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has discovered a surprise family link to the Wizard Of Oz.
In 2003 the 57-year-old Tony-winning actress originated the role of Glinda in Wicked, the stage adaptation of the L. Frank Baum novel.
And on a new episode of PBS's Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., she learned her late relative Billy Eugene Ethridge also has ties to the Oz universe.
She was incredulous as Gates showed her an old newspaper clipping that revealed Ethridge performed in a small-town production of the Wizard of Oz.
'The junior players guild production of The Wizard of Oz, opening at 8pm Friday at the Great Hall of St. Matthew's Cathedral,' she read aloud. 'The cast of the Wizard is as follows: Oz, Billy Eugene Ethridge.'
She nearly got choked up as she reacted, 'Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Is that not freaky? That’s nuts. Wow. Well, we were a lot alike!'
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Kristin Chenoweth has discovered a surprise family link to the Wizard of Oz
Gates went on to add another layer of the striking coincidence.
It turned out Ethridge was also heavily involved in musical theatre, also performing in The King and I, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, school choir, and dance reviews.
In 2003 the 57-year-old Tony-winning actress originated the role of Glinda in Wicked, the stage adaptation of the L. Frank Baum novel; pictured with Idina Menzel
Chenoweth was incredulous as she learned her late relative Billy Eugene Ethridge starred as Oz in a small town stage production; Billie Burke, Judy Garland in The Wizard Of Oz
Menzel (L) and Chenoweth (R) as Elphaba and Glinda in 2004
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Chenoweth produced and starred in the Michael Arden stage show, which featured music by Stephen Schwartz.
