Idina Menzel Profile
Idina Menzel
Born Idina Kim Mentzel May 30, 1971 (1971-05-30) (age 36) New York City, USA
Spouse(s) Taye Diggs (2003—present)
Official website
Awards won
Tony Awards
Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Musical 2004 Wicked
Idina Kim Menzel (born May 30, 1971) is a Tony Award-winning American actress, singer and songwriter who achieved fame for her performances as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, in the Tony award-winning musical Wicked and as Maureen Johnson in the Broadway and film versions of Rent.
Contents
1 Biography
1.1 Early life 1.2 Theatre career 1.3 Film and singing career 1.4 Personal life
2 Body of work
2.1 Theatre credits 2.2 Filmography 2.3 TV credits 2.4 Discography
2.4.1 Studio albums 2.4.2 Cast recordings 2.4.3 Miscellaneous
3 References 4 External links
Biography
Early life Born in Queens, New York with the birth name Idina Kim Mentzel,
Theatre career In 1995, Menzel auditioned for Rent, which became her first professional theater job and her Broadway debut. After Rent opened off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop on January 26, 1996, it was 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. She completed her last performance on July 1, 1997. Following the success of Rent, Idina 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.
As Elphaba in Wicked with Norbert Leo Butz as Fiyero (Original Broadway Cast)
In 2003, Menzel starred alongside fellow actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth on Broadway in Wicked, a musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman based upon the popular 1995 Gregory Maguire novel. Idina 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. 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 her role as various characters, 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. Menzel finished her run on December 30, 2006. Menzel was then succeeded by fellow Elphaba Stand-by Kerry Ellis. She was slated to appear in Vassar College's Powerhouse Theater premiere of "Romantic Poetry" in July 2007 but was forced to cancel because of conflicts with the schedule for the release of her third solo album. Menzel will be playing the leading role of Florence in the 21st Anniversary two-night concerts of Chess at the Royal Albert Hall, London from May 12, 2008 through May 13, 2008. Current London Elphaba Kerry Ellis (Menzel's former standby) will be joining her.
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.
Image:Idina enchant.jpg Menzel and Patrick Dempsey in Enchanted.
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. 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". Singer Ray Charles invited Menzel to duet with him on one of the tracks of his album Genius & Friends. The tracks were recorded in 1998 but were never produced, and it was one of his dying wishes that the album be made, a wish which was fulfilled posthumously. Menzel has appeared on the cast recordings of Rent and Wicked, two of the best-selling cast recordings of all time, as well as the recordings of Lippa's The Wild Party, LaChiusa's See What I Wanna See, and the soundtrack of the film Rent. She recently signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records. Her third solo album, I Stand, was released on January 29, 2008. It includes many new tracks such as the lead single, "Brave" as well as the title track "I Stand" and a song released on EP, "Gorgeous". A new studio version of Defying Gravity was released in May 2007 on iTunes. A remix of Defying Gravity was the "anthem" at the 2007 Gay Pride Parade and Festival in Los Angeles and that version appears on the official CD from the event. It has instantly become a collectors item. The album debuted at #58 in the Billboard 200 making it the first solo album by Menzel to make the charts. On April 1, 2008, Menzel kicked off her "I Stand" tour in support of her new album.
Personal life Menzel married actor Taye Diggs, her co-star from the original Broadway production of Rent, on January 11, 2003 after 7 years of dating. They have a Yorkshire Terrier named Sammy Davis, Jr., and two cats named Ella and Coltrane whom they call their "Jazz Cats" since 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. In November 2007, Menzel worked with the Kids Wish Network to grant a wish for Sammie, a young woman with common variable immunodeficiency, taking her to the Los Angeles premiere of the film Enchanted.
Body of work
Theatre credits
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 8, 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 (concert) Florence
Performances: Royal Albert Hall (May 12, 2008 - May 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
TV credits
Year TV series Role Notes
1998 Hercules: The Animated Series Circe Episode ("Hercules and the Song of Circe")
2004 Rescue Me Carol Episode ("Sanctuary")
2005 Kevin Hill Francine Prescott Episodes ("Losing Isn't Everything", "Sacrificial Lambs")
Discography
Studio albums
Year Title Label
1998 Still I Can't Be Still Hollywood Records
2004 Here Zel Records
2008 I Stand Warner Bros. Records
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
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
References
^ Neumaier, Joe. "RENT CONTROL. One part original, one part newcomer", Daily News (New York), 2005-11-15. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel - Official site Idina Menzel at the Internet Movie Database Idina Menzel at the Internet Broadway Database Interview with Idina Menzel - at TonyAwards.com Idina-Here.com - Official Fan Site
Awards
Preceded by Marissa Jaret Winokur for Hairspray Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical 2004 for Wicked Succeeded by Victoria Clark for The Light in the Piazza
v • d • e
Wicked
Books Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West • Son of a Witch • A Lion Among Men
Stage adaptations Wicked
Characters Elphaba • Glinda • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz • Fiyero • Boq • Madame Morrible • Nessarose • Doctor Dillamond
Songs No One Mourns the Wicked • Popular • Defying Gravity • As Long As You're Mine • No Good Deed • For Good
People Gregory Maguire • Stephen Schwartz • Winnie Holzman • Joe Mantello • Cast List
Other List of awards and nominations for the musical Wicked • Wicked (album) • List of characters in Wicked
Top 5 Search Results
Idina Menzel Official site for the actress. Includes news and sound clips.
Idina Menzel - Wikipedia Biography of the singer and actress.
MySpace.com - Idina Menzel - New York, New York - Pop / Other - www ... MySpace music profile for Idina Menzel with tour dates, songs, videos, pictures, blogs, band ... Idina Menzel's Warner Bros. Records debut album, "I ...
Idina Menzel - IMDb Filmography, facts, and links for the actress/singer featured in Rent.
Idina Menzel Nov 09, 2008. Union, NJ. Wilkins Theatre. Get Tickets ... Write to Idina. Privacy Policy. Terms of Service. label. All material © 2008 Idina Menzel and WBR. ...
