The gorgeous and talented Idina Menzel stops by to chat about her PBS musical special “Idina Live: Barefoot at the Symphony,” busting out Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” with a full-on orchestra, returning to Broadway and the place she calls home, good ‘ol New York, New York.

Can you tell our viewers and readers how you decided to work with orchestras on tour—was there a specific incident that powered your decision to go for it?
I was invited to work with symphonies all over the country, and it was something that I was nervous about, but also really excited about because it’s very theatrical, very dramatic—And, you can get lost in that, but I wanted to maintain a sense of intimacy and I think we really did that.

There are many great components to your PBS special “Idina Live: Barefoot at the Symphony”—what was your personal highlight from your performance?
There were many favorite parts for me. I have Marvin Hamlisch conducting and he’s a very special man—I feel very honored having him on stage with me. My husband Taye Diggs makes a guest appearance. There are a lot of spontaneous moments, which I think is the best thing about the special. And, there is a lot of New York humor, actually. There are moments that happen that night that never happened before, which is important for me as a theater person because I feel like the audience gets to see something that only that audience gets to see.

Why is it called “Barefoot at the Symphony?”
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Idina Menzel doesn’t do anything halfway – even when she’s deciding on her gay faves. “It’s so silly,” says the homo-hearted theater queen, surfing Google for “hot gay male celebrities.” Her assistant even gets involved. “This is very important stuff,” Menzel giggles, fully immersed in her search to name her current gay crush.

Neil Patrick Harris? Too typical. George Michael? Maybe 20 years ago.

“Oh, I could do a woman” she realizes, before catching the unintentional humor in that: “I mean, not do a woman.”

And on she goes, scouring the web relentlessly. Again, she laughs. “(My assistant) just went onto a gay porn site. That’s helpful!”

Ten minutes later, she’s got it: Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes and Anderson Cooper, because “that makes me sound really smart.” Not that she has to sound anything except beautiful, and that she already does – as demonstrated in her 20 years on stage, from “Rent” to “Wicked” (originating the roles of Maureen and Elphaba, respectively), and as a cradle-robber on “Glee.”

Now the ever-sweet Broadway diva has a new live album, “Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony,” airing on PBS Saturday, before she hits the road this summer for a series of tour dates (Menzel will perform June 27 at the Detroit Opera House; tickets are on sale Monday, March 5). She caught up with us recently to talk toes, hubby Taye Diggs’ gay tendency and learning the real definition of “white party.”

“Barefoot at the Symphony” is the name of the new album – do you have nice feet?

They’re all right. My toes are pretty in proportion to each other. No weird toes.

Is the second toe longer than the big toe?

No, they’re actually nice like that. It’s just that – from working out and stuff – my heels are always dry. But the toes are nice!

Will your tour be a lot like this album?

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Thanks in part to her creation of two iconic and much-loved roles — Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked — Tony Award–winner Idina Menzel is a gay fan favorite whose powerful voice is always in demand on Broadway and the concert stage. In the new Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony — filmed at Toronto’s historic Royal Conservatory of Music and airing on PBS Saturday, followed by an album, DVD, and digital download available Tuesday — the fabulously chatty belter (and wife of Private Practice star Taye Diggs) reaches back into the amazing musical repertoire that she’s spent over 20 years putting together.

The Advocate: Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony features lots of songs that fans would expect you to perform as well as some surprises. How did you choose the material?
Idina Menzel: The idea of having this magnificent, thrilling orchestra behind you is incredible, and yet it can be daunting, so I wanted music that would live and breathe but also strike a balance and maintain an intimacy. It’s an eclectic mix. There’s a lot of theatricality, but then there are moments when I talk to the audience and get personal, so it sort of came from that. I knew I wanted to share certain aspects of my life, so I figured out which songs would chronicle that.

When doing a concert like this, how involved are you in the musical arrangements?
I’m very involved. I sit with Rob Mounsey, my MD [musical director], at the piano and we strip things down to just piano and vocal and talk about where we want to be adventurous.

For your signature songs, is it important to rework them?
Yes, but I have to be careful. A song like “Defying Gravity,” which I’ve sung so many times, in the past I’ve tried to mess with it too much. This time around, with the orchestra behind me, I decided to just sing it. My goal was to evoke that amazing moment in the show [Wicked], so I went back in that respect and really didn’t shy away from the drama and the theatricality of that moment.

Speaking of “Defying Gravity,” why do you think so many people respond to that song? (more…)

Matt Bogart

Matt Bogart (who has appeared in Miss Saigon, The Civil War, Smokey Joe’s Café, and Aida on Broadway and in the recent Sondheim Festival production of Company at the Kennedy Center) and Idina Menzel (an original cast member of Rent and one of the stars of The Actors’ Fund of America’s recent benefit concert of Funny Girl) will perform back-to-back solo shows at the Ars Nova Theater on Monday, October 7 as part of the theater’s Broadway Spotlight series.

“We’re a brand new space,” says co-producer Jenny Wiener of Ars Nova. “The Reader’s Digest version of the story is that, about five years ago my brother passed away very unexpectedly. He had a classical record label called PGM; he had just purchased some land and was going to build studios there. When he passed away and the property came to me, I decided — for many reasons, but partly as a way to honor him — to continue and build something on the spot but to follow my own passion, which is theater rather than classical music. This was a ground-up construction: We tore down what was already existing at the site and we built the theater and the building at 511 West 54th Street.”

Idina Menzel

The Broadway Spotlight shows at Ars Nova are co-produced by Jon Steingart, and Gordon Greenberg is artistic director of the series. According to Wiener, “The theater we created is designed to give artists a space to come and play, to have a good time. We do musical theater, and we have a reading series and a comedy night every week. There are so many talented performers working on Broadway — some of them in the chorus, some in the spotlight — who have shows that they want to work on. We decided it would be a great thing if we could put together a series that gives them a chance to do that in a low-pressure environment; we’ve been leaving up to the performers as to whether they want to be reviewed or not.”

Since its inception in April 2002, the Broadway Spotlight series — co-presented by Broadway.com — has included shows by Meredith Patterson, Felicia Finley, Adam Rapp, Michael Winter, Chad Kimball, and Shoshana Bean. Upcoming are Julia Murney on November 4 and Billy Porter on December 2. “[The series] has been a terrific opportunity to see people who are going to be the stars of tomorrow develop projects for themselves,” says Wiener.

On October 7, Matt Bogart will perform at 7:30pm and Idina Menzel at 9pm. All tickets are $12. For reservations or ticket information, phone 212-206-1515 or go to SmartTix.com.

By Michael Portantiere Theater Mania – Oct 5, 2002

Idina Menzel will perform July 8 at Ravinia Festival, and her PBS concert special airs at 9 p.m. Jan. 9. (Handout)

When you hear the name Idina Menzel, you might think of Shelby Corcoran in “Glee,” or Elphaba the witch in “Wicked,” or Maureen in “Rent.”

Menzel has memorably played all three of those women. But in her upcoming PBS concert special and at the Ravinia Festival this summer, Menzel will show fans who she really is—glorious voice, bare feet and all.

On July 8, Menzel will make her Ravinia debut, performing in concert with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led by Marvin Hamlisch, the festival announced Friday. Fans can get a taste of what might happen this summer on Monday, when “Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony” debuts at 9 p.m. on WTTW.

“It’s the culmination of a year and a half of touring with orchestras, symphonies all over the country—the world,” she told me during a phone conversation Thursday from L.A. “PBS wanted to support us and document the show, which is such an honor.

“I always wanted to have one of those concerts on PBS … And we’re going to release a live DVD and CD that goes along with it. So it’s an exciting time for me, I’ve never made a live album before.”

It’s turning out to be a year of firsts for Menzel, which is kind of surprising considering the powerhouse performer has been wowing audiences on stage, screen and in recordings since her Broadway debut in “Rent” in 1996. Menzel also will spend more time in Chicago this year—another first—when she visits the WTTW studios Monday during the telecast and pledge drive. (Hint for fans: She just might offer tickets to the Ravinia show, and copies of her live DVD and CD, for your pledges.)

Filmed at the Royal Conservatory’s Koerner Hall in Toronto, “Barefoot at the Symphony” has Menzel performing Broadway classics, her own songs and new spins on contemporary tunes. Saying she wants to keep “some element of surprise,” Menzel wouldn’t list any specific songs that she performs in the special (and most likely will at Ravinia), but she did confirm she does perform songs from “Rent” and “Wicked.”
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Idina Men

“Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony,” which was filmed in November 2011 in Toronto, will make its television debut on Chicago’s PBS affiliate WTTW Jan. 9 at 9 PM CST, according to the actress’ official website.

Menzel will appear live in the Chicago studio to discuss her concert as part of a pledge drive for the station during its airing.

The concert, which also features Menzel’s husband, Taye Diggs, and composer/conductor Marvin Hamlisch, will begin airing around the country March 3; check local listings. The concert will also be released on DVD and CD in March.

Menzel won a Tony Award for Leading Actress in a Musical for her work as Elphaba in Wicked; she also opened the London production of that hit musical. Menzel created the role of Maureen in the original Broadway company of Rent, and her other theatrical credits include the City Center Encores! production of Hair, Manhattan Theatre Club’s The Wild Party, the Public Theater’s See What I Wanna See and the benefit Funny Girl concert. Menzel’s screen credits include “Glee,” “Ask the Dust,” “Rent” and “Enchanted.”

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For more information visit www.idinamenzel.com

Andrew Gans, Playbill.com – Jan. 5, 2012

Dirty diapers

You might be surprised by my take on changing diapers, but I grew up as the oldest in a family of five, so I changed all of my siblings’ diapers. When it comes to fatherhood, we’re playing catch-up. I can’t carry a baby or breastfeed, but I sure can change a dirty diaper.

With my son Walker, I wanted to be there as much as possible and changing his diapers was just one of the ways I could accomplish that. If we dads think about it in that manner — spending as much time with our babies as possible — it’s about more than a stinky diaper.

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