Idina Menzel: what is the appeal? — Page 2

Never met her, but I did read her stories in the Making it on Broadway book...she is apparently VERY shy and gets uneasy when people ask her for autographs. I can imagine how a person like that would feel when they are suddenly thrown into the spotlight like this. (I don't know how many fans she's had with her previous shows, but I'm sure things are much crazier for her now.)

I like her voice. Think she is a beautiful woman. Still liked Chenoweth more in WICKED. As for her behavior at the stage door. If that is true, it seems she would do what Kristin does from time to time. Not leave through the theatre door. There is another exit. That way she does not have to be bothered. Someone in the other thread said that meeting the fans is part of her job. Well I am sure she knows it comes with the territory. But I don't think any performer has to be totally on at all times. They are human just like us. Some let it all go to their heads and treat people like crap (Not saying she does), but they are human. Personally, I would not wait 2 hours for her or anyone for an autograph. If they don't appear in 20 minutes...I'm gone!

---

So what? I'd rather have Idina leave out another door if she's really that frustrated.

No Idina is better than B*tchy Idina.

I don't see the appeal. I don't like her voice or acting. I've heard her solo albums and don't care for them. I don't know her personally and have never met her, so I judge her based on performance. You know, the correct way...

I think she's a great performer, and it just shows that she can play so many different characters really well....look at Maureen and Elphaba, for example. 2 completely different personalities, and she gets a tony nom for both of them.

offstage, this is my opinion.

I have heard that she can be bitter. But she is a really shy person. When I saw her before the show once, I expected nothing out of her because I'd heard all of the stories and because it was before a show...you can't expect anything before a show.

So Idina pulls up in a cab, everyone yells "IDINA'S HERE! IT'S IDINA!" There are about 20 of us standing there. Idina sprints---and i mean sprints---through the stage door. we were all speechless. Was it really necessary to run? Just as we were probably about to commence bitching about her, she reappears and runs by us, saying "just a minute, i'm sorry" and she sounded so innocent. She had a man who worked at the theatre unload furniture from her car with her, and then once she was done she came over and signed autographs for every single person. People gave her gifts and she thanked them sincerely. We asked her for a photo, and she said she was running late...which was true, i guess, cuz Kristin had arrived 35 minutes before her.

After the show, she is very nervous. I've heard from reliable sources that she is very scared before she goes out the door and extremely shy the whole time-- and it's true, i've post-show-stage doored twice. But she does sign, I'll give that to her. It's not her fault she's not an extreme extrovert like Kristin. She's only human.

When I saw the show and she belted out Defying Gravity.

Nuff said

I've had numerous encounters with Idina over the years that have been very positive. It's true, she doesn't have the outgoing over-the-top stagedoor personality that people expect - but that doesn't mean she's cold and uncaring. I've been around the WICKED stagedoor a few times since it became insane, and I'd like those people complaining about her to tell me this:

How in the world would you handle the crowds before/after the show if you were her? And be realistic. They aren't small crowds - I've seen anywhwere from 30 - 100 people out there (pushing, shoving, screaming, etc.) Seriously, how would you handle it? You can't have conversations with everyone - or you won't GET to everyone. Since her WICKED run, she's been gracious about exiting out there where everyone is waiting, and she has to try and get to everyone in a timely manner. That doesn't allow for "get to know you" moments. It just doesn't. I didn't even like being around that stage door the few times I've gone -- it drives me crazy. I can't even imagine walking into that situation 8 times a week. And whether or not you agree with the fact that she saves her voice (and whether or not you believe that's what she's truly doing), give her a break for crying outloud.

"If there were a group of people waiting for me and shouting my name, I'd be scared too. I probably would have run back into the cab. "

lol well it's not like theres NO REASON people are waiting for her. She's famous. She just performed for 1000s of people. She has fans. The shows been running for 10 months. I think she knows wha to expect now. hee.

"If there were a group of people waiting for me and shouting my name, I'd be scared too. I probably would have run back into the cab. "

Let's remember the other hundreds of Broadway performers who are in her position, live with it, and at the very least they aren't rude to their fans. Idina's not a goddess, she's not the only one who gets this.

Like I said though Lady G, we dont know what she deals with at home. Marriage problems, family problems, sickness. By her performance though you'd never know it. Wicked has played about 330 sold out performances (about 627000 people). Lets remember she is verrrry popular. Probably more popular than most stars (with the exception of maybe Hugh). "can I have ur autograph" "can you take a picture with me" X 313,500 (which is only about half the people that have seen her) must get very frusterating. Like I said, until one of us plays on Broadway in that role in front of that many people, none of us should really make judgements.

Derek, are you implying that the other icons of Broadway don't have problems at home, with family, and with life?

But seriously people can we say Sutton Foster? Kerry Butler? 2 nicer people you could not meet and miracle of miracles Sutton won the same tony Idina did and she is still nice.

Did they honestly have to deal with the stage door frenzy that is surrounding WICKED? I saw the Hairspray stagedoor at it's height, and it didn't have anything on WICKED. Can make a huge difference in how the "interacion" goes with the performers. Not saying some don't leave disappointed, but it all doesn't have to be about what Idina will/won't do for the crowd or how much she will/won't talk to people. There are other things to consider. *I* don't even buy the "everyone has a bad day" thing - circumstances go way beyond that. Look at everything that surrounds the "WICKED stagedoor" and take everything into consideration before people write her off as cold. And it's been my experience that Idina is incredibly nice - in various types of encounters.