Chenoweth was born in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. She graduated from Oklahoma City University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in musical theater and a master's degree in opera performance. She is a member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. In 1991, she won the title of "Miss OCU" and went on to win second runner-up in the Miss Oklahoma pageant. She performed at Opryland USA. She won a "most talented up-and-coming singer" award in the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, which came with a full scholarship to Philadelphia's Academy of Vocal Arts; she turned down the scholarship when she auditioned and won a part on an off-Broadway show. She also enjoyed watching her boyfriend at the time (professional baseball player Shawn Bryant) pitch.
Chenoweth made her Broadway debut in a production of Molière's Scapin starring Bill Irwin, followed in the spring of 1997 by the unsuccessful musical Steel Pier by John Kander and Fred Ebb, for which she won a Theatre World award. The following season, she appeared in the City Center Encores! production of the George and Ira Gershwin musical Strike Up the Band and the Lincoln Center Theater production of William Finn's A New Brain.
During the 1998–1999 season, she performed the role of Sally in the Broadway revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, sweeping the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards as the season's Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She then starred in the Broadway comedy Epic Proportions, followed by appearances in ABC's television adaptation of the musical Annie (as Lily St. Regis), and in the leading role of Daisy Gamble in the City Center Encores! production of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.
In 2003, Chenoweth performed songs from her album Let Yourself Go in concert for Lincoln Center's 5th American Songbook. She also performed in City Center Encores! 10th Anniversary Bash.
In London, she was involved in Divas at Donmar for director Sam Mendes, then appeared in the Actor's Fund Benefit Concert of the musical Funny Girl in New York City.
Chenoweth was a part of ABC's An American Celebration at Ford's Theater with Kelsey Grammer, NBC's Salute to the Olympic Winners, The Kennedy Center Gala honoring Julie Andrews, and an episode of Frasier on NBC. She also starred as Marian Paroo in the ABC television production of Meredith Willson's The Music Man, opposite Matthew Broderick.
In October 2003, Chenoweth returned to Broadway in Wicked, a musical about the early years of the witches of Oz. She was nominated for a Tony as Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance as Glinda, but lost to co-star Idina Menzel (who played Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West).
Chenoweth's role in Wicked also brought the opportunity to co-star in Nora Ephron's 2005 film version of Bewitched. The film's star, Nicole Kidman, had attended a performance of Wicked and was so impressed with Chenoweth's charisma and stage presence that Kidman requested to Ephron that Chenoweth be cast in the film. Chenoweth got the part of Maria Kelly, Kidman's character's friend, neighbor, and personal assistant.
Chenoweth has also performed leading roles at the Goodspeed Opera House and the Guthrie Theatre, and she was chosen by the late Jerome Robbins as the guest soloist in his West Side Story Suite of Dances at New York City Ballet. She also starred in a short-lived semi-biographical sitcom, Kristin, for NBC. It was a mid-season replacement in 2001 that co-starred Jon Tenney, but it was cancelled after only six episodes.
Beginning in the sixth season (2004–2005) of The West Wing, Chenoweth has had a recurring role playing media consultant Annabeth Schott; as of the seventh season she is featured in the opening credits. In 2006, she is scheduled to appear in a remarkable five films including The Pink Panther, R.V., and Stranger Than Fiction. Chenoweth then will star in Asphalt Beach and in a bio-pic of Dusty Springfield.
Chenoweth is a Christian, but was disinvited from a Women of Faith conference in September 2005 because of her positive attitude toward gays and lesbians. She released an album in April 2005 called As I Am that's a mixture of hymns and contemporary Christian music, with arrangements that sound more like adult contemporary.
Chenoweth is 150 cm (4 ft 11 in) tall. She appeared in the March 2006 issue of FHM.
Taylor the Latte Boy
Kristin Chenoweth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who is very inspirational
He is very inspirational because of many things
I come in at 8:11
And he smiles and says: "How are you?"
When he smiles and says: "How are you?"
I could swear my heart grows wings!
So today at 8:11
I decided I should meet him
I decided I should meet him
In a proper formal way
So today at 8:11
When he smiled and said: "How are you?"
I said: "Fine, and my name’s Kristin,"
And he softly answered: "Hey."
And I said "My name’s Kristin
And thank you for the extra foam..."
And he said his name was Taylor
Which provides the inspiration for this poem:
Taylor, the latte boy
Bring me java, bring me joy!
Taylor, the latte boy
I love him, I love him, I love him
So I’d like to get my nerve up
To recite my poem musical
He would like the fact it’s musical
Because he plays guitar
So today at 8:11
Taylor told me he was playing
In a band down in the village
In the basement of a bar
And he smoothly flipped the lever
To prepare my double-latte
But for me he made it triple!
(And he didn’t think I knew)
But I saw him flip the lever
And for me he made it triple
And I knew that triple-latte meant
That Taylor loved me, too!
I said: "What time are you playing?
And thank you for the extra skim..."
He said: "Keep the $3.55,"
Because this triple latte was on him
Taylor, the latte boy
Bring me java, bring me joy!
Taylor, the latte boy
I love him, I love him, I love him
I used to be the kind of girl
Who’d run when love rushed toward her
'Til finally a voice whispered: "Love can be yours
If you step up to the counter and order,"
Taylor, the latte boy
Bring me java, bring me joy!
Taylor, the latte boy
I love him, I love him, I love him
So many years my heart has waited
Who’d have thought that love
Could be so caffeinated?
Taylor, the latte boy
I love him, I love him, I love him
I love him, I love him, I love him!
In Kristin Chenoweth's song Taylor the Latte Boy, the singer is describing her infatuation with the boy who works at Starbucks. The boy, whose name is Taylor, becomes an inspiration for her because of his cheerful demeanor and friendly personality during their routine interactions. Kristin eventually musters up the courage to properly introduce herself to Taylor and they strike up a conversation. During their conversation, Kristin discovers that Taylor is not only a Starbucks employee but also a musician who plays guitar in a band. This newfound knowledge makes Kristin even more enchanted with Taylor and she decides to write a musical poem about him that she plans to recite for him.
The lyrics of the song depict the innocent and awkward infatuation of the singer for Taylor, although they have never spoken beyond a 'how are you?' It also portrays the idea that people can be attracted to one another not just because of their appearance, but the way they make them feel. In this case, Taylor's friendliness and musical talent are what draws Kristin towards him. The lyrics also hint at the idea of taking a chance at love and stepping up to take a shot at it instead of running away when it comes. The overall tone of the song is playful and almost child-like, adding to the charm of the lyrics and the portrayal of the singer's infatuation.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a boy who works at Starbucks
There is a gentleman who works at Starbucks
Who is very inspirational
He inspires me for many reasons
I come in at 8:11
I arrive at 8:11
And he smiles and says: "How are you?"
He greets me with a smile and asks how I'm doing
When he smiles and says: "How are you?"
His charming smile and friendly greeting make my heart flutter
I could swear my heart grows wings!
My heart feels so light and elevated, it's as if it has grown wings
So today at 8:11
Today, at the same time, 8:11
I decided I should meet him
I resolved to properly introduce myself
In a proper formal way
Using the appropriate etiquette
And he softly answered: "Hey."
He responded with a friendly and gentle greeting
And thank you for the extra foam...
I express my gratitude for the extra foam in my latte
Which provides the inspiration for this poem:
This latte boy inspires me to write this poem
Taylor, the latte boy
The name of the gentleman who is the latte boy
Bring me java, bring me joy!
His coffee brings me pleasure and happiness
I'd like to get my nerve up
I wish to muster the courage and confidence
To recite my poem musical
To perform my poetic musical piece
He would like the fact it's musical
He would appreciate that it is musical
Because he plays guitar
Because he is a guitar player
When he smiled and said: "How are you?"
He greeted me again with a smile and a friendly question
Taylor told me he was playing
Taylor revealed he was performing
But for me he made it triple!
He made my latte with triple the usual amount
(And he didn't think I knew)
(But he was unaware that I noticed)
And I knew that triple-latte meant
I correctly inferred that the triple-latte was a special gesture
That Taylor loved me, too!
He reciprocates my feelings of love for him
And thank you for the extra skim...
I thanked him for adding extra skim milk to my latte
Because this triple latte was on him
Because he covered the cost of this special latte for me
I used to be the kind of girl
I was once the sort of woman
Who'd run when love rushed toward her
Who would flee when being pursued by love
'Til finally a voice whispered: "Love can be yours
Until one day when a subtle voice suggested that love could be mine
If you step up to the counter and order,"
If I took a risk, made an effort and asked for what I wanted
So many years my heart has waited
My heart has been yearning for so long
Who'd have thought that love
Who could have predicted that love
Could be so caffeinated?
Could be so intimately tied with coffee
I love him, I love him, I love him!
I am deeply in love with him
Lyrics © NEXT DECADE ENTERTAINMENT,INC.
Written by: ZINA GOLDRICH, MARCY ALLISON HEISLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind