Audiences won鈥檛 find Peter Pan filling the air space at the Lunt-Fontanne this month, since Finding Neverland鈥檚 departed, but they might catch a high-flying sprite of a different kind: Broadway鈥檚 original Glinda the Good. She鈥檒l have her feet firmly planted onstage this time around, and will appear under a different but equally recognizable name when Kristin Chenoweth delivers 12 performances of My Love Letter to Broadway.
This one-woman show is one of those specialty acts that James L. Nederlander brings in to keep his houses open and operative between theatrical juggernauts. Chenoweth鈥檚 musical missive falls November 2-13, right after Frankie Valli, with more actors to follow so as to keep the spot warm for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory鈥檚 early spring arrival.
鈥淭he Nederlanders have been good to me,鈥� says Chenoweth, 鈥渁nd Jimmy鈥檚 been part of my career for a long time. It鈥檚 rare that people like me get this opportunity. That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 going to take it. I鈥檓 going to prepare, and I鈥檓 going to have fun.鈥�
Part of the preparation for a performer to feel comfortable onstage in her own skin means being set forth in a fashionable manner, so one fine day in autumn, Kristin Dawn Chenoweth from Broken Arrow, OK, found herself in ninth-floor heaven in the Garment District, gliding among chiffon and gossamer.
Her designer of choice is Christian Siriano, who sprang onto the fashion scene when he won Project Runway鈥檚 fourth season and became the American design competition show鈥檚 youngest champion. Siriano, who turns 31 this month, scarcely shows his age.
鈥淭his is our first collaboration together,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 watched him on Project Runway, and I was obsessed. I always wanted to ask him, but I never thought he鈥檇 say yes, and he did. He鈥檚 taken the fashion world over, and Broadway will be next.鈥�
Siriano admits that he鈥檚 not as up on Broadway designers as he should be. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not my world鈥擨鈥檓 just starting to dip into it鈥攂ut, when I go see a show, I do admire what they can do. A performance every single night, and the clothes hold up! It鈥檚 unreal.鈥�
He seems delighted to make his Broadway debut this way, starting small with a single star (arguably, the smallest with the biggest voice). 鈥淚 think it will be amazing to see her move and perform because you only get to see the clothes that way. It鈥檚 just Kristin out there, so, obviously, we want every look to be quite of the moment.鈥�
This experience is whetting his appetite for more stage adventures. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to do a bigger show one day, either a period piece or a fantasy with animal creatures, but that鈥檚 later down the road because you鈥檇 really need to give that all your attention.鈥�
There鈥檚 much to choose from for the project at hand in his pristine, white-paneled show-room. Among the telltale orchids sprouting improbably here and there are 52 looks from this spring-summer collection, draped on racks or mannequins, each with shoe wear and accessories鈥攁s per his Payless deal鈥攁nd then 27 bridal gowns.
The Kristin-Christian pick of the litter was plucked, surprisingly, from the bride鈥檚 side of the aisle. 鈥淲e originally showed it as a bridal gown, but really it鈥檚 just a creative fantasy piece,鈥� he explains of a gorgeous ombre-tooled organza ball gown that begins with a white bodice and ripples into rich fuchsia pink.
The other two Chenoweth looks that Siriano has come up with are in sharp contrast: 鈥淲e鈥檙e actually doing extremes, from this ball gown to a really cool tailored suit and then a kind of jumpsuit type thing, so they are all three very different styles.鈥�
The songs that will be accompanying these dresses in My Love Letter to Broadway promise to be as varied. She鈥檒l sing 鈥淢y New Philosophy,鈥� the Andrew Lippa ditty that took Chenoweth鈥檚 Sally Brown to the podium for You鈥檙e a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and a fair share of the selection will be from The Art of Elegance, her sixth solo album and one that is filled with standards such as 鈥淶ing, Went the Strings of My Heart,鈥� 鈥淪mile,鈥� and 鈥淭hey Can鈥檛 Take That Away From Me鈥濃攕ongs that are more associated with Judy Garland than Lily Garland, the fugitive Oscar winner from On the Twentieth Century that was Chenoweth鈥檚 most recent Broadway role.
鈥淭hat was the hardest part, ever, for me, but I loved it.鈥� Chenoweth says, 鈥淚 personally think that it was the best thing I鈥檝e done.鈥� She earned her third Tony nomination for the outing.
Richard Jay Alexander, who has directed her concert tours during the past four-and-a-half years, will helm My Love Letter to Broadway and teach her how to play a plausible Kristin Chenoweth. Is it harder to play yourself than a role? She turns the idea over in her head and comes up with: 鈥淲hen you play a role, you are that. This is a bit more exposed. It鈥檚 just a different animal, but you know what? It鈥檚 all hard, and it鈥檚 all fun.鈥�
See photos from the full fashion shoot:
