2025-01-28
18 分钟Menzel, a fan favorite since “Rent,” is back on Broadway in “Redwood,” and this time she’s climbing conifers.
Hi, I'm Michael Paulson and I'm the theater reporter for the New York Times.
Idina Menzel is one of Broadway's biggest and most beloved stars.
She emerged onto the scene in the 90s in Rent,
which was this transformational rock musical
in which she played this wild performance artist named Maureen.
Take me for what I am, who I was meant to be.
But the thing that really made her a star was Wicked.
She originated the role of Elphaba, of course, that's the green witch at the heart of the story.
And then came Frozen.
It's an animated film, so she was the voice actor, but she brought the character of Elsa to life.
Menzel has these two insanely famous songs.
One of them is Defying Gravity from Wick, and the other, of course is Let It Go, Let It Go,
Let It Go, which at least for a decade, like every eight year old on the planet could sing.
Each of those roles on its own would be huge.
But to have created three really singular, memorable, iconic characters is just so unusual.
And it helped her build up this huge fan base.
And then this completely crazy thing happens in 2014 where she goes
on the Academy Awards to perform here to perform the Oscar nomination,
gorgeously empowering song, Let It Go.
And John Travolta, who's introducing her, accidentally calls her Adele Dazeen.