Kristin Chenoweth Leads RISE Reading as Evangelist Tammy Faye Bakker

Michael Riedel reports in the New York Post today that Kristin Chenoweth led a private industry reading of Rise last week about Christian fundamentalist Tammy Faye Bakker.  Bakker and her husband, Jim, are best known for starting the evengelical television program, "The PTL Club," in the 1970s.

Robert Longbottom directed the reading. Rise was penned by Australian playwright Anthony Crowley and features a score by Henry Krieger. According to Riedel's report, the musical is set in the afterlife of Bakker, who died in 2007 of cancer.  The reading also starred Hunter Foster (Jim), Jessica Hahn (young church secretary with whom Jim had an affair), Nancy Opel (Betty Ford of the Betty Ford Clinic), Clarke Thorell (Jimmy Swaggert), Robert Petkoff (Pat Robertson) and Bradley Dean (Jerry Falwell). 

Kevin McCollum and Jeffrey Seller produced.

For Riedel's full report in the New York Post, click here.