NBC has a pilot for a new cheerleading comedy, Stumble, in the works, and Kristin Chenoweth has now been officially added to the main cast. Those without much Broadway knowledge would likely still recognize the actor from the screen, particularly after Kristin Chenoweth’s Wicked cameo, an acknowledgement of Chenoweth earning one of her three Tony nominations for originating the role of Glinda. She’s also appeared in BoJack Horseman, Pushing Daisies, Glee, The Descendants, and the Netflix romantic comedy Our Little Secret, along with far too many other stage and screen credits to mention.
But Kristin Chenoweth’s best onscreen performances may not all be behind her. As reported by Deadline, Chenoweth is now joining the cast of the cheerleading mockumentary series Stumble as a series regular. She’ll be playing the perky, 1989-obsessed Tammy Istiny (pronounced ISS-tih-knee), who takes over for former junior college competitive cheerleading coach Courteney Potter (Jenn Lyon) after the latter loses her job to an internet scandal. Created by Liz Astrof (The Conners, 2 Broke Girls) and her brother Jeff (Angie Tribeca, The New Adventures of Old Christine), Chenoweth’s character is described as a former cheerleader who still looks the part.
What Kristin Chenoweth’s Casting Means For Stumble
The Series May Focus Strongly On Cheerleading Stereotypes
Kristin Chenoweth frequently takes on rather perky characters, so she feels more than suited to Tammy Istiny’s character description. And considering most of her costars are relatively unknown aside from SNL alum Taran Killam and former Lizzo dancer Arianna Davis, Chenoweth’s stereotypically and slightly outdated rendition of a bubbly cheerleader will be a probable scene-stealer. In fact, from the general description of the plot, it seems like that’s largely by design. It’s even possible that Tammy might begin the show as something of an antagonist.
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Jenn Lyon’s Courteney is currently described as the protagonist of the show. Although she loses her job early on, she takes up a new position at a smaller school as a result. If the show’s continuing to follow Tammy’s perspective despite focusing on Courteney’s new job, it’s likely that the series will eventually lead to Tammy and Courteney facing off in competition. The Astrof siblings co-produced with competitive cheerleading coach Monica Aldama, so exploring how Courteney’s team fares against a coach with older-fashioned concepts about cheerleading may very well have been a focus from Stumble’s very conception.
Our Take On Kristin Chenoweth’s Casting In Stumble
She May Get To Flex Her Broadway Talents
Although Kristin’s singular voice is far from the only talent at her disposal, it’s enough of a signature trait that even Dolly Parton wants Chenoweth to play her. It’s also responsible for arguably the most unique Game of Thrones theme cover ever recorded. As a result, some might find it a waste for Stumble to cast Kristin Chenoweth if she doesn’t sing at least once. But if her time onstage has at least given her the moves to execute a few outstanding cheerleading maneuvers, her casting might be one of the earliest good signs ahead of the pilot’s completion.
Source: Deadline
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