A Tony-winning queen is about to reclaim her kingdom on Broadway.
Kristin Chenoweth stars in “The Queen of Versailles,” marking her first musical on Broadway since headlining in “On The 20th Century” back in 2015. She sat down with On Stage Host Frank DiLella for an exclusive chat.
She’s not only taking on the star role, but acting as a producer for this production.
“I feel like I’ve been producing myself for so long that this was just the natural step. And thank goodness they had faith in me,” she said about her collaborators.
The musical is based on the 2012 documentary about Jackie Siegel, a former beauty queen from humble beginnings who marries billionaire timeshare mogul David Siegel. Together, they set out to build a Florida home inspired by the Palace of Versailles.
Chenoweth, the OG Glinda in the mega-hit “Wicked,” is reuniting with her “Wicked” composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. She said she was drawn to portray Jackie Siegel.
“I’m 57 now, and I’m looking for complicated characters to play and ways to challenge myself,” she said.
Last week, Chenoweth sparked controversy on social media after posting her reaction to the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The comment was met with mixed reactions, as a larger portion of her fanbase is comprised of members of the LGBTQ community, who Kirk had opposed.
“I saw what happened online with my own eyes. And I had a human moment of reflection. Right then, I came to understand that my comment hurt some folks and that hurt me. So I would never. It’s no secret that I have been, that I’m a Christian, that I’m a person of faith. It’s also no secret that I am an advocate for the LGBTQ plus community, and for some, that doesn’t go together. But for me it always has. And it always will,” Chenoweth said.
Chenoweth expressed to DiLella she is nervous for her first preview, but ready to focus on the task at hand.
“You know, I’m ready to birth this baby. I’m ready for the country, the world to see what we have been working on so hard,” she said.
“The Queen of Versailles” begins previews at The St. James Theatre on Oct. 8.
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