Idina Menzel

Best-known for her roles in Broadway blockbusters Rent and Wicked and Fox TV smash Glee, Idina Menzel is a longtime stage veteran. Born Idina Mentzel in 1971, the Queens native changed the spelling of her last name for the stage. Shortly after graduating from New York University’s Tisch School, Menzel was cast in the debut run of Jonathan Larson’s Rent. Menzel portrayed the character Maureen in 1996–1997, earning national fame and a Tony nomination; she reunited with the rest of the original cast for the Rent feature film in 2005. In addition to other Broadway and off-Broadway roles, Menzel snagged the role of Elphaba the Wicked Witch in the 2003 debut of Wicked. The role led to Menzel’s 2004 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, and she reprised the role in London’s West End run of Wicked. Menzel’s discography includes show tunes and pop music, and she often sings at venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. Married to Taye Diggs, her costar in the original run of Rent, Menzel continues to be a sought-after stage performer both on Broadway and off.