Chenoweth's First Reaction to PROMISES: 'I'm Scared'

During a recent interview with the LA Times, Kristen Chenoweth, star of the Broadway musical PROMISES, PROMISES, that she was initially tepid to take on the role, since the majority of the roles in her past were strictly comedy.

Regarding the role, Chenoweth said, "When they asked me to play this character, I told them, very honestly, that I'm scared. I'm very open about insecurities with people I trust. And people just expect me to do comedy, comedy, comedy."

She said, however, that she was excited about bringing a different type of character into her repertoire. "When you're petite and blond, when you're a basically happy person and a comedian, people don't necessarily think you've got a dramatic side. They want to typecast you every time." She continues, "I think the role of Fran for me is probably closer to home than I'd like to admit, than most people know about. There's probably not a woman alive who doesn't understand about being in love with somebody who's unavailable to them, and that definitely has been a part of my life. Depression has been a part of my life. I go home at night with the same insecurities as anyone else."

To read the full article from the LA Times, click here.

Kristin Chenoweth's Broadway credits include You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Awards); Wicked (Tony nomination); Steel Pier (Theatre World Award); and Epic Proportions. Other NY Theater includes Love, Loss, and What I Wore, The Apple Tree, Scapin, A New Brain, Dames at Sea, The Fantasticks, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever and Strike Up the Band. Film work includes You Again (2010), Bewitched, The Pink Panther, RV, Running With Scissors, Stranger Than Fiction, Deck the Halls and Four Christmases. TV includes the upcoming Lifetime movie "The Twelve Men of Christmas," "Glee," "Ugly Betty," "The West Wing," "The Music Man," "Annie," "Frasier," "Sesame Street," "Kristin," and two seasons as Olive Snook on the ABC dramedy "Pushing Daisies" for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy. Her extensive concert career includes performances at the National Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Hollywood Bowl, London's "Divas at Donmar" series, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Washington National Opera and the Metropolitan Opera House. This winter she will be part of Il Divo's limited-run holiday tour. Albums: Let Yourself Go, As I Am, A Lovely Way To Spend Christmas. Her book, A Little Bit Wicked debuted at #12 on the NYT Hardcover Non-Fiction Best Seller list.

Broadway Across America (John Gore, Thomas B. McGrath, Beth Williams), Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Candy Spelling and The Weinstein Company will present the first-ever Broadway revival of PROMISES, PROMISES this spring at the Broadway Theater (1681 Broadway). Previews will begin on Sunday, March 28th, 2010 with an opening night slated for Sunday, April 25th, 2010. The musical is written by legends Neil Simon (book), Burt Bacharach (music), and Hal David (lyrics). Emmy Award winner Sean Hayes will make his Broadway debut starring in the role of Chuck Baxter opposite Tony and Emmy Award winner Kristin Chenoweth, returning to Broadway as Fran Kubelik. Tony and Emmy Award winner Rob Ashford will also make his Broadway directorial debut and choreograph. More casting and creative team members will be announced in the near future.

Based on the 1960 Academy Award-winning Billy Wilder film The Apartment that starred Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, PROMISES, PROMISES tells the story of the Consolidated Life Insurance Company and Chuck Baxter, one of its charming young employees. In an effort to advance at the company, Chuck lends executives his apartment for their extramarital romantic trysts. But things become slightly complicated when Fran Kubelik, the object of Chuck's affection, becomes the mistress of one of his executives. With Simon's funny and touching book and Bacharach and David's hit-packed score ("I'll Never Fall In Love Again," "Promises, Promises," and "Knowing When to Leave"), PROMISES, PROMISES is a unique and popular part of the musical theatre canon that will now return to the stage for the first time in over forty years, for a new generation of theatergoers.

Tickets range from $136.50 - $56.50 and are available at telecharge.com (212-239-6200). For more information, visit www.promisespromisesbroadway.com.