Idina Menzel

Idina Menzel hosting the Tony Awards

“I feel like I was born to do this... I started working professionally as soon as I could, doing weddings and things like that in high school, while everyone else was having keg parties. I just felt destined to do it and really committed and driven; it was something that just felt right all my life.”

When someone asks whom your hero is and why, numerous people say celebrities or inventors and many people have different reasons for why they are their idol. Some since they are famous and good and seem nice; some chose people close to them because they defy limits everyday. Heroes could be people who conquered diseases or face everyday with a smile. Each person has his or her own opinion on what makes someone a hero; mine might be different from everyone else’s. My hero is that because she has done what I would love to do for my life. She’s helped charities. She improves each year with her career. My hero is Idina Menzel. Most don’t even know who she is, but every time I hear her name I pay attention to what’s said. She’s been in hit musicals, movies, and has two CDs out at the moment. She’s doing everything I want to do when I get older; showing perseverance and responsibility each step of the way.

She was born in Queens, New York on May 30, 1971 as Aedena Mentzel to Stuart and Helene Mentzel. (She changed her name when no one could pronounce it right.) She lived in Queens and New Jersey, and by the time she was in second grade, was in Long Island (still has the accent) and stayed there until she went to college. She started performing songs at age five, and by fifth grade she was Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, which is very demanding on any singer that young. When her high school did a production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, she got the part of Nettie, a sixty year old, since her voice was the most mature.

She attended college at New York University, in which she got a degree in fine arts at Tisch School of Arts. Writing songs became a habit, so she decided to pursue a record deal and still be a lead singer for a wedding band. She persevered to make her goal, but in a need to make money to survive, she stumbled to the theater in a new off-Broadway rock opera Rent based of the classic opera La Boheme.

It was during the slow time for weddings, and she didn’t think it would be a big deal, but it lead to a popular, controversial Broadway show, is still playing ten years later, and she met her now husband, Taye Diggs. For her work she was nominated for the Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. This attention gave her the chance to record an album and tour in Lillith Fair, but her company later dropped her due to a small record sale.

She has been in many musicals and plays since then. Taye Diggs achieved the chance to work with her again in the musical The Wild Party, in 1999 where she played Kate, earning a nomination from the Drama Desk. She was Dorothy in Summer of ’42, Amneris in the Elton John musical Aidia (which also had Adam Pascal, the original Roger in Rent.) Ironically she was Shelia in Hair—Encores! Concert Version, for Rent is considered this and last generations Hair.

Later she heard about a new musical called Wicked, based of the hit book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, which in turn is based of the popular series and movie, The Wizard of Oz. The musical/book is about the Wicked Witch of the West—named Elphaba—and how she really wasn’t wicked at all, just misunderstood. After trying out she got the part of Elphaba alongside Kristen Chenoweth as Galinda/Glinda, and Fiyero, the love interest, played by Norbert Leo Butz (The part was played by her husband for a few performances.) At the Tony’s she was rewarded with the honor of Best Leading Actress in a Musical, 2004. She was so determined with this role that when she fractured her rib and couldn’t perform on what was supposed to be her last performance and Shoshanna Bean had to cover, she came out of costume to perform the last scene along Joey McIntire as Fiyero. Wicked is still playing on Broadway, will be touring, and will have a permanent cast in Chicago.

She has been in many movies, including Summer of Sam, Just a Kiss, Kissing Jessica Stein, Toolbooth, Water, and even got a cameo appearance in the movie about musical theater nerds, Camp. She finished working on a movie starring Selma Hayek and Colin Farrell titled Ask the Dust this summer, and it will be out in theaters later this year. The most anticipated movie of hers is the movie version of Rent, due out on November 23rd, 2005.

The movie has all the original Broadway cast as the principles except for Rosario Dawson as Mimi and Tracie Thoms as Joanne. Having the original cast got a lot of critics talking as all of the main characters—exception as Mimi—are in their mid twenties and most of them are now in their thirties, but most Rent-heads turned their ear to it and still can’t wait for it come out.

Currently she will be in a new musical called See What I Wanna See being performed in the Public Theater. The musical is by Andrew Lippa who also wrote The Wild Party.

Carols for a Cure - includes Idina Menzel

Charities are part of her life, too. She’s been in concert versions of benefit shows like Funny Girl and Hair. Idina helps with charities like Broadway Cares, which is a fund for people living with AIDS. Her passion to help and her responsibility is beyond those of “big” celebrities.

Idina has inspired millions of fans to dream and defy the limits of everyday challenges. She changed people’s view of a musical by starring in musicals about controversial ideas and music that could be mistaken for a Top 40 Hit. Through benefit concerts and charities, she has shown contributions for those who need it. Who wouldn’t consider her a hero?