A musical theater graduate, Kristin Chenoweth is a celebrated icon in the movie industry. The award-winning American entertainer has notable credits spread across musical theatre, film, and television. The role of Glinda the Good Witch in the 2003 hit musical Wicked was created specially for her and she gave it her best shot. She is also a singer and has leveraged her skills to excel in musicals.
Born on July 24, 1968, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Kristin Chenoweth attended Broken Arrow High School and studied Musical Theater at Oklahoma City University. She later got her Master’s Degree in Opera Performance from the same university where her voice instructor and mentor was the legendary Florence Birdwell. Chenoweth flourished in stage and vocal performances at regional theatres, appearing in productions like Gypsy, The Sound of Music, and The King and I.
Kristin Chenoweth Began Her Acting Career In The Theater
While in college, Chenoweth performed in numerous musicals off-Broadway. She made her professional debut in 1991 as Tuptim in The King and I at Music Theatre Wichita. In 1993, she played Arabella Rittenhouse in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of Animal Crackers. Throughout the 1990s, Chenoweth performed in musicals such as Dames at Sea, Phantom, and Strike Up the Band.
Kristin Chenoweth made her Broadway debut in 1997, playing Precious McGuire in Steel Pier. She portrayed Sally Brown in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown from February 4 to June 13, 1999, at Ambassador Theater. In 2003, Chenoweth landed her most iconic stage role, playing Glinda the Good Witch in the Broadway play Wicked. In 2016, Chenoweth put up a great show as Herself in the musical revue-style concert, My Love Letter to Broadway. She nailed a similar performance in the 2019 concert Kristin Chenoweth: For the Girls.
Chenoweth was the producer of the Broadway play Gutenberg! The Musical! in 2023. She also made a cameo appearance on the Broadway show. Chenoweth has continued her exploits in musical theater while solidifying her legacy as a screen star. One of her recent stage credits is as Jackie Siegel in the 2024 production of The Queen of Versailles.
Her Television Career Began In 1999
Kristin Chenoweth transitioned to television with a role in the 1999 musical comedy television film Annie. She also appeared in the sitcom LateLine in her debut year. The 2000s brought many television credits for Chenoweth who starred on shows such as Kristin as Kristin Yancey, Frasier as Portia Sanders, Ugly Betty as Diane, and Sesame Street as Ms. Noodle. From 2004 to 2006, Chenoweth played Annabeth Schott on The West Wing.
In 2007, Kristin Chenoweth voiced many roles on Robot Chicken and landed a main role as Olive Snook on Pushing Daisies. She voiced Miracle Grohe on Sit Down, Shut Up in 2009 and began playing April Rhodes on Glee the same year. Chenoweth appeared on three television projects in 2012, including GCB and The Good Wife. She later voiced different characters on BoJack Horseman and American Dad!
Kristin Chenoweth hosted the 69th Tony Awards in 2015. She guest-starred on shows such as American Gods, Younger, and Mom between 2017 and 2018. She was cast in a main role on Trial & Error in 2018, portraying Lavinia Peck-Foster. Her other television credits include Harvey Girls Forever! as Patty Pupé and Schmigadoon! as Mildred Layton/Miss Codwell. Chenoweth appeared on the game show Let’s Make a Deal and the singing contest The Voice in 2021.
Kristin Chenoweth Has Appeared In Major Film Roles
Beyond her theater and television exploits, Kristin Chenoweth has appeared in notable films. She debuted in the 2002 film Topa Topa Bluffs and was part of the ensemble cast of Bewitched (2005) alongside Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell. In 2006, Chenoweth bagged many film roles, appearing as Cherie in The Pink Panther, Mary Jo Gornicke in RV, Tia Hall in Deck the Halls, and Fern Stewart in Running with Scissors.
In 2008, Chenoweth rendered a stellar voice performance in Space Chimps as Kilowatt. She also voiced Rosetta in Tinker Bell and its sequels. Chenoweth portrayed Courtney in Four Christmases (2008), Linda Salerno in Into Temptation (2009), and Georgia King in You Again (2010). Her next film role came in 2012 when she played Debby Kreeger in Hit and Run. She voiced Gabi in Rio 2 and Sugar Plum Princess in Strange Music.
The 2010s saw her appear in more feature films like Family Weekend (2013), The Opposite Sex (2014), The Boy Next Door (2015), Hard Sell (2016), and Class Rank (2017). The American actress has continued to churn out film roles. Some of her recent projects are Holidate (2020), National Champions (2021), Bros (2022), and Our Little Secret (2024).
Kristin Chenoweth’s Career as a Singer
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Kristin Chenoweth is a classically trained coloratura soprano with a distinctive voice. She ventured into music in the early 1990s but her debut solo album, “Let Yourself Go” was released in 2001. Chenoweth released her sophomore album “As I Am” in 2005, followed by a third offering, “A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas” (2008). In all, she has released eight studio albums, including “For the Girls” (2019) and “Happiness Is…Christmas!” (2021).
Kristin Chenoweth’s Awards and Nominations
Most of Kristin Chenoweth’s awards came from the theater. She received her first award at the Theatre World Awards in 1997 in the category of Outstanding Broadway Debut for her role in Steel Pier. She won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. The role also won her an Outer Critics Circle Award and a Drama Desk Award. In 2004, Chenoweth was nominated for several awards for her role in Wicked, including Best Actress in a Musical at the Tony Awards but didn’t win.
She won two awards in 2015 for her performance in On the Twentieth Century and earned nominations for her performance in The Apple Tree. So far, Kristin Chenoweth has won one award for her television credits. She received the Primetime Emmy’s Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2009 for her role in Pushing Daisies. Other television roles that earned Chenoweth award nominations include The West Wing as Annabeth Schott, Glee as April Rhodes, and Schmigadoon! as Mildred Layton/Miss Codwell. Read the update on Roald Dahl’s The Twits.
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