The highly towering return from Idina Menzel

Idina Menzel, which is called in a musical, is somewhat poetically back to Broadway back redwood. While she can only stand at 5’6 “, her presence is colossal. Maybe it is her iconic career (RentPresent EvilPresent If/thenPresent Frozen) This increases them in a room. Or maybe it is her distinctive voice: swinging, floating and full of emotions. And after almost a decade of Broadway, she brings this voice and undeniable stage presence back onto the stage in redwoodA musical that she created together with the long -time employee Tina Landau and the composer Kate Diaz. Opening of this month on February 13th in Nederlander Theater, for Menzel, redwood Is more than a return – it is a return.

The show follows Jesse, a woman whose life is changed after an earth-shaking event-the decides to flee into the unknown. When she is at the foot of the Redwoods in Northern California, Jesse takes a chance and begins to climb. Similar to her character on the show, Menzel describes her first encounter with the majestic giants years ago as almost spiritual. In the spring of 2024, Menzel received the rare opportunity to climb a Redwood in his canopy during the OWN-of-Town run at the La Jolla Playhouse in California.

“That was an extraordinary experience for me” Rent). “To feel a real connection to the world in a completely different way. It felt like being in a sanctuary. There is a unique silence there and they feel like a pea. You feel so small, but in the best way. It’s humble and free. ”

Menzel explains this in the heart of redwoodis the redwood tree itself, which it sees as a metaphor for resilience, community and growth. “Redwoods thrive because of their root systems,” she explains. “They connect and keep each other. They also regenerate after fires. Your cones collect seeds only if they are exposed to heat. It is a beautiful symbol for how we can transform loss and difficulty into strength. “

The strength is also researched for Menzel because it again brings a serious element to Broadway. Menzel works with Bandaloop, a pioneering air dance company, and will again perform hundreds of foot in the air while it is hung on the climbing cable tree. Your stage partner is a gigantic recovery of a redwood trunk, which the production stella named. Although she is not a stranger for challenging roles who have to fly (it was created Elphaba in Evil After all) this experience is completely new.

“I have never really been afraid of heights, but there is a difference between thinking and the dangling 300 feet in the air,” laughs Menzel. Her training started with the basics. “They start with the dishes, learn security checks and how you feel comfortable,” explains Menzel. “Then it climbs – a feeling for the wall or in our case the tree. From there you learn to swing, jump and essentially dance in the air. It is incredibly liberating as if you are returning to your childhood. “The feeling of childlike miracles penetrates production. Menzel describes dancing as a mixture of physicality and playfulness. “It is like a child who climbs on a tree again, but with more grace – and a belt,” she laughs.

The process is exhausting, but rewarding, she says. “It’s all about her core and her slope,” she notes. “The team protects our body like this. They ensure that we stretch, stay hydrated and listen to ourselves. ”

Cooperation with Bandaloop was particularly useful. Although her first experience with the troop was a surprise that was scaled by a three -story building for her first dance test, Menzel is now one of her closest employees. “They are extraordinary people. They felt safe and confident, and this trust is essential for what we do on stage. “

redwoodIn addition, the chance for Menzel is the first time that her artistic wings are new to stretching this is her first time that she is doing a musical together. Menzel was first inspired to create redwood 15 years ago, when she first heard a story about a climber, Julia Butterfly Hill, who lived in a Redwood tree for 738 days. She then called Landau. The project was before the pandemic was closed when the two found a composer. The decision to work with Kate Diaz, a new composer on Broadway, was intended.

“We wanted someone fresh, someone who would not follow the traditional formulas,” explains Menzel. “Kate has this incredible ability to write catchy, melodic songs and at the same time achieve the cinematic scope of the Redwoods. It has brought a unique energy into the project. “

The music is expansive and yet intimate – the ethos of the show. Working with Diaz made Menzel to reflect on her start in RentCooperation with the late composer Jonathan Larson when he was a stranger. “It was always about new work for me. I was so lucky to have roles in which the authors serve my voice and essence. I wanted to pay for this with this show with a new composer. “

Menzel’s Broadway return bears the performance itself. Her career has inspired countless young artists, many of whom grew up Evil, Maureen in Rentor Elsa in Frozen. “I am incredibly touched,” she says visibly emotionally. “It is humble that my work swings over generations. But I always tell people – and remember to strive for authenticity. Be yourself. That makes you. “

Menzel’s hug of vulnerability and imperfection and how she could find strength in these moments – this is undoubtedly an important reason why she remains a popular actor under Broadway fans. “If you are authentic, it will mean people,” she explains. “It creates a mutual relationship with the audience. The magic happens here. “This magic – and the soft, calm, spiritual healing energy of the huge redwood – is what Menzel, a high -towering giant of Broadway, will certainly bring to Nederlander this season.