ShareThisKristin Chenoweth dresses in character while working on the new animated comedy "Sit Down, Shut Up."
Sure, she knows no one will see her actually wearing that floral dress as she sits in a voiceover booth. But dressing up as the pretty, light and petite Miracle Grohe, a high-school science teacher, gets her in the mood for the series (debuting 8:30 p.m. EDT Sunday, Fox).
"I want to feel like her," Chenoweth says. "It helps when I am doing the voice."
"Sit Down, Shut Up" centers on daily life at a high school, with colorful students and eccentric teachers and staff. The vocal cast includes Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Will Forte and Tom Kenny.
With her naturally chirpy voice, Chenoweth gets lots of offers to do animation, but she rarely takes them.
"I am protective of my voice," says the singer-actress. "I don't want to wear it out, so I am very picky about doing any kind of voiceover work."
The series comes from successful TV comedy pedigree: Emmy-winning writer Mitchell Hurwitz ("Arrested Development") and Eric and Kim Tannenbaum ("Two and a Half Men").
Chenoweth, who was last seen on ABC's "Pushing Daisies," says she couldn't resist working with creators like that. She admits to being a little gun shy about doing another series, considering that the low-rated but critically acclaimed "Daisies" ended so abruptly, and she loved doing it.
Chenoweth says she likes the working schedule that animation provides. "I'm doing episode three, and it will only take me three or four hours to do it," she says.
Best of all, though, "you can get away with doing so much in animation. All you're doing is the voice," she says. "The (drawn) character gets to do all the rest on the screen."
Other highlights for the week of April 19-25 (all times EDT; listings subject to change; check local listings):
SUNDAY
-- "The Natalee Holloway Story" (8 p.m., Lifetime Movie Network). This fact-based story tells about the American teen-ager who disappeared in 2005 while traveling in Aruba.
-- "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (9 p.m., USA Network). Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe kick off season eight.
-- "In Plain Sight" (10 p.m., USA Network). The season-two premiere is right under your nose.
TUESDAY
-- "Interactive Achievement Awards" (8 p.m., IFC). Jay Mohr is host of the event recognizing the best in gaming and online entertainment.
-- "The Phone" (10 p.m., MTV). Justin Timberlake is on the other end, so pick up.
-- "Life After People: The Series" (10 p.m., History). What would happen to Earth if people disappeared? Well, no one would be watching this program, for sure.
FRIDAY
-- "Iron Man: Armored Adventures" (7 p.m., Nickelodeon). The man in the iron suit stars in this new cartoon series.
SATURDAY
-- "Streisand: Live in Concert" (8 p.m., CBS). Barbra Streisand's last live concert tour goes to prime time. It's like buttah.
-- "Chasing A Dream" (9 p.m., Hallmark Channel). A teen, feeling guilty over a friend's death, decides to finish out the friend's dream of running a 4-minute mile.
(E-mail Terry Morrow of The Knoxville News-Sentinel in Tennessee at morrow2(at)knews.com.)
TV HILIGHTS
