have lyrics that are reflective of her childhood memories.
“It’s like a blast from my past,” Chenoweth said by phone. “It’s going to be fun for me.”
Chenoweth grew up in Broken Arrow, Okla., a suburb of Tulsa. She participated in school plays and later earned a bachelor’s degree in musical theater and a master’s in opera performance at Oklahoma City University. Her early influences were Patty Duke, Bernadette Peters and Madonna, she said.
And country songstress Dolly Parton.
Chenoweth performed Parton’s “Little Sparrow,” a blend of bluegrass and gospel styles, on “Coming Home.”
“I want to see her and have that experience at Dollywood,” Chenoweth said. “I’m going. I’m going! I’m thinking about spring time.”
Chenoweth moved to New York to pursue a career in musical theater and established herself on Broadway with “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” in 1999. She then became a star with “Wicked” in 2003.
She expanded her acting and music with television appearances in “The West Wing” and “Pushing Daisies” and through voice-overs in “Rio 2” and “The Peanuts Movie.”
She also delved into design with her fashion jewelry collection for the Home Shopping Network. Here again, each piece tells a story that is representative of her life. Chenoweth will be working on creating new looks for her jewelry collection and will return to HSN this spring.
It’s a prolific time for her, she said. In the coming months, she will be singing around the country and is scheduled to voice a new character in the movie “My Little Pony,” based on the Hasbro toy line of the same name, and appear in an upcoming indie dramatic comedy “Hard Sell.”
She’s also passionate about supporting charities like the Kristin Chenoweth Art & Education Fund and organizations supporting breast cancer awareness, adoption advocacy and animal welfare programs, she said.
Before stepping on stage, Chenoweth said she has made it a habit to pray, warm up and listen to her soundtrack. She said she thinks about each song she will perform and reflects on the words she will be singing.
But her appearance at the Segerstrom Center will be a little out of the ordinary.
Performing a set list of her favorite songs, she said, is an opportunity for her to connect with her the audience on a deeper level.
“I just want them to get a better idea of who I am,” Chenoweth said. “Artists always battle with the question: ‘Who is she, really?’ and I want people to know the greatest joy for me is doing what I love. That’s the beautiful part of sharing music.”
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What: Kristin Chenoweth
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Cost: Tickets start at $39
Information: (714) 556-2787 or visit scfta.org
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Kathleen Luppi, kathleen.luppi@latimes.com
Twitter: @KathleenLuppi
