CultureMap Celebrity Interview

Kristin Chenoweth talks heartbreak, fashion, and the Steve Tyrell connection in her Wicked diva show

For such a petite gal, Kristin Chenoweth packs quite a punch. The Broadway superstar appears larger than life on stage, belting tunes with diva-lika gusto but with the humbleness that comes from experiencing the full spectrum of life's ups and downs.

Wicked was a game changer for Chenoweth. We loved her in Glee. We praised Jesus for her role in the now-canceled drama GCB (ABC, can we get some sort of a comeback miracle?).

And this weekend, we can reconnect with the sassy chanteuse as Chenoweth performs Saturday at the Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land. "Celebrating the Art of Elegance" takes its theme from Chenoweth's recently released namesake album.

How are things going since we last had a tête-à-tête with KC? We exchanged notes about music, love and fashion.

CultureMap: It’s been four years since we last spoke so let’s do a bit of a check in. You mentioned back then that you’d always wanted to do a live album. And you did in Coming Home! How does it feel to have that accomplishment checked off from your bucket list?

Kristin Chenoweth: It's amazing because I got to do it in the theater that bears my name in my hometown of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. There were a lot of people I saw in the audience that meant so much to me when I was growing up, and I can’t think of a better way to check this item off my bucket list than to be there in that space with them!

CM: So what’s next on your bucket list? I’m curious about things that you’ve always wanted to do but haven't had a chance to.

KC: I had such a great time working with (Houston native) Steve Tyrell on my newest album, The Art of Elegance. Recording these songs made me fall in love with music and lyrics all over again, and there are so many other standards out there that I can hear calling my name.

Maybe an album sequel could be the next thing to check off the bucket list! Either that or a record that gets back to my roots in Oklahoma. No matter what kinds of projects I work on, I always find myself drawn to the people and places that influenced me the most growing up, and I’d love to pay homage to their impact on my life.

CM: Now onto your new album, The Art of Elegance. From all the songs included (lovely selection BTW), is there one that describes you more closely?

KC: I have to say I’m a little partial to "Skylark" and "I Get Along Without You Very Well" — both are Hoagie Carmichael, which just goes to show you how much I love and admire his work. But toward the end of my record I do sing "Smile" — the lyrics speak to my soul. They share a sentiment that’s become very important to how I try to live my life.

CM: Back when we spoke, you were considering getting out there and dating again after your tour. Of course we’ve been keeping up and see that you have Andrew Pruett in your life, some mags have the described you as being “smitten” with him. How’s that going?

KC: Though it didn't work out, he sure is a sweetheart. Good Oklahoma boy. I’m out there dating when I can, which as you know is not very consistent given my schedule. Check back in with me in another four years and we'll see where I'm at.

CM: About your Houston performance at the Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land — who will you be wearing? What kind of fashions can we expect from you?

KC: I'm a big fan of Alice and Olivia, seeing as how everything they make is so comfortable. And of course I’m going to bling it out — we’re in Texas! I have family that will be there and I need to make them proud!

CM: What will we be hearing? And why that selection now?

KC: My concert set changes every performance. The audience can expect some music from Wicked and some songs that people know me for. Of course I’ll be singing some selections from The Art of Elegance, and maybe I'll throw in some Dolly Parton, Don Henley, Sandi Patty… Who knows!

CM: Like your past performance in Houston, will you include some audience interaction? I know people love coming on stage and singing a duet impromptu.

KC: Yes, in fact I’ll be having a group of young local singers join me for the last couple of songs. It’s become the highlight of my whole tour.

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Kristin Chenoweth will perform on Saturday, 8 p.m., at the Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land. Tickets start at $75 and can be purchased online.

Kristin Chenoweth worked with Houston native Steve Tyrell on her new album, The Art of Elegance.

Photo by Gian Andrea Di Stefano

Kristin Chenoweth worked with Houston native Steve Tyrell on her new album, The Art of Elegance.

celebrities

Movie Review

Fun visuals can't save The Magic Faraway Tree's meager plot

Photo courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

Andrew Garfield, Delilah Bennett-Cardy, Claire Foy, Phoenix Laroche, and Billie Gadson in The Magic Faraway Tree.

With kids and families always on the hunt for entertainment, it’s typically a safe bet for a movie studio to offer up something new, even if it is a film based on an old property. The Magic Faraway Tree, based on a series of books that started in the 1930s, is a very old property, one that its filmmakers have tried to liven up with a few stars, a lot of whimsy, and a boatload of CGI.

The Thompson family, led by stay-at-home dad Tim (Andrew Garfield) and breadwinner mom Polly (Claire Foy), are forced to move to a rundown country home when Polly gets laid off. The kids — Joe (Phoenix Laroche), Fran (Billie Gadson), and Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy) — are used to the perks of city life like wifi and electricity, and each of them rebels in their own way to their new lot in life.

Fran, enticed by a fairy named Silky (Nicola Coughlan), is the first to venture out of the house, making her way to a magic tree that transports her to a world full of strange characters like Moonface (Nonso Anozie), Saucepan Man (Dustin Demri-Burns), Dame Washalot (Jessica Gunning), and more. Her adventures there not only broaden the world she thought she knew, but may be the key to helping her ailing family.

Directed by Ben Gregor and written by Simon Farnaby (Paddington 2, Wonka), the film is a pleasant enough lark, but it fails to fully capture the imagination. The five-member family has a lot going on, from an initially-mute Fran to a domestic situation that raises more questions than it answers. The film tries to incorporate an anti-technology message through Tim’s hatred of a smart refrigerator (voiced by Judi Dench!) and the kids' addictions to devices, but it’s quickly shed in favor of other options.

Once Fran makes it to the Magic Faraway Tree, there’s a nice shift in the storytelling, but it’s unclear what the ultimate goal is. It’s a good idea to have Fran, the youngest of the children, convince her older, more cynical siblings about the virtues of the magic world, but the conflict in the real world doesn’t seem to rise to the level needed for the escape the tree provides.

There also seems to be a missing link in the storytelling for viewers to understand the importance of the fantastical characters. The visuals of seeing Moonface and his crescent moon-shaped hair, a man with a suit full of banging pots, and more are fun for a while, but not enough to carry the whole film. A last-minute revelation feels like it was something that should have been disclosed much earlier to help strengthen the emotions of the story.

A two-time Oscar nominee, Garfield is making his first foray into family movies (if you don’t count playing Spider-Man), and while he does a good job, he doesn’t make the best fit for the semi-goofy role. The same goes for the Emmy-winning Foy, who isn’t given much of anything to do. The movie puts the story on the shoulders of the three child actors, and while each of them acquit themselves well, none of them are so outstanding as to be noteworthy.

With nearly 90-year-old source material, The Magic Faraway Tree needed to be something truly special to stand out in the 21st century movie world. Unfortunately, it features a mostly forgettable story that features some fun visuals, a couple of cute kids, and not much else.

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The Magic Faraway Tree is now playing in theaters.

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