Randi Mann

Ranking lululemon leggings, tanks, bras and more Get the latest from Randi Mann straight to your inbox Article content

Prime Day start times from coast to coast

Beth Kimmerle, taste expert, shares her best practices for buying chocolate.

Non-stick, non-ugly Get the latest from Randi Mann straight to your inbox Article content

Top sales in kitchen, home, fashion, tech and more Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected.

Prime Day end times from coast to coast Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected.

Article content Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : Idina Menzel embraces decades of power Idina Menzel embraces decades of power Chatting ‘Wicked,' ‘Frozen 3,' ‘Rent' and more ahead of her ‘Take Me Or Leave Me Tour' Author of the article: Article content Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Advertisement 2 Article content Idina Menzel has had many patrons under a spell since she played Maureen Johnson in the musical Rent in 1996. Her powerful voice, demanding stage presence and proud identity as a feminist have captivated audiences for decades. Idina Menzel embraces decades of power Back to video Though Rent was Menzel's first professional job, audiences may know the Tony-winning actor from her spellbinding role as Elphaba in Wicked , Elsa in the soon-to-be trilogy Frozen and many others. Ahead of taking off on her “Take Me Or Leave Me Tour” (she'll be playing Massey Hall in Toronto on Aug. 13, 2024 ), I chatted with Menzel to discuss her most well-known “eras” and noticed a trend throughout her career — Menzel plays loud, proud women who must learn to love themselves for who they were meant to be. Advertisement 3 Article content “I believe that every character that comes into our lives as performers is there to teach us something about ourselves and something we need to learn in our own lives,” shares Menzel. Menzel kicked off her career with one of her most confident characters, Maureen in Rent . For a year and a half, Menzel introduced Maureen to audiences by donning a small shirt and skin-tight pleather pants while harnessing theatregoers to “ moo ” with her. Maureen is an unapologetic attention-grabbing performer who uses her abilities to protest the causes she's passionate about. Menzel's next role that transcended the deep theatre world was Elphaba in Wicked , which she debuted in 2003. Wicked has remained on Broadway since its opening and is currently making headlines as the two-part movie version is set to be released later this year and in 2025. Advertisement 4 Article content Though Menzel won't be reprising the Wicked Witch of the West in the movie — mentioning “ I'm just older and can't play the role ” — she shares how the experience of developing the character impacted her. “Elphaba had to learn how to harness her power and to love and appreciate herself. I had to do the same as a performer and as a woman to recognize that I had all this fire and ferocity and power — and that I didn't need to be afraid of it,” Menzel shares. It's hard not to see the parallels between the green-skinned witch and blonde-plaited princess Elsa, in Frozen . However, Menzel no longer needed to fear water, unless frozen. Menzel played Elsa, a Disney princess with powers that needed to be harnessed. This was when Menzel went way beyond the stage and into the living rooms of parents everywhere. Advertisement 5 Article content Menzel is a sensational singer, Disney princess, children's author philanthropist , comedic actor and so much more — but as seen in many of Menzel interviews and as I experienced for myself, she seems down-to-earth. Menzel thoughtfully and eloquently answers questions with earnestness yet levity — the contrast of being a grounded superstar certainly defies gravity. Menzel has had many great successes beyond her most defining roles, but below we cover some of those big hits while getting to know a bit more about the Broadway belter. Q&A with Idina Menzel Rent Q: What resonates most from your Rent days? A: That's a very rich, full time in my life. That's not a simple answer. It was my first professional job so it was a magical time. It was daunting. It was bittersweet and it was exciting. It was a dream come true. I had been a little girl growing up in Long Island wanting to be on Broadway and having that come to fruition. Advertisement 6 Article content What resonates the most is just the cast, the family that we made. On stage and backstage with one another, our commitment to doing the best job we possibly could to honour Jonathan Larson. Q: What's one thing about Jonathan Larson that doesn't get enough attention? A: I don't know if it would be what doesn't get enough attention. I don't think people understand, or fully comprehend that when you're a young, aspiring theatre composer you are waiting tables and trying to make ends meet and hoping to have your vision realized. When someone finally takes a leap of faith [couldn't help myself] and gives you the funding to focus 100 per cent on your creative vision and you can stop having a second job waiting tables that is like— I guess I'm projecting my own experience, but the joy and glee that he had when he was able to do that— is something not to be taken lightly. When any artist can focus on their creativity and not have to worry about paying rent. Advertisement 7 Article content Wicked Q: What is your biggest takeaway from debuting and playing Elphaba in Wicked A: I believe that every character that comes into our lives as performers is there in order to teach us something about ourselves and something we need to learn in our own lives as well as the characters' lives. Elphaba had to learn how to harness her power and love and appreciate that about herself. I had to do the same as a performer, as a woman, to recognize that I had all this fire and ferocity and power and that I didn't need to be afraid of it. But if I just embraced it, people would really see me for who I am and in the best light. Q: With the Wicked movie coming this fall, what do you think differentiates stage-to-screen successes vs. flops? Advertisement 8 Article content A: You're talking to someone who has her original musical coming to Broadway [I mentioned I think too many musicals these days are remakes from popular movies], which I'm very proud of. That's all in the directors' vision. There are some iconic movie musicals that have done it all right and then some that haven't worked. It's really hard to put your finger on it. It's hard sometimes to transfer people singing their feelings in a scene onto a camera close-up in their faces. Frozen Q: What do you hope is next for Elsa in Frozen 3 A: I just want her to be happy. I'd like her to have more joy in her life, more adventure, more bonding time with her sister. Screen Q: How did you start collaborating with Adam Sandler? What's it like to work on films with him? Advertisement 9 Article content A: It's the best. I don't remember how I started. I think it was Uncut Gems or even before then. He's a wonderful human being, a very generous person on and off camera. And that's been a delight for me. He's allowed me to show the world that I can be funny, which I really owe him so much for that. He's great. His whole family is great. Solo career Q: In one of your interviews, you mentioned something about being influenced by Alanis Morissette — do you mind speaking to this? A: She's been a huge inspiration to me. I love her honesty in her lyrics, melodies and songwriting. How I write music is different in every collaboration. Some things come from me and some from the musician collaborator and working with chord progression. It all changes when writing for theatre, which is a different kind of beast. When I'm writing my own music, I can write from my own stories, but writing from a specific character is a different skill. Advertisement 10 Article content Q: What's the most exciting and toughest aspect of getting ready and heading on tour? A: The pressure that I put on myself to want the show to be incredible, to want to challenge myself and my musicians who've been with me for many years. Getting better to try new things without changing certain songs that people want to hear a certain way. How to keep myself challenged and fresh while also giving people what they want to hear. How to put together a set and a show that feels authentic and intimate, no matter the size of the venue. Fast-fire questions Q: Go-to snacks on tour? A: Bagel and a Diet Coke. Q: Go to beauty brands on tour? A: I'm using an Armani foundation that I love and I use Tatcha makeup remover and Neutrogena makeup remover wipes Q: What do you think is the most underrated song from your solo music? A: It's not underrated, it's just, has anyone ever even heard it? I'm going to do a couple of things from my old album. Q: Favourite Broadway show? A: I just saw Stereophonic — that's pretty awesome. But West Side Story is my favourite musical. Advertisement 11 Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : Idina Menzel embraces decades of power Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake Featured Local Savings

Toothbrushes certified to remove plaque and reduce and prevent gingivitis Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected.

Tips on thermostats, filters, installation and more Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected.