Review: Kristin Chenoweth Gives A Classical Performance At Honeywell
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
WABASH – To say that Kristin Chenoweth is an amazing performer is like saying traveling to the moon is a bit of trip. On Sunday, she took to the Ford Theater stage at the Honeywell Center in Wabash and wowed the crowd. Her set not only earned a rousing standing ovation, but her encore did as well. She sang covers, mostly from Broadway musicals, but each one felt very much like her own. Even a classic such as “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz” felt like Chenoweth was born to sing it. And it wasn’t just her singing. Chenoweth was talkative and funny so that no matter where you sat in the theater, it felt like an intimate setting with a very good friend. Chenoweth, a Tony Awarding winning Broadway actress, who has appeared in television shows such as "The West Wing" and in numerous movies, started her show with her song “Should I Be Sweet?” before talking about how she loves to come to places like Wabash because it has a Pizza King, Bob Evans and could walk from Bob Evans to Walmart. Chenoweth then talked about how Hoosier native Sandi Patty was one of her biggest influences growing up as a “Christian person.” She had the opportunity to sing with her, she said, and then started dazzling the crowd with Henry Mancini’s “Moon River.” She noted that she first sang “Moon River” three years ago for the first time and her parents were there. She amused the audience with her next song, “Taylor the Latte Boy.” After singing lyrics like “Taylor the latte boy, Bring me java, bring me joy! Oh Taylor the latte boy, I love him, I love him, I love him,” she joked that she’s been trying to retire that song for the last 15 years because at this point it should be Taylor the vodka boy. She then transitioned to her beautiful song “Fathers and Daughters” after relating how close she was to her dad. Coming from Chenoweth, it felt like a warm, simple song from a girl to her dad. A couple of numbers later, Chenoweth sang a song from the Broadway classic “A Chorus Line,” but being from Oklahoma, she said she had to change the lyrics a little bit. So instead of singing “T**s and A**,” she said “Boobs and Butts.” She sang it with some animated movements that had me and many, if not all, of the audience laughing. “Les Misérables” fans were treated to Chenoweth’s stellar performance of “Bring Him Home.” Beforehand, she told us how the song’s meaning has changed for her since she’s had three family members in the military service. After that emotional number, she lightened it up by reading an email from her mother about the Pillsbury Dough Boy’s obituary. A copy of it can be found at http://homeschooloasis.com/storehs_obituary_of_pillsbury.htm. Humor about Donald Trump led into her singing “Popular” from the Tony Award-winning musical “Wicked.” She’s very much associated with the song because she originated the role of Glinda the Good Witch in the Broadway show. If she had chosen not to sing it, the audience, including myself, would have been disappointed. Afterward, she then transitioned to another “Oz” number, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” So beautiful. When the Newton, Conn., shootings happened a few years ago, Chenoweth talked about how she and her musical director were in rehearsals near that area. They didn’t want to answer the calls at first, but the phone kept ringing so they eventually answered it and learned about the children killed. It led to Chenoweth singing Don Henley’s “The Heart of the Matter,” a song about forgiveness. I vaguely remember Henley’s original, but Chenoweth’s cover was amazing, beautiful, sweet and emotional. After the song, she talked about how hard it is to forgive others, and then about how much she loves Dolly Parton. “For me, she’s the real deal,” Chenoweth said of Parton, noting how big of an influence she was on her. I would add that Chenoweth feels like the real deal. For a treat, she sang us “I Will Always Love You,” Parton’s song also covered by Whitney Houston. “All the Things You Are” has been sung by Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. Chenoweth on Sunday night put her own spin on it and it was an instant classic all over again. For the last two songs, she had Ball State, Indiana University, Purdue University and IPFW students join her on stage. After Chenoweth’s conversation with each of the eight young adults, she sang with them “Upon This Rock” and Lady Antebellum’s “I Was Here.” Both were very powerful performances. The song she ended with in her encore was Nat King Cole’s “Smile.” Again, it was so amazing, I think Cole was smiling down on her. If you ever get the chance to see Chenoweth perform live, I strongly recommend you do so. She’s so engaging, funny and beyond talented that she will have you wrapped around her little finger by the time she’s done.
