Idina was born on Long Island, New York, to a Jewish family. Her mother, Helene, is a therapist, and her father, Stuart Mentzel, worked as a pajama salesman. She was raised in Syosset, New York, with her younger sister Cara, and later changed the spelling of her last name (Mentzel) because of constant mispronunciation.
When Menzel was 15 years old, her parents divorced and she began working as a wedding and bar mitzvah singer. A job she continued throughout her time at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Drama at NYU.
In 1995, Menzel auditioned for Rent, which became her first professional theater job and her Broadway debut. Rent opened off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop on January 26, 1996. The show moved to Broadway's Nederlander Theatre due to its popularity. For her performance as Maureen Johnson in the original cast, Menzel received a Tony nomination as Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Her final performance in the musical was on July 1, 1997.
Following the success of Rent, Menzel released her first solo album entitled "Still I Can't Be Still" on "Hollywood Records," Menzel also originated the role of Dorothy in Summer of ’42 at Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut, starred as Sheila in the New York City Center Encores! production of Hair, and appeared on Broadway as Amneris in Aida. Menzel earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for her performance as Kate in the Manhattan Theatre Club's 2000 off-Broadway production of Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party. Her other off-Broadway credits include the pre-Broadway run of Rent and The Vagina Monologues.
In 2003, Menzel starred with actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth on Broadway in Wicked, a musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman loosely based upon the popular 1995 Gregory Maguire novel. Menzel received the 2004 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. On her third-to-last performance of Wicked on January 8, 2005, she fell through a trap door and cracked a lower rib. The injury prevented her from performing in the January 9 show. Menzel did, however, make a special out-of-costume appearance at that performance, performed her final song, and received a 5 minute long standing ovation. Menzel was replaced by Elphaba standby Shoshana Bean.
Following Wicked, Menzel appeared off-Broadway in the Public Theater's production of See What I Wanna See, a Michael John LaChiusa-penned musical whose run ended in December 2005, for which she received Drama Desk Award and Drama League Award nominations. She reprised her Tony Award-winning role as Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked when it opened at London's Apollo Victoria Theater on September 7, 2006. During the run, she joined the ranks of highest paid female performer in the West End at $30,000 per week. Menzel finished her West End run on December 30, 2006. She was succeeded by Elphaba standby Kerry Ellis.
Menzel played the role of Florence in the 21st Anniversary concert of Chess at the Royal Albert Hall, London from May 12–13, 2008, alongside Kerry Ellis, Adam Pascal and Josh Groban.
In 2008, Menzel headlined the Powerhouse Theatre's reading of Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's musical Nero from July 1–11. She performed the role of Nero’s mistress Poppea.
Menzel's film roles include appearances in Just a Kiss, Kissing Jessica Stein, Tollbooth, Water, Ask the Dust, Enchanted, and Rent, in which she and five other original cast members reprised their stage roles. As a singer Menzel is known for her wide vocal range, and her use of the 'belt' technique.
Menzel performed at the 1998 Lilith Fair summer concert festival and continues to write and perform original music. She has toured extensively and frequently performs in various venues throughout New York City. She produced and released her debut album, Still I Can’t Be Still, for Hollywood Records in 1998. One single from the album, "Minuet," made the Radio & Records CHR/Pop Tracks chart at #48 in October 1998.
Her second album, Here, was released independently by Zel Records in 2004. Menzel has contributed to soundtracks, including those for the film The Other Sister and the ABC television dramedy Desperate Housewives. In 2007, she appeared on the Beowulf soundtrack singing the end credits song, "A Hero Comes Home." Also in 2007, Menzel's powerful singing voice lead her to be asked to accompany the baritone British X-Factor runner-up Rhydian Roberts on his debut album, duetting on the song "What If."
Her third solo album, I Stand, was released on January 29, 2008. The CD includes many new songs, including the lead single, "Brave," the title track "I Stand," and a song released on EP, "Gorgeous." The album debuted at #58 in the Billboard 200 making it the first solo album by Menzel to make the charts. There are five versions of this album: the original version, the special limited edition, the iTunes version, the Barnes & Noble edition, and the Borders edition.
On April 1, 2008, Menzel kicked off her "I Stand" tour in support of her new album.
On November 11, 2008, Menzel released a new single in conjunction with Major League Baseball. The single is entitled "Hope" and all proceeds go to Stand Up 2 Cancer.
On November 27, 2008, Menzel performed "I Stand" on the M&M Candies float as part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
On December 10, 2009, it was confirmed that Menzel was in negotiations to have a recurring role on Glee. In Spring 2010, Menzel began playing the role of Shelby Corcoran, the coach of the opposing Glee club, Vocal Adrenaline. She was also revealed as Rachel Berry's biological mother.
When asked about 'Defying Gravity' being sung on Glee, Idina was asked about her musical future. She said that the long-rumored movie version of 'Wicked' would probably not be green-lit until there's a dip in its Broadway grosses.
Idina also said that she had met with Andrew Lloyd Webber about taking the role of Betty Schaefer in his much delayed Sunset Boulevard film adaptation. As of February 2010, it is widely believed that Idina is no longer part of Sunset Boulevard as she wanted the role enlarged, to the refusal of Lloyd-Webber.
Menzel married actor Taye Diggs, her co-star from the original Broadway production of Rent, on January 11, 2003 after 7 years of dating. They have a Yorkshire Terrier named Sammy Davis Jr. and two cats named Ella and Coltrane, whom they call their "Jazz Cats" because they were named after famous jazz performers. On December 6, 2004, it was reported by the New York Post that Menzel and Diggs were threatened with harm in a series of letters because of their interracial marriage. Their son, Walker Nathaniel Diggs, was born on September 2, 2009.
Menzel was an Honorary Chair of the Imperial Court of New York's Annual Charity Coronation Ball, Night of A Thousand Gowns on March 21, 2009. Other Honorary Chairs for the evening's charity event included Sir Elton John CBE, Patti LuPone, John Cameron Mitchell, Joan Rivers and Dame Robin Strasser.
A Hand For Mrs. Claus
Idina Menzel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To celebrate the fella in the suit
We see the promos for reindeer and his glow nose
Believe me, I think Rudolph's nose is cute
Now I'm a fan of Frosty, I go ga-ga for The Grinch
But beneath the hype, are they the type you'd turn to in a pinch?
There's someone more deserving of applause
How 'bout a hand for Mrs. Claus?
I'm not complaining, I'm sure it's very draining
Pulling off a Christmas Eve world tour
My point in this is it's his marvelous missus
Who gets it done the other three-six-four
Who's really checkin' all those lists
And fillin' all them shelves?
She's a master multitasker who works faster than the elves
Who keeps the North Pole hot 'til winter thaws?
The answer's clear, it's Mrs. Claus
She reads every Christmas letter
Fills out a Christmas sweater
Better than old Santa any day
She runs the operation
With no appreciation
Send a little Christmas love her way
Oh, oh yeah
She just gets no respect
She works so hard
Now I'll sing a fa-la-la
And I'll shout a ho-ho-ho
But I'm bouncin' out this ballad for the gal who runs the show
Join me in this very worthy cause
How 'bout a hand for? (ohh yeah)
Let's make it grand for (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
Everybody stand for Mrs. Claus
The song “A Hand for Mrs. Claus” is a powerful tribute to Mrs. Claus, the wife of Santa Claus. The song highlights the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication of Mrs. Claus working alongside her husband. It shows the importance of the work that she does behind the scenes and how she keeps the North Pole running smoothly. The song touches on the fact that while Santa Claus may get all the credit for being the face of Christmas, it’s really Mrs. Claus who is managing the day-to-day operations.
The lyrics acknowledge that we all remember and celebrate Santa Claus, but forget that he has a partner who is pulling all the strings behind the scenes. The song highlights how Mrs. Claus is the master multi-tasker who works faster than the elves, reads every Christmas letter, and fills out Christmas sweaters better than Santa. The chorus calls on everyone to give Mrs. Claus the recognition she deserves by giving her a hand of applause.
Line by Line Meaning
Every December, we always remember
During the month of December, we remember something important.
To celebrate the fella in the suit
We celebrate someone who wears a suit.
We see the promos for reindeer and his glow nose
We see advertisements for reindeer with a glowing nose.
Believe me, I think Rudolph's nose is cute
I find Rudolph's nose adorable.
Now I'm a fan of Frosty, I go ga-ga for The Grinch
I like Frosty and The Grinch.
But beneath the hype, are they the type you'd turn to in a pinch?
Despite their popularity, could they be relied upon in a time of need?
There's someone more deserving of applause
Someone else should receive the recognition.
How 'bout a hand for Mrs. Claus?
Let's recognize Mrs. Claus.
I'm not complaining, I'm sure it's very draining
I'm not complaining, but it must be tiring.
Pulling off a Christmas Eve world tour
Completing a worldwide tour on Christmas Eve.
My point in this is it's his marvelous missus
My point is that his wonderful wife is important.
Who gets it done the other three-six-four
She gets everything done on the other 364 days of the year.
Who's really checkin' all those lists
Who is really checking all the lists?
And fillin' all them shelves?
Who is filling all the shelves?
She's a master multitasker who works faster than the elves
She can multitask quickly and efficiently.
Who keeps the North Pole hot 'til winter thaws?
Who keeps the North Pole functioning until winter ends?
The answer's clear, it's Mrs. Claus
The answer is clear - it's Mrs. Claus.
She reads every Christmas letter
She reads every letter sent to Santa at Christmas.
Fills out a Christmas sweater
She creates Christmas sweaters.
Better than old Santa any day
She is better than Santa Claus.
She runs the operation
She manages the entire North Pole operation by herself.
With no appreciation
Without any recognition or thanks.
Send a little Christmas love her way
Give a little love to Mrs. Claus.
Oh, oh yeah
Oh, yeah.
She just gets no respect
She is not respected enough.
She works so hard
She works very hard and deserves recognition.
Now I'll sing a fa-la-la
Now I will sing a Christmas song.
And I'll shout a ho-ho-ho
I will shout out a 'ho ho ho'.
But I'm bouncin' out this ballad for the gal who runs the show
This song is all about the woman who is really in charge.
Join me in this very worthy cause
Help me in this important endeavor.
How 'bout a hand for? (ohh yeah)
Let's have a round of applause!
Let's make it grand for (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
Let's make it a big round of applause!
Everybody stand for Mrs. Claus
Everyone, stand up and show respect for Mrs. Claus!
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@heyavocado
Every December, we always remember
To celebrate the fella in the suit
We see the promos for reindeer and his glow nose
Believe me, I think Rudolph's nose is cute
Now I'm a fan of Frosty, I go ga-ga for The Grinch
But beneath the hype, are they the type you'd turn to in a pinch?
There's someone more deserving of applause
How 'bout a hand for Mrs. Claus
I'm not complaining, I'm sure it's very draining
Pulling off a Christmas Eve world tour
My point in this is it's his marvelous missus
Who gets it done the other three-six-four
Who's really checkin' all those lists
And fillin' all them shelves
She's a mister multitasker who works faster than the elves
Who keeps the North Pole hot 'till winter thaws?
The answer's clear, it's Mrs. Claus
She reads every Christmas letter
Fills out a Christmas sweater
Better than old Santa any day
She runs the operation
With no appreciation
Send a little Christmas love her way
Oh, oh, yeah
She just gets no respect
She works so hard
Now I'll sing a fa-la-la
And I'll shout a ho-ho-ho
But I'm bouncin' out this ballad for the gal who runs the show
Join me in this very worthy cause
How 'bout a hand for (Oh, oh, yeah)
Let's make it grand for (Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
Everybody stand for Mrs. Claus
@steffanmayrides
i can’t wait until ariana is idina’s age and see what type of music she’ll make then. honestly this big band really suits her! step aside michael bubble!
@aliciahands9724
i cant believe idina is almost 50 she dont look it like oh my gosh
@abrahamsolorio1977
That is so true can't wait to see ari a TV that age
@buteraworld
u see why Ari's gonna be the icon of our generation?
she's 27 years old and she's already made collaborations with singers like:
Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Missy Elliot, Macy Gray, Chaka Khan, Andrea Bocelli etc.
so proud of our girl, she's getting bigger and bigger!
from making covers of Mariah to actually having a song with her!
DREAMS DO COME TRUE! Proud Arianator here! :)))
@filipmarinkovic6281
I litteraly saw this coment on Faith, E Piú Ti Penso, and probably more ft. Ariana songs-_-
@saminamjna554
Nickelodeon: angry with Ariana now
Disney: wanna start your acting career again
Ariana: Thank u, next
@dawarkae
wait nick isn't angry wit Ari now
@yourmother3722
YESSS XDD
@missymayes1915
L
@menmalloyide5902
IDINA DESERVE A MILLION OF SUBSCRIBERS, TO SPREAD HER MUSIC ❤️