Idina Menzel and Her Impact on The Performance World

The infamous actress Idina Menzel was born in 1971 on May 30th in Syosset, New York, with her original name being Idina Kim Mentzel. Idina later adapted her last name spelling to Menzel due to the fear of mispronunciation. She is not only a powerhouse singer but an insanely inspirational woman to people around the world. She initially established a successful Broadway career, but originally she began singing at various events while in high school. Later in life she attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, finishing off with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1993. She still continues to work as an artist today.

Her career began with starring roles in projects like Rent. In 1996, Menzel scored a role in the first cast of the Broadway show Rent, a rock musical which highlights social issues such as AIDS, bohemia, social justice, and sexual diversity. Rent was a very long running musical extending from 1996 to 2008, over 123 shows. Menzel was casted as Maureen Johnson a bisexual artist who fights for social justice in her community, and after perfecting her role, Idina acquired a Tony nomination. She met her first husband Taye Diggs through the production. Diggs and Menzel tied the knot in 2003, then the two had a son together named Walker. Menzel also appeared in many less well-known shows. First in 2000, as Dorothy in “Summer of ‘42”. Then as Sheila in Hair 2001 and also Aida in Amneris. Other shows and characters include: a performer in The Vagina Monologues in 2002, Fancy Brice in Funny Girl also in 2002, See What I Wanna see playing 3 roles Kesa, Lily, and Deanna in 2005, Florence Vassy in Chess in Concert and Poppaea Sabina in Nero both in 2008, If/then as Elizabeth Vaughan in 2014-15, and lastly most recently appearing in Skintight as Jodi Isaac in 2018. After the appearing in the Wild Party an Off-Broadway production in 2000, Menzel began to star in the 2003 original cast of the production Wicked. Menzel portrayed the character Elphaba, a girl cursed with green skin and a divergent spirit, who eventually evolves into the Wicked Witch of the West from the movie The Wizard of Oz. With her crowd moving on stage vocal performances of songs like "Defying Gravity, " more Tony awards were in store. Little did Menzel know this role would aquire her best actress in a musical. Sadly during the Matinee show of Wicked Idina cracked a rib falling through a trapdoor during a scene. This injury cost Menzel the closing night of “Wicked”. Her understudy then replaced her for the majority of the show, but Idina gathered strength and made an appearance for the finale and curtain call. In 2006 due to popular demand, Wicked the musical was revived from September to December of that year. This mass fascination and appreciation of Wicked carried over even up to July of 2010 at A Broadway Celebration: In Performance at the White House where the singer performed "Defying Gravity" for the United states President at the time Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. This concert aired on PBS during the same month in 2010. Wicked overall sky-rocked Menzel’s career and made her into who she is today. Throughout her current thriving career Idina Menzel has been nominated for many awards and honors. First, she received an Obie award for her role in the theater production of Rent. Then the actress gained a well deserved Tony award for best lead actress in a musical “Wicked” in 2004. Broadway. com audience awards also nominated her for many awards like Favorite Diva Performance and Favorite ensemble performance in 2004. Adding to her internet award fame, Menzel in 2006 Whatsonstage. com theatergoers choice award for Best Actress in a Musical. In 2014 Menzel was the first Tony award holder to be placed at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, the song charting being "Let It Go”. Menzel secured a win for a hard earned Grammy, for the Frozen movie soundtrack. Even during her current career she is still being honored. Recently, Menzel won the Drama League Special Recognition Award - Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre, 2018. These are just a few of her important awards highlighted here, but evidence comes to show critics and fans have given her the mass recognition she deserves.

Everyone, especially performance artists seek to make their mark on the world. Idina Menzel has done just that since her first performance on stage in Rent. Rent’s message moved audiences left and right especially with the AIDS epidemic theme carried out in the show. By playing Maureen Johnson, who was bisexual woman that fought social justice and homelessness in her community she demonstrated diversity and strength. This role gave power to many people and taught girls with similar ambitions it is good to have a voice. Menzel yet again made an impact with her next controversial character Elphaba the so called “Wicked” not so witchy Witch. This character depicts the mistitled, incredibly powerful underdog Elphaba. The song “Defying Gravity” shows many that caring what others think of you only holds you back and accepting yourself is liberating. She also moved people with more than her theater performances. Idina also starred as Elsa in Disney’s hit film “Frozen”. A queen who for the first time iconically does not need a man to save her highlighting feminism and female power. Idina also sings “Let It Go” as Elsa, a powerful message that teaches those to forgive and leave their inhibitions behind them. Through each and everyone of her performances Idina Menzel showed her fans it is okay to be different, alone, and to speak out. From the stage, screen, and also studio albums it is important to also briefly highlight Menzel’s success outside of the theater world.

Her first steps off the theater stage began with a successful singing career. Starting after her first big role in the 1996 original production of “Rent” the musical where she first showcased her vocal talent, Menzel then released the first of her studio albums, Still Can't Be Still in 1998. Here her second album, was put out by Zel Records. Her third and album was released in 2008, titled: I Stand. This album being the most attention gaining up to this point in her career, making it to fifty-eight on Billboard top 200. In 2008, she appeared at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Menzel performed "I Stand" on the M&M Candy float. Continuing to gain stature, Ray Charles's placed Menzel in 2005 on his album, Genius and Friends, on the track "I Will Be There. " Then in 2007, Menzel scored the chance to sing the credits song for the film Beowulf, the song is titled "A Hero Comes Home. " This same year her voice opened yet another opportunity with Rhydian Roberts a British X Factor star, who offered her a spot on his debut album, duetting on the song "What If". In November 11, 2008 the song "Hope" was sang by Menzel to benefit for Stand Up to Cancer. She also created Holiday Wishes, an album that charted number 10 on Billboard 200. In 2014, in honor of the album, Menzel was presented with the Breakthrough Artist award Billboard Women in Music awards ceremony. Menzel sang the National Anthem at Super Bowl in 2015, a big honor for her career. The most recent vocal advances made by Menzel were in 2016 announcing the release her fifth album. According to Entertainment Weekly, Menzel stated: "I poured my heart out and used my music as a place to kind of figure some things out. It’s a really personal album. ” From each album, vocal appearance, and opportunity Menzel’s vocal carrier directly spurred from Broadway and proved to be very prosperous. Idina Menzel also birthed a screen career from her broadway appearances. Her career first extended to a television series, "Hercules: The Animated Series". After her TV series, she moved to even bigger things starring in "Kissing Jessica Stein" in 2001. All of this leading to her staring in the film adaptation of the musical “Rent” Menzel revived her role of Maureen in 2005. Later, Menzel was featured in Enchanted in 2007, as Nancy Tremaine the fiance or other woman of Robert Philip (Patrick Dempsey) in the movie. She also played the mother of Rachel Shelby Corcoran, in the Television show “Glee’ starring alongside Lea Michele with a featured cover of “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical Les Mis. Menzel then attempted to be cast in the film Tangled but did not get the part, however her attempt still caught the attention of Disney. This attention later being acted upon as she was cast as a lead role in the next upcoming Disney film. Menzel then starred in Disney's animation film Frozen, airing in November 2013. Menzel portrayed Elsa a character yet again with massive power struggling to find her true ability. Throughout her career Menzel has played many crowd impacting roles such as Elphaba, Elsa, and Maureen. These roles have many similar traits, but the presence of a strong female voice being the most important similarity. Each role had its own battles, but Elsa and Elphaba both struggle to find their true power ad embrace their candid selves. Through the songs Menzel sings, women all over the world including myself find power in her words to defy the glass ceiling. In relation to this Idina Menzel at 46 purported, “Our true beauty will be reflected in this amazing power we have. These characters had to realize they just needed to surrender to be their greatest self. That is what ends up having the power to change things. ” She also contributes to society through various charity organizations and concerts. Menzel was as an honorary chair for the Imperial Court of New York's Annual Charity Coronation Ball in 2009. In Atlanta, Georgia, Pace Academy Diversity Program and Ron Clark Academy worked to raise money to contribute, to help Idina Menzel performed a special charity concert event. Her contributions and the event itself generated funding for two scholarships given to students attending the Ron Clark Academy to then have the chance to attend the Pace Academy. Menzel and her former husband Diggs established A BroaderWay Foundation which supports youth involved in the Fine Arts. This foundation facilitates many theater camps, skill building workshops, creates scholarships, and opens many doors for the youth in the programs to view professional performances. Menzel has also been a long time supporter of the LGBT rights thus partnering with many organizations like the Give a Damn Project. Again supporting social issues in April 2014, at the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Easter Bonnet Competition Menzel presented and raised donations at her Broadway show If/Then.

Idina Menzel uses her talents and means to cultivate futures for many children and the sick. Idina Menzel throughout her ongoing career has inspired many and gained a lot of acclaimed fame. From her Broadway appearances in popular shows like Rent and Wicked to her on screen fame in Frozen, Menzel truly proved she can do it all. Her impact on the theater world was both diverse and bold depicting strength and the power of one’s genuine self in every role.