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Artists On the verge of making it big

Idina Menzel's first professional gig was playing Maureen in the original Broadway production of Rent, which earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. She didn't win, but she did fall in love with co-star Taye Diggs, to whom she's been married for five years. In 2004 she won the Tony, this time for her star-making turn as Elphaba in the original Broadway production of Wicked. In the years since, she's starred in hit films such as the big screen adaptation of Rent and last year's hit, Enchanted. Now, she's touring the country to promote her new album. She recently took time out of her busy schedule to speak with us about her life, career, and the city she calls home.

You've been very successful in crossing over from Broadway into TV, film and even pop music. How do you think your theatre experience prepared you for everything you're doing now?

I think it's mostly about the work ethic of the theatre. It's so valuable! Making it through an 8-show week, having to give it your all every single night, really gives you a sense of accomplishment. It really prepares you for anything. The closest thing I've experienced to that is the concert tour I'm doing this summer, but even that is different because it's my show and I can take a moment to breathe when I want to. But theatre is the hardest thing, and because I've done that I'm not afraid of any of the challenges I face now.

When you're working in film or TV, do you ever miss the immediacy of live performance?

What's been so wonderful for me is the ability to vacillate between the mediums. It's a breath of fresh air after doing 8 shows a week for a year and a half, then after I do a TV or film project for a while I start jonesing to get back on the stage. But the immediacy is always there for me, because whether it be a 1,000-seat theatre or a room full of producers and crew on a movie that's spending like a million dollars a second, the immediacy of wanting to get it right and do my best is always there. I don't know, maybe that's a problem I need to deal with with my therapist! (Laughs)

What are your favorite memories from your Tony-winning experience in Wicked?

There are memories of sitting beside Stephen Schwartz's piano at his house and having him say, “I rewrote ‘The Wizard and I' with you in mind,” then playing it for me. Having him tailor that song for me was a real honor. I remember the day I first tried the green makeup on, and the whole cast was staring at me. That was the first time I really understood what it felt like to sort of an alien-like outsider. And of course I remember winning the Tony Award, sitting next to my husband and watching a million different emotions cross his face at one time.

What do you get out of your recording career that you don't get from Broadway or film work?

There's more solitude, which is nice after doing 8 shows a week because it allows you to take stock of where you are in your life. It's usually just you, your journal and the producer you're working with, and I like that. I love the camaraderie of working with a huge cast on Broadway, and that's something I will never give up. But it's also nice to be a little quieter and explore the different parts of my voice that don't necessarily translate as well onstage as they do in the studio.

I was surprised by how accessible your music is. Who were the artists who influenced you?

I was especially influenced by Annie Lennox. She's an incredible singer with a great voice, but she's also very theatrical in her performance. But I also love people like Chaka Khan, U2 and Sting. I wanted to find a way to make a departure from theatre without alienating my audience, while at the same time staying true to myself as an artist.

Only a few women have ever managed to juggle stage, screen and recording careers simultaneously. What's the key to doing it all, maintaining quality and not exhausting yourself in the process?

I love to write songs, I love to put on makeup and play a character, I love to sing with rock bands and orchestras, I love to act in front of a camera… I love to do them all, so it's not like I'm doing anything contrived. The industry loves to dumb you down and pigeonhole you, but I love doing so many different things. As long as I stay true to who I am, I embrace all these challenges and let everyone else catch up to me as I go on these journeys.  –B. Love

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