She may be 4-foot-11, but Kristin Chenoweth casts a big shadow, on Broadway and off. Since blowing everyone else off the stage in 1999’s “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” — and then originating the role of Glinda in a little show called “Wicked” — her dance card’s been full.
So, it seems, has her dating life, which has included screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and violinist Joshua Bell. Her latest flame, “Bachelor” alumnus Jake Pavelka, has apparently flared out. (“I wish him well,” she tells The Post.)
Now comes “Kristin Chenoweth: The Dames of Broadway . . . All of ’em!!!” — a three-exclamation-point project if there ever was one. Airing March 24 at 8 p.m. on PBS, it gives the Broken Arrow, Okla., native a chance to sing the songs she’s somehow missed along the way, including “Dance: Ten; Looks: Three” from “A Chorus Line,” “Edelweiss” from “The Sound of Music” and “My Funny Valentine” from “Babes in Arms,” while channeling those babes who came before her. Here’s what she had to say about Barbra, Liza and the rest of those who need no surname.
Tell us about a recent close encounter with one of Broadway’s great dames.
I’ve sung for Barbra Streisand and that’s very intimidating — because when you sing for her, you don’t want to suck! I think it was last year, before the Grammys. Barbra was being honored by a group called MusiCares, and Matthew Morrison and I sang a duet from “Glee,” the Burt Bacharach/Hal David “One Less Bell To Answer.” I think I do it better when she’s not in the audience. But what I learned was, she’s a normal person, and . . . very funny! She also had on this gorgeous bracelet and it seems she designs her own jewelry. She’s a real girly girl, like me.
What’s Carol Channing like?
Exactly the way you want her to be — just like “Hello, Dolly!” We were backstage together at the [Equity Fights AIDS fund-raiser] Easter Bonnet, and she was, like, “So Kristin, how are you?” It’s like you’ve known her forever. She lights up the room — and she’s still got it! Like Liza Minnelli. Listen to the full version of her singing “A Quiet Thing,” from Kander and Ebb’s “Flora, the Red Menace” — what an actress! She’s definitely in the business of show, and she’d rather be nowhere else. I love people like that.
Didn’t Julie Andrews once give you some memorable advice?
She did. She came to see “Steel Pier” [Chenoweth’s 1997 Broadway debut] and they said, “Julie Andrews is coming backstage to meet you!” I definitely wasn’t the star of that show, but I had a big aria where I sang a high E and held it . . . and held it . . . and held it . . . for 15 counts. And Julie greeted me, hugged me and said, “This is a major gift, and you cannot give those notes away.” I looked at her funny. “But I’m doing this show!” “Yes,” she said. “But you must be selective.” Sometimes, when I’m about to do an encore, I want to do something really all-out but then I remember: Be selective. That’s a great little piece of advice about life, too.
You were hurt while filming “The Good Wife” last year. What happened?
We were shooting by the water in Brooklyn, and a piece of lighting equipment had, like, a parachute silk on it to diffuse the light. The silk was held by metal beams that fell, slammed against my face, cracked my nose in two places and cracked three teeth, and then slammed my head into a curb. I still have issues. I still need dental work and my nose will not heal — it swells and bruises when I wear my glasses. The important part is, my head is back to normal. I had some memory issues at first and that was very frightening. My parents were here for several weeks, helping me. I’m glad to report that I’m back in the game.
No one could have guessed any of that from the Oscars. You looked smashing! Are there any secrets to staying a size zero?
Eat half of what’s on your plate, and give the other half to someone who needs it. I try to exercise, even if it’s only walking, which is underrated. I don’t really smoke or drink, and I use a little vitamin E on the wrinkles. It really works — and it’s cheap!
Patti LuPone just did a cabaret show about all the roles she never got to play, all the songs she couldn’t sing. What’s eluded you so far?
I definitely want to do “Hello, Dolly!” and “On the Twentieth Century” — and I want to do Desiree in “A Little Night Music,” especially after I saw Bernadette [Peters] do it. But I’ve been so busy, like a hamster on a wheel. So my bucket list of songs? I think I’m doing them here.