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Podcasts Take Two
Riverside teacher's show-stopping duet with Kristin Chenoweth goes viral
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This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Aug 26, 2013
Listen • 4:53
Riverside teacher's show-stopping duet with Kristin Chenoweth goes viral
If you were lucky enough to be at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, night you probably thought Kristin Chenoweth would be the highlight of the evening.
Voice teacher Sarah Horn poses with Kristin Chenoweth after performing with her on stage at the Hollywood Bowl.
Voice teacher Sarah Horn poses with Kristin Chenoweth after performing with her on stage at the Hollywood Bowl.
(
Courtesy Sarah Horn
)

If you were lucky enough to be at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, night you probably thought Kristin Chenoweth would be the highlight of the evening.

If you were lucky enough to be at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, night you probably thought Kristin Chenoweth would be the highlight of the evening. The Emmy-and-Tony-award-winning Broadway star performed a medley of songs with the LA Phil.

But about two-thirds of the way through, she did something that doesn't always end up the way a performer hopes. She called up an audience member, Sarah Horn, to the stage to sing a duet of "For Good," from the hit musical "Wicked."

Little did she know that this randomly selected audience member could really sing:

Horn had originally had tickets in the bench section at the back of the Bowl, but her father surprised her with box seats. By coincidence, Horn had ended up in the front row of the venue. 

"There was a ticket mixup and we ended up trading boxes with someone else that put us right up front," said Horn on Take Two. 

When Kristin Chenoweth asked the woman in front of Horn if she knew "For Good," and the woman declined, Horn impulsively stood up, raised her hand and said "I do!"

"As soon as I realized what I had done by raising my voice at a celebrity in the middle of the Hollywood Bowl in front of thousands of people, I immediately sat down," said Horn. 

Horn is a voice teacher and instructor at California Baptist University and the Riverside Youth Theatre, but Chenoweth didn't know anything about her before pulling her up on stage. 

"She had no idea that I could actually sing," said Horn. "There's really nothing that could prepare someone to randomly be brought up on stage in front of thousands and thousands of people. My mind was completely blank and all I could think is 'God help me.'"

Chenoweth and even the conductor of the LA Phil had surprised reactions when Horn finally belted out her first note. 

"I don't quite remember what I was thinking, but I do remember that as soon as I started singing, I was just making eye contact with Kristin and saw her reaction, and just kept going," said Horn. "That laugh that she let out almost made me laugh, but I realized I need to keep singing."

The crowd went wild and Chenoweth was stunned as Horn hit every note and lyric. 

"It was unlike anything I had ever experienced," said Horn. "There was just electricity and joy in that moment, connecting with my musical idol and having this musical moment that I will never forget."