FLASH FRIDAY: All Eyes on Idina

This week, in honor of today's InDepth InterView: Idina Menzel, we are taking a look back at some of Ms. Menzel's most memorable appearances over the years, culling clips from everything from RENT to WICKED to GLEE, with some Muppets, music and much more served up for your entertainment enjoyment, as well. All eyes - on Broadway and beyond - are most certainly focused on what Idina will do next, but just look at all she has accomplished thus far!

Idina Dream

No other performer has participated in the original casts of more iconic properties in the last twenty years than Idina Menzel. None. Just listing said shows - RENT, WICKED and GLEE - is enough to justify pretty much any seemingly hyperbolic praise you could create. Entities that define an entire entertainment era - or at least the theatre side of it - as completely and totally as RENT has or WICKED has are total anomalies - and worldwide sensations like GLEE only come along once or twice a century, if that. To say that her talent alone justifies her inclusion in these mega-successful properties would be true, but her contributions to each entity - in far more ways than merely performance - are more significant than any of us may ever know. Just as no one will ever quite become Maureen in RENT and belt out "Over The Moon" like she did, so, too, will no one quite inhabit the black hat and green skin of Elphaba in WICKED the same way, either. She's a true original in the tradition of Mary Martin, Ethel Merman and Barbra Streisand - and the shows she has starred in reflect her insistence on quality. And, if her casting as Lea Michele's mother on GLEE isn't the casting coup of the century for far more reasons than I may even begin to list here, then paint my face poker and call my bluff.

Cases in point: the following clips are a cursory introduction to Ms. Menzel's contributions to the three above mentioned entities - RENT, WICKED and GLEE. Afterwards, we are serving up some Muppets, music and more!

RENT

First up, here is the original Broadway cast of RENT performing a number of songs as featured in the original press reels for the show created in 1996. Nostalgia overload!

Now, here is the reunion of that same cast at the 2008 Tony Awards, introduced by Whoopi Goldberg. What a difference 12 years can make! They all still look and sound fantastic!

Here is RENT's big duet, "Take Me Or Leave Me" - soon to be covered by Lea Michele (as Maureen) and Amber Riley (as Joanne) on the Superbowl episode of GLEE on February 6 - from the RENT movie, performed by Idina and Traci Thoms.

WICKED

What can be said about WICKED that hasn't already been said? It's the biggest Broadway hit of the last decade and perhaps will end up as the biggest musical hit of all time worldwide. This song - and Idina's performance of it - is a big reason why that is the case. From THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, here is a special solo version of "Defying Gravity" specifically tailor-made for TV performance by Stephen Schwartz himself.

Now, we have the Tony Awards performance of WICKED introduced by the Wizard himself, Joel Grey, with the original Broadway cast of the show co-starring Kristin Chenoweth performing the show version of the same song.

GLEE

If you are one of the four people living under a rock who have not heard of GLEE or of Idina Menzel's participation in it - having been featured on five episodes so far, with more to come - now is your chance to finally see what all the fuss is about. If ever there was a justifiable reason for hubbub and hurrahs on a major scale, it is the moment when Lea Michele and Idina Menzel met onscreen and duetted for the first time. And what song did Ryan Murphy so brilliantly chose for that unbelievably emotional moment? Why "I Dreamed A Dream" from LES MISERABLES, of course. After you hear these ladies tackle the tune, you'll be left asking: Susan who?

So, how to top that? 2 words: Lady Gaga. 4 more: Greatest GLEE moment ever.

One last GLEE song is Idina's solo spotlight, singing the title song from the film version of FUNNY GIRL by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill. Barbra Streisand being Idina's own idol, some things do come full-circle as she introduces this marvelous song to a whole new generation of diva devotees.

MUPPETS & MORE

As if all of those RENT, WICKED and GLEE moments weren't quite enough to satisfy all your Idina urges, here are a few of her most recent TV appearances. First up, Idina and husband Taye Diggs take some time to pal around with the Muppets of SESAME STREET and teach us the meaning of the word "allergic". Fun and informative!

Next, we have the music video for the striking ballad "Brave" from Idina's 2008 solo album I STAND. Talk about getting all tied up in love!

https://www.youtube.com/embed?v=luiRqbZ7t8U

Lastly, we have Ms. Menzel's acceptance speech when receiving Best Actress In A Musical at the 2004 Tony Awards for her work in WICKED. If Idina continues on the same path she has been on for the last fifteen years I am sure there will be many more momentous speeches in her blazingly bright future - both onstage and onscreen - much like this one.

https://www.youtube.com/embed?v=DVgisIOJlcE

BONUS: Ever wanted to hear the formidable husband and wife team of Idina and Taye take on the big love duet from WICKED? You got your wish… "As Long As Your Mine".

That's all for this week. Please remember that if you have discovered a particularly thrilling, unique, bizarre or hilarious Broadway-related clip to please send us a line at the link below. Until next week…