Kristin Chenoweth

Kristin Chenoweth
Name	Kristin Chenoweth
Caption	Chenoweth at the 2013 Peabody Awards
Birth name	Kristi Dawn Chenoweth
Birth date	24 July 1968
Birth place	Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, singer
Years active	1991–present
Alma mater	Oklahoma City University (BMus), Oklahoma Baptist University

Kristin Chenoweth. An American actress and singer renowned for her work across Broadway, television, and film. Possessing a signature soprano voice, she gained widespread recognition for originating the role of Glinda in the Broadway musical Wicked, a performance that earned her a Tony Award nomination. Her versatile career includes an Emmy Award-winning role on the ABC series Pushing Daisies and notable performances in projects like Glee and The West Wing.

Early life and education

Born in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, she was adopted as an infant and raised by her parents, Junita and Jerry Chenoweth. She showed early talent in music and performance, studying voice and piano from a young age. She initially attended Oklahoma Baptist University on a basketball scholarship before transferring to Oklahoma City University to pursue music seriously. There, she studied under renowned vocal pedagogue Florence Birdwell and earned a Bachelor of Music in musical theatre. Her training was further honed through participation in prestigious programs like the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California.

Career

Her Broadway debut came in 1997 in Steel Pier, which led to her breakout role in the 1999 revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, for which she won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. International fame followed with her creation of Glinda in Stephen Schwartz's Wicked in 2003. Simultaneously, she built a substantial television career, with recurring roles on NBC's The West Wing as Annabeth Schott and a star-making, Emmy-winning turn as Olive Snook on Bryan Fuller's Pushing Daisies. She later appeared on Fox's Glee as April Rhodes and starred in her own WB sitcom, Kristin. Her film work includes roles in Bewitched, The Pink Panther, and Rio 2. As a concert artist, she has performed sold-out shows at venues like Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Opera House, and released several albums including As I Am and Coming Home.

Personal life

She has been open about her Christian faith and her challenges with Ménière's disease, an inner ear disorder. She has been involved with various charitable organizations, including Brooke USA and the Museum of Biblical Art. She authored a memoir, A Little Bit Wicked: Life, Love, and Faith in Stages, published in 2009. She has also been a dedicated advocate for LGBT rights and has performed at numerous benefits for causes such as the Trevor Project.

Awards and nominations

Throughout her career, she has received major accolades across entertainment fields. She is one of the few performers to have been nominated for a Tony Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Daytime Emmy Award. Her win for Pushing Daisies was a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She has also won a Drama Desk Award for You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and received multiple People's Choice Awards nominations. In 2015, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Discography

* Let Yourself Go (2001) * As I Am (2005) * A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas (2008) * Some Lessons Learned (2011) * Coming Home (2014) * The Art of Elegance (2016)

Filmography

A selection of her screen work includes the film Bewitched (2005), The Pink Panther (2006), Four Christmases (2008), Rio 2 (2014), and The Peanuts Movie (2015). Notable television roles include The West Wing (1999-2006), Pushing Daisies (2007-2009), Glee (2010-2015), and the Disney Channel series Descendants (2015). She also starred in television films like The Music Man (2003) and 12 Days of Christmas Eve (2004).

Category:American stage actresses Category:American television actresses Category:American film actresses Category:American sopranos