RENT
1996 Original Broadway Cast
Broadway, Nederlander Theatre: April 29, 1996 – July 1, 1997
Plot: The Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning musical that changed Broadway, about about a group of artists trying to survive love, loss, and disease in New York’s East Village during the early 90s. Based off of Puccini’s opera La Boheme.
Description: Idina plays Maureen, a lesbian performance artist (now dating Joanne, and who used to date Mark) – Idina worked alongside the original cast Off-Broadway with the late Jonathon Larson, and she nominated for a Tony Award in 1996.
The Wild Party
2000 Original Off-Broadway Cast
Plot: Based on Joseph Moncure’s 1928 poem by the same name, this musical adaptation focuses on a Vaudeville dancer, Queenie (Julia Murney), looking for release from an abusive 3-year relationship with her lover, Burrs (Brian D’Arcy James) – So she decides to throw an enormous party in his honor, where she will proceed to embarrass him by flirting with another guy… But things go a little too far…
Description: Idina played Kate, a “reformed” prostitute who comes to Queenie and Burrs’ party with her date, Black, but has plans of her own to snatch Burrs from Queenie.
Summer of ’42
2000 Goodspeed Musicals Cast
Plot: During the summer of 1942, while America is at war in Europe, a young teenage boy, Hermie (Ryan Driscoll), comes of age after making a connection with an older woman whose husband has gone off to war. They then develop a rather close friendship that turns into something more — Based on a true story.
Description: Idina plays that above-mentioned “older woman”, Dorothy, who befriends the 15-year-old Hermie to find comfort from her loneliness at being left by her husband as he goes off to fight in Europe.
Aida
Broadway Cast
Plot: A story based on the opera of the same name, it tells the story of the Nubian princess, Aida, who is captured by Egyptian’s gathering Nubians as slaves – She is put under the order of the Egyptian princess, Amneris, who befriends her. However, Amneris’s fiancee, Radames, finds himself interested in Aida too.
Description: Her character, Amneris, is a superficial princess, obsessed with clothes, fashion, and appearance — That is until she realizes there must be something more to life, and becomes inspired by her friendship with Aida.
Wicked
2003 Original Broadway Cast
Broadway, Gershwin Theatre: Oct. 30, 2003 – Jan. 9, 2005
West End, Apollo Victoria Theatre: Sept. 7, 2006 – Jan. 2007
Plot: Based off of the book by Gregory Maguire, this musical tells the story of Elphaba, the girl with the emerald green skin who becomes the infamous ‘Wicked Witch of the West’, and her school-girl friendship with Galinda, later known as ‘Glinda the Good Witch’.
Description: Idina’s character, Elphaba (for which she won the coveted 2004 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical), is strong, confident and powerful, and she drives this story with grace and class.
See What I Wanna See
2005 Off-Broadway Cast
Plot: Official Description: A park. A thief. A priest. A psychic. A miracle. A lie. The truth. From a mysterious murder in Central Park to the miracle of a devastated city’s rebirth, New York stories of faith, loss and redemption are explored.
Description: Idina plays three very different roles throughout the telling of three different stories — the first: a Japanese mistress (Kesa), the second: the wife of a murdered man (Lily), the third: a coke-addict actress seeking faith (Deanna)
If/Then
2014 Original Broadway Cast
Plot: IF/THEN is an original musical written by the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning creators of NEXT TO NORMAL and starring Idina Menzel in her much-anticipated return to Broadway after her Tony Award-winning performance in WICKED. IF/THEN also stars Tony Award winner LaChanze (THE COLOR PURPLE) and reunites Idina Menzel with her original RENT co-star, Anthony Rapp.
Description: Idina stars as Elizabeth, a woman rebuilding her life in New York City, where she discovers a world of infinite possibilities. In one moment, Elizabeth will lead parallel lives. This is the story of both.
Skintight
2018 Original Off-Broadway Cast
Plot: A scorching examination of beauty, youth and sex. Reeling from her ex-husband’s engagement to a much younger woman, Jodi Isaac (Idina ) turns to her famous fashion-designer dad for support. Instead, she finds him wrapped up in his West Village townhouse with Trey. Who’s 20. And not necessarily gay. But probably an adult film star. At least, according to Jodi’s son. Who’s also 20. And definitely gay. Skintight assays the nature of love, the power of attraction, and the ways in which a superficial culture persists in teaching its children that all that matters is what’s on the inside.
Description: Idina plays Jodi, a woman shocked to find her father in a relationship with a much younger man. Should age matter?
WILD: A Musical Becoming
Lyrics By: Justin Tranter, Caroline Pennell & V (formerly Eve Ensler)
With contributions by Idina Menzel
Plot: Musical fable about a single mother struggling to hold on to her family farm and connect with her teenage daughter, whose determination to save the planet endows her and her friends with powers they never knew they had. The show explores the generational divide when it comes to the climate and other social and economic issues.
Inspired by the show’s theme of caring for the planet, the concert production embraced regenerative practice and invited the audience to use their imagination to set the scene.
Description: Idina plays Bea, a farmer on the brink of financial ruin. She is trying to figure out how to save her farm and provide for her daughter, Sophia.
Redwood
Lyrics By: Kate Diaz and Tina Landau
With Additional Contributions by: Idina Menzel
Plot: Jesse is a successful businesswoman, mother and wife. She seems to have it all, but inside, her heart is broken. Finding herself at a turning point, Jesse leaves everyone and everything behind, gets in her car and drives… and drives. Thousands of miles later, she hits the ancient forests of Northern California, where a chance meeting and a leap of faith change her life forever. In the presence of the magnificent, towering redwoods, Jesse finds strange and powerful connections, an unexpected sense of community, and a chance at healing.
Description: Idina plays Jesse, a woman deeply struggling with grief and searching for healing.
Special Theatre Performances
HAIR – the American Tribal Love Musical
2001 Encores! Revival
Description: One of three main players, Sheila is an NYU student and hippie protesting the war in Vietnam
The Vagina Monologues
6-week special engagement
Nero
3-day workshop
Description: As Emperor Nero’s mistress, Poppea suffers at his hand, despite the love he has for her.
Benefit Concerts & Events
First You Dream: A Tribute to Courage
2000 Christopher Reeves Benefit
Description: A night of song and dance to benefit the Christopher Reeves Paralysis Foundation
Broadway Bares XI – 2001: A Strip Odyssey
2001 BC/EFA Benefit Concert
Description: Benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS – Annual strip cabaret and showcase
Funny Girl
2002 Actors Fund Benefit
Description: Annual Benefit for the Actors Fund — This year: Famous female performers each take on the role of Fanny Brice, doing their own renditions of individual songs from the show.
Nothing Like a Dame
2004 Benefit Concert
Description: Broadway’s best female performers sing showstopping numbers during the 9th Annual Concert to benefit the Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative
Easter Bonnet Competition
2004 BC/EFA Benefit Event
Description: The spring concert celebrates 6 months of fundraising efforts by Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Touring companies to benefit the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Foundation – Different shows perform various skits (and create magnificent hats & bonnets) in this final night of fundraising and awards