Career Timeline of Idina Menzel: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Idina Menzel built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Idina Menzel is an acclaimed American actress and singer, celebrated particularly for her impactful performances in Broadway musicals, earning her the moniker "Queen of Broadway." Recognized for her powerful mezzo-soprano voice and stage presence, she has achieved mainstream success across various entertainment platforms. Her achievements include a Tony Award and a Daytime Emmy Award, solidifying her influence as a leading figure in contemporary musical theatre and entertainment.
2001: Film Debut in Kissing Jessica Stein
In 2001, Idina Menzel made her feature film debut with a minor role as a bridesmaid in the romantic comedy Kissing Jessica Stein.
2002: Uncredited Appearance in Just a Kiss
In 2002, Idina Menzel had an uncredited appearance as Linda in the dark comedy Just a Kiss.
2004: Role in The Tollbooth
While starring in Wicked, Idina Menzel appeared in the coming-of-age dramedy The Tollbooth in 2004, playing Raquel Cohen-Flaxman, the pregnant sister of the main character Sarabeth.
2005: Reprising Role in Rent Film Adaptation
In 2005, Idina Menzel reprised her role as Maureen Johnson in the film adaptation of Rent, directed by Chris Columbus. She was one of six original Broadway cast members to return for the film.
2006: Role in Ask the Dust
In 2006, Idina Menzel played Vera Rivkin in Robert Towne's Ask the Dust, a romantic drama starring Colin Farrell and Salma Hayek. Her character is a mysterious Jewish woman with unrequited feelings for a writer.
2007: Appearance in Enchanted
In 2007, Idina Menzel appeared in the musical fantasy film Enchanted as Nancy Tremaine, the fiancée of Patrick Dempsey's character. Although the film is a musical, she does not sing in it.
April 1, 2008: I Stand Tour Kickoff
On April 1, 2008, Idina Menzel started her 2008–2009 I Stand tour to promote her new album. The first concert, which took place at Rose Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City, was recorded for the PBS television series Soundstage. Josh Groban and Ravi Coltrane were special guests during the performance.
November 11, 2008: Release of "Hope"
On November 11, 2008, Idina Menzel released the song "Hope," which was written by Paul Hampton. The proceeds from the song benefited Stand Up to Cancer.
November 27, 2008: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Performance
On November 27, 2008, Idina Menzel performed "I Stand" on the M&M's Chocolate float as part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
2008: Tribute to Barbra Streisand at Kennedy Center Honors
In 2008, Idina Menzel performed "Don't Rain on My Parade" in tribute to Barbra Streisand at the Kennedy Center Honors. Menzel has been compared to Streisand throughout her career.
March 21, 2009: Imperial Court of New York's Annual Charity Coronation Ball
On March 21, 2009, Idina Menzel was an honorary chair of the Imperial Court of New York's Annual Charity Coronation Ball, Night of A Thousand Gowns, sharing the title with Elton John, Patti LuPone, John Cameron Mitchell, Joan Rivers, and Robin Strasser.
May 17, 2009: Benefit Concert for Pace Academy Diversity Program
On May 17, 2009, Idina Menzel performed at a special benefit concert in Atlanta, Georgia, to raise money for the Pace Academy Diversity Program in coordination with the Ron Clark Academy.
July 19, 2010: Performance at the White House
On July 19, 2010, Idina Menzel performed "Defying Gravity" and "What I Did For Love" in front of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama during A Broadway Celebration: In Performance at the White House.
October 20, 2010: PBS Airing of White House Performance
On October 20, 2010, the concert, A Broadway Celebration: In Performance at the White House, where Idina Menzel performed, was broadcast on PBS.
2010: Founding of A BroaderWay Foundation
In 2010, Idina Menzel founded the A BroaderWay Foundation with then-husband Taye Diggs to support young people in the arts.
October 2011: Royal Albert Hall Concert
In October 2011, Idina Menzel performed a one-night-only concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, United Kingdom. She performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Marvin Hamlisch.
2011: Camp BroaderWay
In Summer 2011, Camp BroaderWay welcomed girls from under-served metro New York communities to a 10-day performing arts camp, run by Idina Menzel and a team of Broadway artists.
March 2012: PBS Special Airing
In March 2012, Idina Menzel Live: Barefoot at the Symphony, which was filmed in Toronto, Canada, aired on PBS. The performance featured the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and special guest Taye Diggs, and was produced by Rob Mounsey.
July 8, 2012: Ravinia Festival Performance
On July 8, 2012, Idina Menzel performed at the Ravinia Festival near Chicago, Illinois.
October 29, 2012: Postponement of Carnegie Hall Solo Debut
Idina Menzel's Carnegie Hall solo debut, originally scheduled for October 29, 2012, was postponed due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy in New York City.
2012: Broadway's Declining Clout
In 2012, Marty Hughley of The Oregonian noted that while Broadway's ability to guarantee global superstardom was diminishing, Idina Menzel stood out as an exception.
January 13, 2013: Carnegie Hall Solo Debut
On January 13, 2013, Idina Menzel made her solo debut at Carnegie Hall, after it was postponed from October 2012 due to Hurricane Sandy.
2013: Departure from Glee
In 2013, Idina Menzel concluded her recurring role on the musical comedy television series Glee as Shelby Corcoran, the biological mother of Rachel Berry. She appeared in 12 episodes across the series.
2013: Release of "Let It Go"
In 2013, Idina Menzel released "Let It Go" which contributed to her being named the best vocalist of 2013 in a retrospective article in 2020.
2013: Voicing Elsa in Frozen
In 2013, Idina Menzel voiced Elsa in Disney's animated film Frozen, a reclusive queen struggling with her magical ability to control ice and snow. The role was rewritten into a misunderstood anti-heroine after the creation of the song "Let It Go".
March 2014: Performance at the 86th Academy Awards
In March 2014, Idina Menzel performed "Let it Go" at the 86th Academy Awards, where the song won Best Original Song. John Travolta mispronounced her name as "Adele Dazeem", which became a viral meme. She also starred in Broadway's If/Then, where the production printed satirical playbills that credited Menzel as Adele Dazeem.
April 2014: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Easter Bonnet Competition
In April 2014, Idina Menzel presented at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Easter Bonnet Competition with Bryan Cranston, Fran Drescher, and Denzel Washington, after raising donations at her Broadway show If/Then.
June 17, 2014: Christmas Album Announcement
On June 17, 2014, during a concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Idina Menzel announced that she was working on a Christmas album with original material. She also performed one of the original songs from the album, "December Prayer."
October 14, 2014: Release of 'Holiday Wishes'
On October 14, 2014, Idina Menzel released her Christmas album, "Holiday Wishes." It peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200, marking her highest-charting solo album.
November 26, 2014: Global Tour Announcement
On November 26, 2014, Idina Menzel announced via her Facebook page that she would be embarking on a global tour in the summer of 2015, which would include her first performances in Europe and Asia.
2014: Broadway's Would-Be Stars
In 2014, Billboard theorized that Idina Menzel's crossover success "bodes well for Broadway's would-be stars", believing "Let it Go" "kicked open the door for future composers of stage and screen". In 2014, Suzy Evans of Billboard observed that audience reception was more akin to that of a "rock star" than a musical theatre performer.
2014: Discussed vocal technique
In 2014, Idina Menzel discussed her vocal technique, mentioning that she avoids moving her shoulders while singing and prefers to take a smaller breath for a bigger, longer note. She also mentioned that she maintains her voice by constantly steaming and practicing vocal warm ups.
February 1, 2015: Super Bowl XLIX Performance
On February 1, 2015, Idina Menzel sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" a cappella at Super Bowl XLIX. Her performance garnered mixed reviews, with praise for her vocal quality but some criticism for her stylistic choices.
2015: Slated to star in Happy Time
In 2015, Idina Menzel was slated to star in the Ellen DeGeneres–produced sitcom Happy Time, which would have been her first television role since Glee. However, the project never came to fruition.
August 5, 2016: Announcement of Self-Titled Album
On August 5, 2016, Idina Menzel announced the release of her self-titled fifth album, which came out on September 23. She described it as a personal album where she explored her emotions through music.
2017: Starred in Lifetime's remake of Beaches
In 2017, Idina Menzel starred as CC Bloom in Lifetime's remake of the 1988 film Beaches. The melodrama follows the decades-long friendship and rivalry between a brassy singer and a reserved lawyer.
March 12, 2018: Joining Josh Groban's Bridges Tour
On March 12, 2018, it was announced that Idina Menzel would be joining Josh Groban for his Bridges Tour. She performed as Groban's opening act and later joined him for duets.
October 12, 2018: Release of "idina Live" Album
On October 12, 2018, Idina Menzel's second live album, entitled "idina Live", was released. It was recorded during her concert in Las Vegas.
2018: Reprising Elsa in Ralph Breaks the Internet
In 2018, Idina Menzel reprised her role as Elsa in the film Ralph Breaks the Internet.
May 11, 2019: Signing with Scooter Braun
On May 11, 2019, Idina Menzel signed with Scooter Braun and SB Projects for music management.
October 18, 2019: Release of 'Christmas: A Season of Love'
On October 18, 2019, Idina Menzel released her second holiday album, 'Christmas: A Season of Love', through School Boy and Decca Records. The album debuted at #2 on Billboard's US Top Holiday Albums.
2019: Reprising Elsa in Frozen II
In 2019, Idina Menzel reprised her role as Elsa in the sequel Frozen II.
2019: Starred in Uncut Gems
In 2019, Idina Menzel starred opposite Adam Sandler in the crime thriller Uncut Gems, playing his character's estranged wife. The role was a departure for Menzel, who wanted to be involved in a project that differed from family-friendly material.
2021: Co-starred in Cinderella
In 2021, Idina Menzel co-starred in Kay Cannon's musical adaptation of Cinderella, playing the stepmother. She wrote and recorded an original song for the film entitled "Dream Girl", which was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
October 11, 2022: Announcement of Disney+ Concert Special
On October 11, 2022, Idina Menzel announced on her Instagram page that she would be releasing a concert special on Disney+ titled 'Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage?' on December 9. The special features concert footage from Madison Square Garden.
August 22, 2023: Departure from Scooter Braun Management
On August 22, 2023, it was revealed that Idina Menzel was no longer being represented by Scooter Braun, having left his management in January of that year.
November 20, 2023: Performance at AMIT's Evening of Solidarity with the Children of Israel
On November 20, 2023, following the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, Idina Menzel performed at AMIT's Evening of Solidarity with the Children of Israel in Sony Hall in Manhattan, recognizing donors who supported AMIT's network of religious Jewish educational institutions in Israel.
2023: Starred in You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah
In 2023, Idina Menzel starred in the comedy You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, reuniting with Adam Sandler. The film co-stars Menzel and Sandler as parents raising an adolescent girl.
2024: Cameo in Wicked film adaptation
In 2024, Idina Menzel, alongside Kristin Chenoweth, made a cameo appearance during the "One Short Day" sequence in the film adaptation of Wicked.
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