Tickets on sale Feb. 9 for Kristin Chenoweth’s May 16 concert with the Wichita Symphony

When Kristin Chenoweth takes the stage at Century II for a concert May 16, it will mark a milestone for both the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and a local cultural-philanthropic organization that helped get her here.

After early on-sale opportunities for symphony season ticket holders, patrons and Music Theatre Wichita subscribers, tickets for Chenoweth’s concert go on sale to the public Sunday, Feb. 9. Prices range from $60-$175.

“I think it will sell out, and the indications are thus far that’s selling out very quickly, way above what we see for a Wichita Symphony concert,” said Don Reinhold, the symphony’s executive director. “We’ve had some wonderful successes and some big hits and some sellouts here and there. But this one is really cookin’.”

Chenoweth, who has both a Tony (“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”) and an Emmy (“Pushing Dasies”) award on her mantel, was the first, last and only name on a list of performers that the local philanthropic group Grumpy Old Men wanted to see perform with the symphony.

“They asked specifically for her,” Reinhold said. “She’s done orchestra concerts over the years; she’s quite known for those – in addition to everything else she does.”

Grumpy Old Men has been bringing talent such as Bernadette Peters, Gladys Knight, Randy Newman, Martin Short and Glen Campbell to Wichita venues including the Orpheum Theatre and Riverfest since 2008. It presented pianist Michael Feinstein together with the symphony in 2014 for a Frank Sinatra tribute and trumpeter Byron Stripling for a Louis Armstrong salute in 2018.

“Chief Grump” Doug Stark said it was logical to add Chenoweth to that list of performers.

“Wichita deserves a really first-class show with the symphony,” said Stark, whose late father, Charles, founded the group in 2007. “Kristin Chenoweth is just amazing on so many fronts.”

Grumpy Old Men is a group of 100 (that’s the cap, with a waiting list) who donate $1,000-$1,500 annually to bring two to three concerts a year to Wichita. After paying the artist and expenses, leftover money is distributed to charitable organizations, with recent beneficiaries including a new health care clinic, Rainbows United and GraceMed Dental.

“The brilliance is putting together a really cool social opportunity for these Wichitans who want to give anyway, and an opportunity for them to pool their money together,” Stark said.

The contributions for the Chenoweth concert will put the group over the $2 million mark in money distributed, Stark said.

Stark approached Reinhold about a year and a half ago, asking about the availability of Chenoweth for a symphony concert, Reinhold said. He checked the schedule for the Century II concert hall, and every date was booked – except May 16.

“It was one of those things that dragged on and dragged on until finally in November he called,” Stark said. “He said, ‘You’re not going to believe this, but we’ve got Kristin Chenoweth coming.’

“It was a real feel-good day, I have to admit,” he added.

Reinhold said that since Chenoweth had a private performance the night before in Dallas, she would be in the region and make the short flight to Wichita.

Stark said the estimated cost of the concert will be a bit over $200,000, $100,000 of which goes to Chenoweth. He said Grumpy Old Men should be able to distribute $130,000 to charity because of the show.

Sponsorships from the Fred and Mary Koch Foundation, Spirit AeroSystems and Textron Aviation alleviate some of the costs, Stark said.

Reinhold said the title of the concert is “For the Girls,” the same as Chenoweth’s album, released in September and featuring songs by generations of female artists, as well as collaborations with Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton.

While the concert may be heavy on that album, Reinhold said, it would undoubtedly include songs from her highest-profile Broadway show, “Wicked,” where she played Glinda.

Chenoweth, 51, is a native of Broken Arrow, Okla., a Tulsa suburb. She returns annually to conduct a “Broadway Bootcamp” for young performers.”

For the symphony show, Reinhold said, Chenoweth will bring her own conductor – Mary-Mitchell Campbell, who led the orchestra for the singer’s Broadway concerts last fall that debuted the “For the Girls” songs – and her own drummer.

“This works well because she’s done this concert with Kristin,” he said of Campbell. “She knows everything, the ins and the outs, and that way they can do it on one rehearsal.”

Although Grumpy Old Men has had several collaborations with the symphony over its history, both Reinhold and Stark said they would be willing to make it an annual event.

“If the community indicates what they will support, we’ll do anything,” Reinhold said. “This is significant, and we’re very lucky to have her come and give Wichita the time.”

“I wouldn’t be against it,” Stark said. “I love Wichita, I love the symphony, I love culture. I love all the things we can do to make Wichita a better city.”

Kristin Chenoweth in Concert

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16

Where: Century II, 225 W. Douglas

Tickets: $60-$175, available at wichitasymphony.org, by calling 316-267-7658 and at the symphony box office at Century II, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

Editor’s note: Don Reinhold’s name was incorrect in an earlier version of this story.

This story was originally published February 7, 2020 at 5:01 AM.