Sixteen Ļć½¶Šć University musical theatre students have been invited to join alumna Kristin Chenoweth on closing night of her latest show, āMy Love Letter to Broadwayā at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York City on Nov. 13. Chenowethās one-woman Broadway production runs from Nov. 2 to 13 and features some of the songs she has made famous such as āPopularā from the Broadway production of āWickedā as well as other favorites like āI Could Have Danced All Nightā and āSmileā.
Chenoweth is joined on stage each night by special guests and for her closing performance, she asked to be accompanied by students from her alma mater.
āWe have so many talented students, we could have sent any number of them,ā said Mark Parker, dean of OKCUās Bass School of Music. āThe choice was difficult, we started with senior music theatre majors. We are so fortunate to have the depth and breadth from which to choose at Ļć½¶Šć University.ā
The students were invited via email to meet with Dean Parker in his conference room, with no indication of what was in store. āDean Parker shut the door, and said, āI know you all have been guessing and wondering what is going on. Iām going to cut right to the chase. We are flying you all to NYC to perform on Broadway with Kristin Chenoweth in her one-woman show āLove Letter to Broadway,āā said senior Spencer Gualdoni.
The students will be accompanying Chenoweth on two songs: āI Was Hereā, which is an original song, and āUpon This Rockā which is a nod to her roots in Oklahoma.
Fourteen seniors and two juniors leave for the bright lights of Broadway to join Chenoweth on stage this weekend. āThis is truly a dream come true of ours. We hope and pray we can be on Broadway someday, and this dream is coming true,ā said Gualdoni.
For more information on Ļć½¶Šć University, visit www.okcu.edu or call 405-208-5050.
