The Kristin Chenoweth Theatre, located in her hometown of Broken Arrow, Okla., was the 46-year-old Broadway veteran’s choice for a rousing August performance that became the basis for her first televised concert special. The Kenny Ortega-directed Kristin Chenoweth: Coming Home premieres Nov. 28 on PBS with an accompanying live album from Concord Records (a portion of the sales will fund an arts program the actress started in Oklahoma).
Calling the PBS special Coming Home was quite literal.
The idea was to perform in front of people who had seen me grow up, my ballet teachers, voice teachers in college, people I did cheerleading with, went to church with…they were all there. Having an arts center named after you is daunting, but it felt right to do it at home. Still, I was more nervous for this than [performing] at any other venue. I was a wreck, not going to lie.
What was your intent with the album?
I want people to hear a live, non-Auto-Tuned album and know that not every note is pitch-perfect. It’s not something we really celebrate anymore. You listen to all the greats and there’s rawness. It’s freeing.