Kristin Chenoweth is a just as big of a draw in New Orleans as she is in Broadway.
The stage star appeared this weekend at the opening of the Saenger Theatre on Canal Street in New Orleans, the headliner for a celebration of the theater’s $52 million renovation. The theater had been closed since it was swamped by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and many local dignitaries showed up for its re-opening. Some of them even sang.
Chenoweth dazzled the crowd with her Broadway hits and renditions of classics like “Moon River” and “Over the Rainbow.”
“Chenoweth has a wide ranging voice that is as comfortable with a belted-out Broadway ballad, a twangy country tune, or a coloratura soprano showpiece,” wrote Theodore Mahne of the Times Picayune . “Her innate showmanship bursts forth immediately with her entrance. Dressed in a knockout scarlet and black strapless gown, with black opera-length gloves, she looks every bit the diva.”
The theater has been a New Orleans landmark since being built in 1927. It had its official opening back in September with a sold-out show from comedian Jerry Seinfeld.
Kristin Chenoweth has been very busy of late. Last month she signed on to join the movie The Boy Next Door . The thriller has already notched Jennifer Lopez, playing a newly single mom who has a brief relationship with a teenage neighbor who turns obsessive.
According to The Hollywood Reporter , Chenowith has signed on to play Lopez’s best friend .
Though Jennifer Lopez has been in her share of action movies, it is new ground for Kristin Chenoweth. Her background lies mostly in television and stage work, though she does have a few comedic movies on her resume.
She knows how to put on a good show, too. The performance in New Orleans this weekend saw Kristin Chenoweth bring a few surprise guests from Louisiana, including New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu joining her on stage for a song.
