THIS PAST MARCH, The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and Sarasota Performing Arts FoundatioN welcomed the award-winning superstar, Idina Menzel, to the stage to perform as part of the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation Gala: Defying Expectations: An Evening in Three Acts. Menzel first entered the spotlight as Maureen in Rent and won a Tony Award for Elphaba in Wicked. As the voice of Elsa in Frozen and Frozen 2, she helped drive both films to global success; her song Let It Go earned an Academy Award and a Grammy. She recently returned to Broadway in Redwood, co-conceived with Tina Landau, receiving a Distinguished Performance Award from the Drama League and recognition from New Dramatists. On screen, she has appeared in Enchanted, Disenchanted, You're So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, Cinderella and Uncut Gems, with television roles in Glee and Beaches. The Foundation’s Gala showcased Menzel’s incredible talent while raising nearly $1.4 million to support arts education, community engagement and creative growth across our region. Set against the scenic backdrop of The Bay, more than 340 distinguished guests gathered for an evening that unfolded as a theatrical experience with a Frozen-themed cocktail hour, a Wicked-inspired dinner and a lively Rent after-party—each reflecting iconic moments from Menzel’s celebrated career.

Starting with your iconic Broadway roles—Maureen in Rent, Elphaba in Wicked, and later Elsa in Frozen—do you think you had any sense at the time these projects would inspire generations, or do you think you only realized their impact in hindsight? MENZEL I honestly think you only realize the impact in hindsight. I do realize how they make me feel when I'm in the process of creating them and I get a sort of intuition that there’s something special about them, but I don't think I realize how far they reach multigenerationally and that they would resonate with so many people. I just know that it feels really special when I'm in it and that there's something that is being said in the work, the messaging and in the empowerment of these characters that really feels true to me at the time.

You’ve become a role model for so many young people. How do you view that responsibility?  Elphaba and Elsa, they are great role models because they're all about really harnessing your inner strength and what makes you unique. I feel incredibly responsible—it’s all about embracing your power and your identity and what makes you special in the world, and that's very delicate and fragile. To be in a position to have a connection with young people through these characters has been one of the greatest gifts in my career and my life. 

In the past, you’ve spoken openly about your anxieties and self-acceptance. How has your understanding of confidence changed over time?  This is where being a role model is difficult because I can say the right thing to you right now, but the truth is, I'm still contending with the same stuff I was in the past. Maybe I'm a little better at faking it. I like to tell people that I'm working on things and I have better days than others, but I'm still working on my own self-esteem and tools to help me be my best self, give my best performance on any day and not worry about what people think. Those are things that we all deal with and we all experience, and they don't change just because I'm older and wiser. I'd be lying if I said any differently.

Of all the work you’ve done, is there one role or performance that you feel most passionate about?  Honestly, being a mother and a parent is the greatest role—I feel very passionate about it. Being a mom and feeling the kind of love, I think it works its way into all aspects of my creative self, my artistic self. It also gives me great perspective. So speaking to the anxiety stuff, being a parent, a mom, having something else in my life that is much more important than me and my career has helped me stand on center stage and have a reason to really sing for something. It’s helped me to put things into perspective and to not be as hard on myself.

Is there a dream role you haven’t tackled yet?  I always love creating new roles and originating new pieces. I think that it's those that I can't name to you that are in the ether and in my heart, or in the future—roles that are to come that are going to resonate with people and stand the test of time and challenge me as an artist. 

Why is being part of this gala especially meaningful for you?  I'm just so excited to be in Sarasota for such a great cause. We all have to prioritize arts education these days because it's getting cut everywhere we look. It's so important to me that kids have the arts as a tool for expressing themselves, as an arena to feel comfortable trying something and being free. We're at a beautiful venue raising awareness and money for arts education, which is something that’s near and dear to my heart.

And will you be performing barefoot? Probably at some point. I always try to put the heels on because I like the way it makes me look in my dress or suit, but then it just becomes not worth it anymore.  *The shoes did come off near the end of the show—just before “No One Mourns the Wicked”—and they stayed off through the incredible encore, “Defying Gravity,” which brought down the house with thunderous applause and an enthusiastic
 standing ovation.