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Idina Menzel extracted from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, distributed under the GNU Free Documentation License

Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel, August 17, 2004
Background information
Birth name	Idina Kim Mentzel
Born	May 30, 1971 (1971-05-30) (age 38) Long Island, New York
Genres	Pop / Vocal / Broadway
Occupations	Singer, Actress, Songwriter
Years active	1995-present
Labels	Hollywood Records 1998-1999 Warner Bros. Records 2008-present
Website	idinamenzel.com

Idina Kim Menzel (pronounced /ɪˈdiːnə mɛn'zɛl/; née Mentzel; born May 30, 1971) is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She is widely known for originating the roles of Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Theatre career 3 Film and singing career 4 Personal life 5 Charity 6 Work 6.1 Theatre 6.2 Filmography 6.3 Television 6.4 Discography 6.4.1 Studio albums 6.4.2 Singles 6.4.3 Cast recordings 6.4.4 Miscellaneous 7 References 8 External links

Early life

Menzel was born on Long Island, New York,¹ to a Jewish family.² Her mother, Helene, is a therapist, and her father, Stuart Mentzel, worked as a pajama salesman.³ She was raised in Syosset, New York, with her younger sister Cara, and later changed her last name (Mentzel) because of constant mispronunciation.⁴ When Menzel was 15 years old, her parents divorced and she began working as a wedding and bar mitzvah singer, a job which she continued throughout her time at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.⁵ She earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Drama at NYU prior to being cast in Jonathan Larson's rock musical Rent. She was friends with actor Adam Pascal before they worked together in Rent.³

Theatre career

In 1995, Menzel auditioned for Rent, which became her first professional theater job and her Broadway debut. Rent opened off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop on January 26, 1996, but it moved to Broadway's Nederlander Theatre due to its popularity. For her performance as Maureen Johnson in the original cast of the musical, Menzel received a Tony nomination as Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Her final performance in the musical was on July 1, 1997.

Following the success of Rent, Menzel released her first solo album entitled "Still I Can't Be Still" on "HollyWood Records", Menzel also originated the role of Dorothy in Summer of ’42 at Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut, starred as Sheila in the New York City Center Encores! production of Hair and appeared on Broadway as Amneris in Aida. Menzel earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for her performance as Kate in the Manhattan Theatre Club's 2000 off-Broadway production of Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party. Her other off-Broadway credits include the pre-Broadway run of Rent and The Vagina Monologues.⁶

In 2003, Menzel starred with actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth on Broadway in Wicked, a musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman loosely based upon the popular 1995 Gregory Maguire novel. Menzel received the 2004 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. On her third-to-last performance of Wicked on January 8, 2005, she fell through a trap door and cracked a lower rib. The injury prevented her from performing in the January 9 show. Menzel did, however, make a special out-of-costume appearance at that performance, performed her final song, and received a 5 minute long standing ovation.⁷ Menzel was replaced by Elphaba standby Shoshana Bean.

Following Wicked, Menzel appeared off-Broadway in the Public Theater's production of See What I Wanna See, a Michael John LaChiusa-penned musical whose run ended in December 2005, for which she received Drama Desk Award and Drama League Award nominations. She reprised her Tony Award-winning role as Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked when it opened at London's Apollo Victoria Theater on September 7, 2006.⁸ During the run, she joined the ranks of highest paid female performer in the West End at $30,000 per week. Menzel finished her West End run on December 30, 2006. She was succeeded by Elphaba standby Kerry Ellis.

Menzel played the role of Florence in the 21st Anniversary concert of Chess at the Royal Albert Hall, London from May 12–13, 2008 alongside Kerry Ellis, Adam Pascal and Josh Groban.

In 2008, Menzel headlined the Powerhouse Theatre's reading of Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's musical Nero from July 11–13, performing the role of Nero’s mistress Poppea.⁹

Film and singing career

Menzel's film roles include appearances in Just a Kiss, Kissing Jessica Stein, Tollbooth, Water, Ask the Dust, Enchanted, and Rent, in which she and five other original cast members reprised their stage roles.

Menzel performed at the 1998 Lilith Fair summer concert festival and continues to write and perform original music. She has toured extensively and frequently performs in various venues throughout New York City. She produced and released her debut album, Still I Can’t Be Still, for Hollywood Records in 1998. One single from the album, "Minuet," made the Radio & Records CHR/Pop Tracks chart at #48 in October 1998.¹⁰

Her second album, Here, was released independently by Zel Records in 2004. Menzel has contributed to soundtracks, including those for the film The Other Sister and the ABC television dramedy Desperate Housewives. In 2007, she appeared on the Beowulf soundtrack singing the end credits song, "A Hero Comes Home".

Her third solo album, I Stand, was released on January 29, 2008. It includes many new songs, including the lead single, "Brave," the title track "I Stand," and a song released on EP, "Gorgeous". The album debuted at #58 in the Billboard 200 making it the first solo album by Menzel to make the charts. There are five versions of this album: the original version, the special limited edition, the iTunes version, the Barnes & Noble edition, and the Borders edition.

On April 1, 2008, Menzel kicked off her "I Stand" tour in support of her new album.

On November 11, 2008, Menzel released a new single in conjunction with Major League Baseball. The single is entitled "Hope" and all proceeds go to Stand Up 2 Cancer.

On November 27, 2008, Menzel performed "I Stand" on the M&M Candies float as part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.¹¹¹²

When asked about 'Defying Gravity' being sung on Glee, Idina was asked about her musical future, and whilst she said that the movie version of 'Wicked' would probably not be around until a dip in its Broadway Box Office, she stated that she had met with Andrew Lloyd Webber about taking the role of Betty Schaefer in his much delayed Sunset Boulevard film adaptation.^{citation needed}

According to her husband, actor Taye Diggs, Menzel has expressed interest in guest starring on "Glee", as the biological mother of Lea Michele's character, Rachel Berry. Menzel and Michele have been noted by both Glee fans and Menzel's husband as having a strong physical resemblance.¹³ On December 10, 2009, it was confirmed that Menzel is currently in negotiations to have a recurring role on Glee, although not as Rachel Berry's mother. Instead, if all goes according to plan, Menzel will be playing the coach of opposing Glee club, Vocal Adrenaline.¹⁴ Michele (along with fellow Glee star Chris Colfer) sang "Defying Gravity," the Wicked song Menzel is most famous for, on the TV show.

She is also known for her wide vocal range and for her use of the belt technique in her singing.

Personal life

Menzel married actor Taye Diggs, her co-star from the original Broadway production of Rent, on January 11, 2003¹⁵ after 7 years of dating. They have a Yorkshire Terrier named Sammy Davis Jr.¹⁶ and two cats named Ella and Coltrane, whom they call their "Jazz Cats" because they were named after famous jazz performers. On December 6, 2004, it was reported by the New York Post that Menzel and Diggs were threatened with harm in a series of letters because of their interracial marriage.¹⁷ Their son, Walker Nathaniel Diggs, was born on September 2, 2009.¹⁸

Charity

Menzel was an Honorary Chair of the Imperial Court of New York's Annual Charity Coronation Ball, Night of A Thousand Gowns on March 21, 2009. Other Honorary Chairs for the evening's charity event included Sir Elton John CBE, Patti LuPone, John Cameron Mitchell, Joan Rivers and Dame Robin Strasser.¹⁹

Work

Theatre

Start year	Production	Role	Notes and awards
1996	Rent	Maureen Johnson	Original Broadway Cast Performances: New York Theatre Workshop (January 26, 1996 - March 31, 1996) Nederlander Theatre (April 29, 1996 - July 1, 1997) Nominated - 1996 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
2000	The Wild Party	Kate	Performances: Manhattan Theatre Club Stage I (February 24, 2000 - April 9, 2000) Nominated - 2000 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
	Summer of '42	Dorothy	Performances: The Norma Terris Theatre (August 10, 2000 - September 3, 2000)
2001	Hair	Sheila	Performances: New York City Center - (May 3, 2001 - May 7, 2001)
	Aida	Amneris	Replacement Broadway Cast Performances: Palace Theatre (September 13, 2001 - January 27, 2002)
2002	The Vagina Monologues	Performer	Performances: Westside Theatre (Downstairs) (March 5, 2002 - April 14, 2002)
	Funny Girl (concert)	Fanny Brice	Performances: New Amsterdam Theatre (September 23, 2002) Performed "Cornet Man"
2003	Wicked	Elphaba	Original Broadway cast Performances: George Gershwin Theatre (October 30, 2003 - January 8, 2005) Won - Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Won - Broadway.com Audience Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical Won - Broadway.com Audience Award for Best Diva Performance Won - Broadway.com Audience Award for Best Onstage Pair (with Kristin Chenoweth) Nominated - Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical Nominated - Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical Nominated - Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance
2005	See What I Wanna See	Kesa / The Wife (Lily) / The Actress (Deanna)	Performances: The Public Theater (October 30, 2005 - December 4, 2005) Nominated - Drama Desk Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical Nominated - Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance
2006	Wicked (London)	Elphaba	Original London West End cast Performances: Apollo Victoria Theatre (September 7, 2006 - December 30, 2006) Won - WhatsOnStage.com Theatregoers Choice Award for Best Actress in a Musical
2008	Chess in Concert (concert)	Florence Vassy	Performances: Royal Albert Hall (May 12, 2008 - May 13, 2008)
	Nero	Poppea	Performances: Powerhouse Theatre (July 11, 2008 - July 13, 2008)

Filmography

Year	Film	Role	Notes and awards
2001	Kissing Jessica Stein	Bridesmaid
2002	Just a Kiss	Linda
2004	The Tollbooth	Raquel Cohen-Flaxman
	Water	Jessy Turner
2005	Rent	Maureen Johnson	Nominated - 2005 Northeastern Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated - 2005 Northeastern Critics Award for Best Ensemble Nominated - 2005 Broadcast Film Critics Award for Best Ensemble Nominated - 2005 Washington Film Critics Award for Best Ensemble
2006	Ask the Dust	Vera Rivkin
2007	ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway	as Herself	Recorded her own rendition of "Lullaby of Broadway" for the end credits
	Enchanted	Nancy Tremaine

Television

• Hercules: The Animated Series as Circe (1998) 1 episode
• Rescue Me as Carol (2004) 1 episode
• Kevin Hill as Francine Prescott (2005) 2 episodes
• Soundstage as Herself (2009) 1 episode
• Private Practice as Lisa King (2009) 2 episodes
• PBS Great Performances as Herself (2009) 1 episode
• Glee as Vocal Adrenaline Director (2010) 2 episodes

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Album	U.S.	UK	Worldwide sales
1998	Still I Can't Be Still	—	—	9,000
2004	Here	—	—	unknown
2008	I Stand	58	54	unknown

Singles

Year	Title	U.S. AC	U.S. Dance	R&R	Album
1998	"Minuet"	—	—	48	Still I Can't Be Still
2006	"Take Me or Leave Me"	—	32	—	Rent soundtrack
2007	"Defying Gravity"	—	5	—	non-album single
2008	"Brave"	19	—	—	I Stand
	"Gorgeous"	—	3	—
	"Hope"	—	—	—	non-album single

Cast recordings

Year	Title	Label
1996	Rent (Original Broadway Cast Recording)	DreamWorks Records
2000	The Wild Party (Lippa) (Off-Broadway)	RCA Victor Broadway
2003	Wicked (Original Broadway Cast Recording)	Decca Records
2005	Rent (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)	Warner Bros. Records
2006	See What I Wanna See (2005 Original Off-Broadway Cast)	Sh-K-Boom Records
2009	Chess in Concert (Live Recording of 2008 Royal Albert Hall Performance)	Reprise Records
2009	Highlights from Chess in Concert (Live Recording of 2008 Royal Albert Hall Performance)	Reprise Records

Miscellaneous

Year	Song	Album	Label
1998	"Follow If You Lead"	The Other Sister (Music From The Motion Picture)	Hollywood Records
2003	"How Shall I See You Through My Tears", "The Want of a Nail" (Backing vocals)	Camp (Music from the Motion Picture)	Decca Records
	"I Saw Three Ships"	Broadway's Greatest Gifts: Carols for a Cure, Vol. 5	Rock-It Science Records
2005	"Damsel In Distress"	Music from and Inspired by Desperate Housewives	Hollywood Records
	"I Will Be There"	Genius & Friends	Rhino Records
2007	"A Hero Comes Home" (End Credit Version)	Beowulf (Music from the Motion Picture)	Warner Bros. Records
2008	"What If" (duet with Rhydian)	Rhydian	Syco Records
2008	"Brave"

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Idina Menzel

• Official website
• Idina Menzel at the Internet Broadway Database
• Idina Menzel at the Internet Movie Database
• Interview with Idina Menzel at TonyAwards.com

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