Theatre
This is what makes Idina Menzel a legend
With the news that Idina Menzel will return to the UK this summer, we take a look back at some of her greatest moments and most iconic roles.
To the unacquainted, Idina Menzel is simply the girl who voiced Princess Elsa in Disney’s Frozen, singing the film’s Oscar-winning smash hit Let It Go.
But outside of the land of Disney princesses, Menzel is a stalwart of the Broadway scene. She’s a Tony Award-winning actress, has appeared in movies and TV shows, and has even starred on the West End stage, too.
Here we take a look at some of her greatest moments from the stage and screen.
As Elphaba in Wicked
Wicked is a musical phenomenon. Currently celebrating 10 years in the West End, Menzel can lay claim to originating the role of Elphaba in both the original Broadway and London productions, having played the role on either side of the Atlantic. Here she is at the 2004 Tony Awards (the same night she won the gong for Best Actress in a Musical), performing the legendary Defying Gravity.
As Maureen Johnson in RENT
Before Wicked catapulted Menzel into Broadway’s stratosphere, she’d made a name for herself by originating the role of Maureen Johnson in Jonathan Larson’s seminal classic RENT. Here’s Menzel performing the incomparable Take Me Or Leave Me alongside Tracie Thoms in the movie version of RENT from 2005.
As Shelby Corcoran in Glee
When Lea Michele’s character in Glee went on a quest to find her birth mother, fans of the show lobbied producers to cast Menzel in the role. Thankfully, they listened, and Menzel appeared in 12 episodes over the show’s six seasons. Here she is – with Michele – performing the Les Misérables classic I Dreamed A Dream.
As Elizabeth Vaughan in If/Then
If/Then marked Menzel’s return to the Broadway stage in 2014, earning her her third Tony nomination for her duel role as Elizabeth and Liz. The show cleverly depicts the two paths that one woman’s life could take after a decision in a single moment. Here’s she is at the 2014 Tony Awards singing the simply astounding Always Starting Over.
As Princess Elsa in Frozen
It would be remiss to not include this here. As Elsa, Menzel has been introduced to a whole new generation of fans, and Let It Go is one helluva number. Here’s the original, gorgeous sequence from the movie.
Here are her forthcoming UK dates:
14 June – Colston Hall, Bristol
15 June – Royal Albert Hall, London
16 June – Guildhall, Portsmouth
18 June – Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
19 June – Symphony Hall, Birmingham
20 June – Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
Idina Menzel’s World Tour comes to the UK in June. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.co.uk.
