Actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth discusses the importance of arts education and how she’s doing her part to equip tomorrow’s musical theater stars.
What challenges did you face in pursuing a career in the arts, and how did your education prepare you to overcome them?
Growing up in Oklahoma, I always knew I wanted to be an actor and singer. Nobody in my family was in music, and I quickly learned how important my education was going to be. I feel grateful I found Oklahoma City University; the 5 years I spent getting my undergraduate and graduate degrees there really prepared me for a life in the industry — not just by honing my talent, but I really found my tribe there too. I had an opportunity to emotionally grow as well. Being that I was short and had an interesting speaking voice, I understood that I wouldn’t fit into the normal categories one suspects when looking at musical theater, opera, and television. I am lucky that I had a dance and voice scholarship and pageant scholarship to help me get through my higher education, which I believe is what helped set me apart once I arrived in New York.
Did you have a pivotal moment when you realized the arts weren’t just a passion but your calling?
Mine happened at an early age. My first love is ballet. I was cast as a rabbit in Tulsa Ballet Theater’s “The Nutcracker.” The director had told me I was going to be creating this character, as this one had never been put into the ballet before. I was in the third grade, and my young little mind couldn’t see what an opportunity that was. After all, I wanted to be one of the mice, but I was too small to fit the costume. During our first performance, a prop fell onto the stage, and I thought to myself, “What would a bunny do?” I hopped out, put it in my mouth, and hopped back to my spot next to Clara, the ingenue of the ballet. The audience burst into applause. The love I felt from the audience combined with knowing I was doing my best to be a rabbit told me there would be no going back.
You’ve been involved in philanthropy supporting young artists. Can you share more about those efforts and any upcoming projects?
Ten years ago, I started Kristin Chenoweth’s Broadway Bootcamp (KCBBC). My dad challenged me about what my legacy might be and how to involve the theater. For 10 years, we’ve been putting on one of the best-performing arts camps in the country for kids who want to do what I love to do. We’ve even filmed a documentary, directed by Kenny Ortega, about the camp, which is currently looking for its home. I have started to see the fruits of our labor, with some of the kids going on to become professionals in their own right. One of my former campers, Tatum Hopkins, will be starring alongside me in my upcoming Broadway show, “The Queen of Versailles.” She auditioned fair and square. As much as I love to work in the industry, having kids like her go on to achieve their dreams fills my cup more than any role I could ever take on.
What can everyday people — whether they’re parents, students, or simply art lovers — do to help advocate for better arts education policies?
To start with, everyone should buy tickets to live arts events. Go to concerts and theater at all levels — professional shows and your local high school chorus concerts! Encourage young people to explore the arts. If you are involved in the school board in your area, advocate for access to the arts as well as sports!
What advice would you give to young artists who may be struggling with self-doubt or societal pressure to choose a more traditional career path?
It’s simple, really: If you love it more than anything else in the world, then go for it. Sometimes it leads you in a direction you never thought possible. Always be open to the possibilities that you never saw for yourself. I have a friend who always struggled to get cast, so he decided to write his own musical. I have other friends who found their way into directing. If you can’t see yourself doing anything else and being happy, then you’re in the right field. I always warn my students “If you want to become famous for fame’s sake, I can’t help you. If you want to learn your craft and hone it, that’s when true success will come.”
