OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) 鈥� At 4-foot-11, Kristin Chenoweth always wanted to play basketball. It never happened, but she still made it to the NBA Finals.
The award-winning actress, singer, Oklahoma native, Oklahoma Hall of Fame inductee and unabashed Thunder fan sang 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner鈥� before between the Thunder and the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night.
aired live on ABC shortly before tipoff of the season's final game.
She has performed on some of the biggest stages in the world 鈥� but doing the anthem for a Thunder game gives her butterflies.
鈥淟et me just say, if they had anxiety medication for Thunder fans, I鈥檇 be taking it," Chenoweth, dressed in a Thunder sweatshirt, told The Associated Press after her soundcheck at the arena on Sunday.
Chenoweth's Thunder fandom has been no secret since the franchise's early years, though she also has professed at times to liking the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks as well. That said, the Thunder are clearly her top choice 鈥� so much so that she once told the Tulsa World she spent three hours bedazzling a Thunder hat. She went to Oklahoma City University after growing up in Broken Arrow, about 115 miles northeast of where the Thunder play.
And her 8-year-old dog's name is Thunder. She even dressed the pup up once in a Thunder outfit.
鈥淚 never miss a game unless I'm on stage,鈥� Chenoweth said. 鈥淚 was a cheerleader in high school in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and I loved football, but my favorite was basketball. I like how much of a team player you've got to be. ... And this is my team.鈥�
Chenoweth has sung the anthem at a few Thunder games in the past, sometimes alone and at least once with children from her Chenoweth Broadway Bootcamp. That camp is part of the arts and education fund that she founded to cultivate 鈥測oung artistic expression by enriching children鈥檚 lives through the power of education, entertainment and experience.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e had some pretty big moments in my life in the entertainment field, but this one, I don鈥檛 know why, makes me nervous,鈥� Chenoweth said. 鈥淚 just am very honored that they asked. And I鈥檓 proud of these kids. I mean, we have come so far. Of course I want us to win. When the NFL has hired me for the anthem, you remain neutral. But the NBA didn鈥檛 hire me for this, so I鈥檓 Thundering it up.鈥�
And the anthem 鈥� which the soprano finished with her own flair 鈥� is a tough song to perform, she said. Singing the words written by Francis Scott Key about the defense of Fort McHenry is a duty she takes seriously.
鈥淎ctually thinking about what he saw, it鈥檚 really important for me to remember the words and talk about what they meant then and what they mean to us now," Chenoweth said.
Chenoweth won a Tony Award in 1999 for best featured actress in a musical for her role in 鈥淵ou鈥檙e a Good Man, Charlie Brown.鈥� She received two Tony nominations for best leading actress in a musical, one in 2004 for playing Glinda in 鈥淲icked鈥� 鈥� she lost to co-star Idina Menzel 鈥� and the other in 2015 for playing 1930s Hollywood diva Lily Garland in 鈥淥n the Twentieth Century.鈥�
And in 2009, she won an Emmy for best supporting actress in a comedy series for her work on ABC's 鈥淧ushing Daisies.鈥� She returns to Broadway this fall, playing Jackie Siegel in 鈥漈he Queen of Versailles."
鈥淚 still have the desire," Chenoweth said. 鈥淚 think really what inspires me lately is young talent. I鈥檓 seeing and watching and learning from them. Hopefully they鈥檙e learning from me. And there鈥檚 nothing better than watching a budding talent whether it鈥檚 basketball or a singer, an artist, it's my jam. What keeps me going right now is other people inspiring me to do what I love.鈥�
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AP NBA:
Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
