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Published 4:45 am Saturday, November 7, 2026
Broadway icon and Tony Award-winner Kristin Chenoweth gave two Tyler Junior College (TJC) students studying musical theater the opportunity to sing with her on stage during her performance at The University of Texas at Tyler R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center on Oct. 24 with the East Texas Symphony Orchestra.
Chenoweth, who played Glinda in the hit musical “Wicked,” starred in a special performance featuring classic Broadway classics with the full orchestra starting at 7:30 p.m. that Saturday. Donations from the Elizabeth “Bitsy” Wright Trust and Sharon and James Wynne provided tickets for 300 East Texas students to attend Chenoweth’s performance, including many from local arts programs. Derrith Bondurant, member of the President’s Circle at TJC, helped facilitate the experience for students to see Chenoweth.
Second-year students Jamie Luna and Christiana Carlyle attended the performance with TJC’s Las Mascaras student organization in which Chenoweth chose them from the audience to sing “For Good” from “Wicked” with her on stage.
“As a musical theatre major, I’m used to being onstage and having eyes on me, but to be up there with an absolute Broadway icon I’ve grown up watching was something else entirely,” Carlyle said. “Just such a liberating and beautiful experience that I’ll never forget!”
Chenoweth, knowing there were many students in the audience that evening, asked the crowd if anyone knew the song and could sing the other part with her on stage. Luna and Carlyle both stood up to volunteer and were chosen by Chenoweth to come to the stage to sing.
Luna said both her and Carlyle were surprised, but were ready to jump at the chance.
“Getting to sing on stage with an amazing orchestra, the lights shining in my eyes and with an idol who is just so amazing and talented was a dream come true,” Luna said. “Before the show some of our friends joked how amazing it would be if she would pull us up there to sing together, so you can imagine how in shock we were when it happened.”
Julianne Casey, voice instructor and interim director of choral music at TJC, said Luna and Carlyle worked hard for that special, spontaneous moment.
“Both students are quite unique and deserving as TJC musical theatre majors,” Casey said. “I’m so proud to be a TJC alumnus and to share my knowledge with our students. Jamie and Christiana fulfilled our teachings during this performance, without a doubt.”
TJC offers a two-year Associate of Arts degree with a concentration in theatre and musical theatre where students learn skills in performance, technical theater and education through courses and workshops in theatre, voice and dance.
Casey said Dr. Juan E. Mejia, president and CEO of TJC, and his wife, Meela Mejia, were in the audience that evening and were greatly impressed by the performance and how the students proudly told Chenoweth they attended TJC.
After listening to their talent the Mejias offered both Luna and Carlyle a $1,000 scholarship to put towards their continued education.
Casey said from classroom instruction to once-in-a-lifetime moments onstage, TJC’s Musical Theatre program prepares students to perform with confidence and learn about careers related to the field.
The next UT Tyler Cowan Center performance that will be partnering with the East Texas Symphony Orchestra will feature Bernadette Peters, three time Tony Award recipient, on April 17 at 8 p.m.
“UT Tyler is proud to partner with the East Texas Symphony Orchestra to bring these extraordinary multi-award-winning artists to East Texas,” said Jeff Noblitt, executive director of the UT Tyler Cowan Center. “We are thrilled to add two once-in-a-lifetime concert events into our already stellar season and to welcome audiences to a refreshed Cowan Center after a significant renovation this summer.”
Robin Hampton, executive director of the East Texas Symphony Orchestra, said the performances offer audiences an opportunity to experience Broadway favorites and other celebrated selections accompanied by a full orchestra and reflects a shared vision of making world-class performing arts accessible to East Texas audiences.
“This partnership represents an exciting moment for the arts in East Texas,” Hampton said. “Kristin Chenoweth and Bernadette Peters are beloved performers whose artistry has inspired audiences for generations. We are honored to work with UT Tyler to present these remarkable events to our community.”
For more information about TJC’s Theatre/Musical Theatre program, visit https://tjc.edu/programs/theatre-musical-theatre/ .
For more information about the upcoming Peters performance, visit https://cowancenter.org/shows/an-evening-with-bernadette-peters/ .