Idina Menzel probably doesn’t have any problem commanding an audience. But when she performs June 24 at The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, the backdrop will be a little different for her.
The actress, singer and songwriter, best known for originating the roles of Maureen in “Rent” and Elphaba in “Wicked,” will perform songs from both musicals, other theater favorites and songs from her solo albums at the show — and she’ll be backed only by the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Considering Menzel has, more often than not, performed in elaborate stage productions and/or been covered head to toe in green makeup, this show will be a rather stripped-down affair.
“It keeps me hopping and it’s a nice balance to change it up,” she said of her upcoming performance. “It’s so exhilarating to stand in front of this whole symphony and sing these songs. And yet, there’s not as much rehearsal, so I’m going to have to be on my toes. This is one of those opportunities where I get to relate to the audience as myself and share a lot of stories with them. I do different interpretations of songs that they know. For me, it’s a lot of fun.”
There’s the added bonus that Menzel helped develop the characters and songs that theatergoers have grown to love — a process she prefers over trying to leave her mark on more established roles.
“I enjoy the process of developing musicals so, so much,” she said. “I love being involved for years in advance, and reading Act I when the composer and the writer are just starting to develop their ideas. For me, it’s such a rewarding process. I’ve been lucky enough that those kinds of shows have come to fruition but, even when they don’t, it’s still a really nice process. I love it and I feel it’s important to keep making original musicals.”
Menzel’s upcoming concerts, as well as her recent appearances on the TV show “Glee,” find the 39-year-old performer, who is married to actor Taye Diggs, back in the spotlight after taking time off to have a baby.
“I’m so much in mommy mode right now,” she said. “I have a 9-month-old baby. I was out of the loop for a while because I was pregnant and having him. At this point in my career, I was just happy to get my toe back into the water and come back with an opportunity like ‘Glee.’ When you’re out of the loop, you wonder if you’re ever going to work again. I’m also conflicted because I love being a mother and I don’t want to miss a single moment of my son’s life. So that’s all sort of an interesting balance that I’m trying to find.”
When it comes to her own studio albums, such as 2008’s “I Stand,” her third and most recent, Menzel doesn’t consciously stick to her theatrical roots when it comes to writing.
“If I’m writing music, I just write music,” she said. “I try to work with producers that are good mentors and guides because they can help me keep in mind my audience. But I just write from my heart lyrically and melodically. Then I let them instrumentally shift it in a direction that will be received in the best way. But that’s always been a struggle for me, because I’ve done theater but I’ve always sung with rock bands when I was younger and wedding bands before that. My demographic is quite a spectrum. It’s lots of young girls, older theatergoers and ‘Wicked’ fans. So there are people that like all different types of music. So I feel like as long as I stay true to myself and write with my heart, then they will support me with whatever I’m doing.”
Menzel performs at 8 p.m. June 24 at The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, 5201 Parkside Ave. For more information or tickets, visit www.idinamenzel.com or call (215) 893-1999.
Larry Nichols can be reached at [email protected].