She may be from Oklahoma, but the multi-talented, Tony and Emmy award-winning Kristin Chenoweth still seems right at home every time she crosses the Red River. Why, she’s even spunky enough to don an OU jersey on North Texas stages to show her Sooner loyalty.
Actually, Kristin is at home just about anywhere — doing a solo concert at The Metropolitan Opera, heading up the cast of a Broadway production or in the studio for a TV show.
Despite being 4’11½”, she is a big talent with a voice that hits all the right notes with ease and acting chops that have made Glinda in “Wicked” and Sally in “Your A Good Man, Charlie Brown” such standouts on the Broadway stage. And anyone who’s seen her in such shows as “The West Wing,” “Glee” or “Pushing Up Daisies,” will tell you that she is a stellar scene stealer.
But perhaps the best way to have a Kristin experience is to see her being herself. So comfortable in her own skin, she sparkles with personality and transparency. Need examples? How about:
- [on being four feet, eleven inches tall] “I used to want to be tall, and then I thought, ‘If I were tall, then people would say I was pretty and not cute.’ And then I realized that there are worse things than being called cute. They could say I was a bitch, which would be terrible in my book. So I’ve decided that this height ain’t so bad.”
- “I’m sorry they canceled (my television show), but I’ve been to the barbecue before and you can’t do a single thing once they run out of ribs.”
- [on seeing the movie version of “Wicked”] “Oh my gosh, I just saw the movie. And I’m dying. I’m deceased. I’m actually dead. I’m not here,” the Tony Award-winning actress said of the film starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. “People are not going to be well when they see this film. It is so good. It is so special.” She continued, “The story is so wonderful, and Cynthia and Ariana are amazing. The whole cast is amazing. Jon Chu nailed it. I was so moved, emotional, happy, filled with joy. Please everybody go see ‘Wicked.’ You be blessed.”
- “I am a Christian and I don’t want there to be any confusion about what I believe or who I am. I don’t believe gay people are going to hell. I believe that judgment is left to the one upstairs and I believe Jesus is all about love. If I can live my life even just a smidgen the way God made his son for us as an example, I’m happy. I do not judge other people for what they believe, but for me, this is what works.”
That kind of honesty has recently come to light after she viewed the video of Sean “Diddy” Combs abusing his ex-girlfriend. It triggered something in Kristin resulting in her “sharing her personal experience as a survivor of domestic violence.” That’s why 2025 Genesis Women’s Shelter And Support’s Annual Luncheon Event Co-Chairs Gail Davis and her daughter-in-law Krystal Schlegel Davis have arranged to have Kristin for the fundraiser on Thursday, May 1, at the Hilton Anatole. She’ll be onstage for a chat with Genesis CEO Jan Langbein that will include her career and how domestic violence has impacted her life.
According to Jan, “We always say that domestic violence is an equal opportunity epidemic. It can happen to any race, profession, religion, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation and more.”
The goal for this 32nd Anniversary Luncheon is a whopping $1.2M resulting from sponsorships, ticket sales, donation, the Genesis Luncheon Tribute Wall, raffle packages and floral centerpiece purchases. In achieving this goal, Genesis Women’s Shelter services will be able to provide for more than 3,700 women and children annually at no cost and with no strings attached.
Sponsorship are now available here with individual tickets, if any, going on sale in April. There’s already talk of a wait list being available by emailing here.