Parting Shot

Kristin Chenoweth

In 2003, Kristin Chenoweth floated onto the Broadway stage of Wicked in a literal bubble, solidifying her place in Broadway history as a stage icon. “I didn’t know it would be the juggernaut that it became. I’m always going to be happy that that show is part of my showbiz DNA.” Since then she’s claimed her place in TV and film, with two more roles this fall—in rom-com Holidate (Netflix) and Robert Zemeckis’ The Witches (HBO Max)—as well as hosting reality TV series Candy Land (Food Network). But like people across the globe, Chenoweth has had to adjust to a new reality during COVID-19. “My dream is that somebody right now is writing a Broadway show about this pandemic. I think it could bring a lot of humor because I know for sure I’ve gone a little bit crazy during the quarantine. There’s going to be some beautiful music when we come back.” Whenever that time comes, and however it looks, Chenoweth is ready. “I don’t care if there are 10 people in the audience, I would love to be there, creating and singing and just sharing artistic love with the audience.”

How did you manage your work on the adaptation of the Roald Dahl book The Witches from home?

My poor boyfriend blanketed my closet to make it as soundproof as possible. Zemeckis’ team sent equipment to film me so the animators could maybe be inspired by some of my literal physicality.

What is it about holiday films that make them so popular?

I love them, mainly because…well, who just can’t laugh at their own family? Also, especially now, it’s great to have a film that is going to make people laugh and hopefully forget what’s going on around us.

How do you keep yourself from eating everything on the set of your new reality show Candy Land?

First of all, anyone that’s close to me knows I don’t go into my kitchen. When the Food Network was calling me, I thought I was getting punked. All I can say is by the end of every day I was so wired that the judges were like, “Kristin, you cannot eat anymore of the cotton candy tree.”

What inspired you to teach a master class at Oklahoma City University?

I wanted to do it, not to just give back to my alma mater, which I’m so proud of, but thinking about the pandemic, I want students to understand that while you’re not doing the thing that you want to be doing, you can still be learning.

“My dream is that somebody right now is writing a Broadway show about this pandemic.”