Video: Idina Menzel Explains What REDWOOD Is All About

Redwood is just days from beginning preview performances on Broadway. The first musical of 2025 arrives on January 24 at the Nederlander Theatre- a spot not unknown to leading lady Idina Menzel, who made her Broadway debut there almost three decades ago. 

“It's a story that I always wanted to tell," Idina explained to BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge during a break from rehearsals. "Tina [Landau] and I have this fascination with trees and this image of a woman in tree we found could be a really great musical! The show calls upon the ethos of the redwood forest and everything they represent- their root system and how they sustain each other; their interconnectivity. It's a wonderful metaphor for how we are as actors and performers in the theatre and why audiences come- so we can have this common experience together.”

In addition to Menzel, the production also star De’Adre Aziza, Michael Park, Zachary Noah Piser, and Khaila Wilcoxon. Written and directed by Tony Award-nominee Tina Landau, with music by Kate Diaz, and lyrics by Diaz and Landau, Redwood is conceived by Landau and Menzel, with additional contributions by Menzel. 

“I think what appeals to audiences, or at least what did in La Jolla, was Jessie's journey,” added Landau. "[She's] an individual who goes through something people can relate to and has a personal and emotional transformation."

Watch in this video as the company chats more about what audiences can expect.