[band playing "Over the Moon"]
Downloaded from YTS.MX
[Idina Menzel] ♪ Last night, I had a dream ♪
Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX
♪ I found myself playing In Madison Square Garden ♪
♪ With the greatest band of all time ♪
[vocalizes]
♪ And the fans were screaming ♪
[chattering]
Heading to S.I.R.
Um, it's 25th Street and 10th.
It's the very first day of rehearsal.
We're gonna do, like, 17 shows,
and then they end up in my dream spot, which is at The Garden.
-[horns honking] -Don't make a right. All right, sir?
[driver] Gonna make a left.
[Menzel] Thanks.
-Hey. Hi. -How are ya?
[Menzel] This is the first time everybody's in the same room.
-Hey. -Welcome.
[Menzel] I've been on the road with all these musicians for years,
so we're a really big family.
-Hello. -Hey there, sweetie.
[musician] Let me just hear it.
Just do it straight for now. I'll show you, and then…
-Did we cut that bridge? -[person] I just brought some snacks.
[Menzel] Just trying to tell the story. Figure out the set list
and have some fun with it.
The whole way that I've constructed the set list is
to tell the story of my life and how I got here.
[band playing "Queen of Swords"]
♪ You mistake my passion for anger ♪
♪ Should I sit polite in the silence ♪
[Menzel] This is a really special time for me
because we're playing in all of these amazing arenas
and ending up in my hometown: Madison Square Garden Arena.
Which is like a dream come true for me.
♪ I can be ♪
♪ Like a raging storm ♪
♪ And don't go asking me For apologies ♪
♪ And I'll sing ♪
Everything's been coming full circle,
and it's just taken me, like, 26 years to get to The Garden.
But we're, uh… we're gonna get there.
♪ This time you better believe That there's no way ♪
♪ I'm holding back anymore ♪
♪ I'm slaying like the queen of swords ♪
She always sang. She used to sing, uh, for my father.
He would introduce her, and--
at three years old, and she'd run out from behind the couch.
The one that really, I think, got me was when you were in Carousel.
And you sang…
That's in high school.
Mommy was believing in me
-since I was six-years-old… -I be--
…at the Brickman's in the Catskills.
In the Catskills, the kids go to camp when you stay at a hotel.
And they do a talent night.
And we're all standing there and she's singing "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow."
And all these people are saying, "Oh, my God! Listen to that girl."
I thought when you came out of the womb you were gonna be famous.
-Yeah. Have your mother beat that one. -No, go back to--
♪ This time you better believe That there's no way ♪
♪ I'm holding back anymore ♪
♪ I'm slaying like the queen of swords ♪
"Queen of Swords," I thought I would do that, but not big, like,
with all the Pro Tools and stuff from last time.
We would do it a cool, unplugged version that was really fun with acoustic guitar
and, um, our-- just percussion instead of drums.
So, I can't, you know, whatever.
I just wanna cover my bases, so I'm not surprised
and I feel good about whatever happens and--
[electronic voice] …has left the conference.
-Great. Who just left? -[laughs]
♪ Hey Hey ♪
[Menzel] I feel like the set's always a living, breathing thing.
And I want us all to feel like we have some creative freedom, you know,
and we're not just stuck in one script.
But, um, I only have an hour because I'm sharing the bill with Josh Groban.
♪ This is an all… ♪
[Menzel] I love Josh. We've worked together a bunch of times in the past.
♪ Life imperceptibly coming between ♪
[Menzel] And we need to divide the stage time.
♪ Love is as strong… ♪
So, it's, like, slam-packed.
I don't have much time to breathe.
Hold up. Should we just do one chorus right into the "Hey"?
[Menzel] I think one of the biggest misconceptions
about me as a singer is that I just come from a theater background.
♪ Five hundred twenty-five thousand Six hundred minutes ♪
♪ Am I always starting over In a brand-new story ♪
[Menzel] When I was a little girl, I loved musical theater.
♪ Edelweiss, Edelweiss ♪
♪ Bless my homeland forever ♪
[Menzel] I did listen to cast albums when I was a little kid, and I…
My parents did bring me to shows. I was inspired by so much--
West Side Story to My Fair Lady, that's all part of me.
From now on, it's gonna be me, Rosie.
On the town, living, dancing, having a ball.
Making up for eight long years of being in love with a mama-clutching,
aspirin-splitting, 6-foot tower of Jell-O.
[Menzel] Then when I was 15, 16, I started working with wedding bands.
♪ And when he comes my way ♪
♪ I'll do my best ♪
♪ To make him stay ♪
[Menzel] But then, as I got a little older, my musical taste evolved.
♪ …that way When your honey drip, can't keep away ♪
[Menzel] I started to sing a lot more rock and R&B
and started to write my own music and find my own sound.
♪ …like that ♪
♪ Whatever you're thinking Whatever you're feeling ♪
I'm of many… of many worlds. [laughs]
No, I'm of many, like, um, influences.
And so, it's taken, like, a life of experience
and songs that speak to those experiences.
A song from a show, a song from an album, a song from my childhood.
It's all those things in one concert.
♪ …like crazy I hope for a hero to save me ♪
[Menzel] I'm stressing a lot. Like, I'm multitasking.
Trying to be in this headspace
and be with my band and do the music and get the set ready, and--
But I have two major things before I have to be onstage in Atlanta.
I have to finish this film that I'm doing,
and I have to do the Wicked 15th anniversary TV special.
Tour rehearsal's expecting me around 5:00,
and Wicked rehearsal's expecting me at 4:30.
I've been simultaneously doing this Adam Sandler movie where I play his wife,
and we worked till 7:00 in the morning last night.
I hate being with you, I hate looking at you,
and if I had my way, I would never see you again.
You can punch me if you want.
Oh, thanks.
-Hey, I was… -[laughs]
And I'm late because I was FaceTiming LA
um, so that I could be-- watch my son's basketball game.
That was the biggest thing of the day, to be honest. [laughs]
♪ Once I'm with the Wizard My whole life will change ♪
[Menzel] Aaron and I met through friends in the theater community,
and I was out of town doing the D.C. production of If/Then,
which, funny enough, was all about the choices one makes.
And I was going through a divorce.
I hadn't seen him in years and years 'cause he had left the business.
And someone mentioned him, and I thought,
"Well, he could be a good person to go on a first date with."
And we were inseparable ever since then.
And when Aaron and I were dating, he's like,
"I don't wanna get married. I don't wanna have babies."
I'm like, "Me too." And then he, all of a sudden,
he wants to marry me in my backyard with a rabbi.
So I got married in my backyard with a rabbi, and now he wants babies.
-[whispering] That was Dr. Nejat. -[interviewer whispering] Who's that?
He's the one who will be looking at my vagina.
[Menzel] I'm in the middle of what's called IVF, so I can try to get pregnant.
IVF is trying to get a bunch of eggs that are healthy at this age,
so you need all this medicine and these shots.
So that's kind of what I've been doing for two years now, on and off.
Like this. I know you boys are gonna be queasy.
The only thing is, like, the way it looks on my calendar,
it looks like I'd be at The Garden, like, doing an egg retrieval that morning.
There goes three eggs. Hit it.
It's-- I-- I've been, yeah.
I've been doing a film and a thing and a thing
and now I'm in band rehearsal,
-and yeah. -[Nejat] You're in a band?
Yeah, my band goes on tour. You know, we do a concert.
-[Nejat] I did not know. What band? -It's me and my band.
-Me. Yeah. -[Nejat] It's you.
-Awesome. I did not know that. -Yeah. I'm at The Garden.
-That's what this tour is. -Yeah.
[Nejat] You're at The Garden. Get outta here.
-Cool. What's the name of your band? -Yeah. So…
-It's me, doc. It's Idina. -[Nejat] It's just you? Okay.
-[Nejat] Okay. [laughs] -[laughs]
-[Nejat] Awesome. I love it. -Um...
-So I'm out with Josh Groban, actually… -[Nejat] Great.
…on tour. We're doing, like, a splitting the bill kind of thing.
[Nejat] I should know who that is, but I don't.
-You don't know who Josh Groban is? -Sorry, Josh.
Sorry, Josh.
[Nejat] Not a great cycle to start.
[Menzel] Right. Maybe it's 'cause I'm just all over the place.
[Nejat] Could be, but it's also not uncommon in this age bracket.
[Aaron on phone] Four to five eggs. That's pretty good.
[Idina sputters]
You're sweet. I love your text that you sent me. Thank you.
[Menzel] And I didn't think I wanted to have a baby.
But then, Aaron has been the most amazing man to my son,
who has a wonderful dad,
but has found a way to have his own incredible relationship with Walker.
He scored a couple jump shots that were awesome.
Really?
Yeah.
-[parent] Great game. -Yeah. You too.
[Menzel] I feel like he saved my life, in a way.
♪ I wanted to give back life ♪
♪ I wanted you to see yourself In their eyes ♪
♪ And hold them in your arms For all and all the time ♪
♪ I want to give that to you ♪
I was with my ex-husband for, like, 16 years.
We met in Rent. We were both in the original cast.
That was my very first professional job. 1995, '96.
You know, we grew up together.
So to figure out who you are separate from that person, it takes time.
I think we're doing a really good job of co-parenting.
Raising our child in two different households.
Did Daddy tell you I called a million times to wish you good game beforehand?
-[Walker] Wait, you did? -Yes.
I was trying to reach you guys before to tell you to kick some butt.
Thank you.
-Love you, Walker. -Bye.
Congrats.
Go team. Go Jets!
First gig, I think, is October 7-- 18th in Atlanta.
On the road to The Garden.
-Yay! -Whoo!
[Menzel] You know.
[Walker] Mama, is this gonna be a comedy/documentary?
[Menzel] Yes, it's going to be very funny at Mommy's expense.
[person] Ain't nobody. [laughs]
[chattering]
Ladies and gentlemen, Atlanta!
[chattering]
Hey, sure. Come on in. It's a mess.
What's going through my head is my-- I'm worried about my son's ear. Honestly.
In like, five minutes' time of getting in this room,
he went to scare Geo and fell back and hit his back, like, on the corner.
It was bleeding,
but all I saw was like, my son's, like, fat ear with like, blood coming down.
What's the schedule?
-Eight o'clock show? -[assistant] Mm-hmm.
Did you tell 'em that my one costume's already ripped?
[interviewer] Good camera shot.
In theater, you practice changes
so that you can choreograph them and get them down.
Like, you can get them down in nine seconds.
You're like, boots, belt, out.
This person, this person, boom. In, go onstage.
So, we were choreographing it in my house, and we pick--
We don't know if it ripped before the change or not,
But one of the other costumes was already ripped before we ever left New York.
So, it's being FedExed here, and it ripped right up the ass.
Yes.
Where do we go?
[person 1] This way.
Which way? Okay.
[person 2] It's this door.
[all laughing]
[person 1] Sorry. It's-- It's that one.
-Which way to the stage? -You better watch out, right?
[interviewer] Yeah.
[Menzel laughs]
That's a Rent reference, in case you didn't know.
Joanne, which way to the stage?
♪ Snow! ♪
Oh, we're gonna go see how the projections look
for the first time in the actual space.
This tour is bigger. It's all arenas.
So, it's different. Different venues.
I upped the production value.
Bigger space. I wanna fill it.
-[PA 1] That wants to be low? -[PA 2] Yeah, it wants to be low.
Now, I'm getting excited.
Careful, Walker. Look at this.
-That's a step. It's dangerous. -[PA] Behind that line.
[Menzel] "The Juggle is Real" is the unofficial title of this tour.
There's a solo coming up on the guitar.
♪ Do you know-- ♪
Not yet.
[drums playing]
The top of the show, he's gonna give a bit of spotlight for you right away,
-in addition to the backlight. -Okay.
Just to help the audience focus in on you. So don't be thrown.
It's better that we see you.
-I always love the spotlight. -[Alpert laughs] I know.
Good.
This is when it's, like, I have no idea what I'm doing right now.
No idea what I'm doing.
-Where's my child? -[assistant] He's on the bus, I believe.
-He's happy? He's fine? -He's good.
[assistant] Pretty good.
[Menzel] ♪ This is the moment ♪
♪ This is the moment ♪
-Bring it in. -Yeah, baby. Come on now!
[Menzel] I'm not that nervous 'cause I know we'll be good.
-We've all done this before. -[person] Yeah.
I love you all. Thanks for being on this journey with me.
-Let's have a good show. -[crew 1] Let's go!
-It's gonna be amazing! -[crew 2] Great show.
-Leap of faith. -Yes!
-One, two, three, leap of faith! -[all] Leap of faith!
[sighs]
Sounds like there's three people out there now.
[crowd cheering, whistling]
♪ Last night, I had a dream ♪
[crowd cheering]
♪ And I was thirsty ♪
♪ Only thing to do is jump over the moon ♪
♪ Last night I had a dream ♪
I was surrounded by the greatest audience In the entire world ♪
♪ And they thought I was amazing ♪
[crowd cheering]
♪ Leap of faith, leap of faith ♪
♪ I gotta get outta here ♪
[crowd cheering]
♪ It's like I'm being tied To the hood of a yellow rental truck ♪
♪ Being packed in with fertilizer And fuel oil ♪
♪ Pushed over a cliff By a suicidal Mickey Mouse ♪
[crowd cheering]
♪ I've gotta gotta gotta ♪
♪ Gotta gotta gotta gotta Gotta gotta gotta ♪
[grumbles]
♪ Gotta gotta find a way ♪
♪ To jump over the moon ♪
♪ Come on! ♪
♪ Only thing to do is jump over the moon ♪
♪ Only thing to do is jump Jump, jump, jump, jump ♪
[crowd cheering]
Whoo!
♪ Every single day I walk down the street… ♪
[Menzel] You know, on weekends, I was still doing gigs as a wedding singer.
But January and February are the worst months for weddings
'cause it's cold, and nobody gets married in January and February.
So I just thought I need a job.
So, I went in for this little Off-Broadway show.
♪ A leap of faith ♪
♪ Sing it ♪
[singer] ♪ A leap of faith, leap of faith ♪
-♪ Leap of faith, leap of faith ♪ -[vocalizing]
-♪ Leap of faith ♪ -♪ Only thing to do is-- ♪
[composer] That's great. Thanks, everyone.
Nicely done, Idina.
[Menzel] I had no idea that I was gonna move on
and my first dream was gonna come true.
I was gonna be in a Broadway show.
[reporter] On the evening that the musical Rent opened on Broadway,
the stars were offstage.
Onstage, there are no big names. At least not yet.
You know, I come from doing weddings and bar mitzvahs on the weekends as a singer.
Paying the rent that way, so…
[all] ♪ I'm making noise I'm making… ♪
[Menzel] Sometimes I feel like I don't totally belong.
When I got cast in Rent,
the theater community saw us as kind of raw and untrained talent.
I have a job to do. And I feel very pressured about it.
You know, people are paying me money
to come and do what I've said my whole life I do very well.
♪ Ever since puberty Everybody stares at me ♪
♪ Boys, girls I can't help it, baby ♪
♪ So be kind And don't lose your mind ♪
♪ Just remember That I'm your baby ♪
♪ Take me for what I am ♪
♪ Who I was meant to be ♪
♪ And if you give a damn ♪
♪ Take me baby or leave me ♪
♪ No way, can I be what I'm not ♪
♪ But hey, don't you want your girl hot? ♪
♪ Don't fight, don't lose your head ♪
♪ 'Cause every night, who's in your bed? ♪
♪ Who's in your bed? ♪
[crowd cheering, whistling]
Thank you.
[crew member] Whoo!
[Menzel] Thank you.
-Ten minutes over time. -[drummer] Yep.
-Not bad. -We can take it out of "Over The Moon."
[drummer] Exactly!
-At the end… -[crew member] You did it.
…you were standing out.
Absolutely. It was killer. Yeah.
That's a lot to do in an hour without taking breaks.
-I like to talk and give my vocal cords… -Yeah.
Yeah, it's like-- Out of a cannon. Like... [imitates cannon] You know?
-It's a lot. For my cords. -[PA 1] You're on the clock.
-I know. -[PA 2] Great job.
-Thank you. Thank you, guys. So sweet. -[PA 1] Thank you. Oh, my goodness.
Where's my guy? Walker!
Hey, babe.
It's a lot in an hour.
-My voice got tired. -It was unbelievable.
All my talking helps me take
-some moments in between songs. -Of course.
[Walker] Can I have an avocado?
Okay. Let me change into the Josh thing so I'm just ready to--
-I have a long time, right? -[PA] You have a while. You have an hour.
-Could be. Yeah. -Make sure that I know…
-[PA 1] Gotta pick what you're gonna wear. -…when I'm going on.
-[PA 1] Yeah. -Yeah.
-[Del Monte] Time to go. -[PA 2] He's announced her.
-[Del Monte] God! -[Goldstein] He's announced her?
[Del Monte] Yeah. I didn't get a call.
[Goldstein] Nobody called us.
-[Menzel] Do you need shoes? -Yeah, it would've been on the floor.
Apparently he's announced-- Are we going that way?
[crew 1] We're gonna go left.
-[crew 2] Mom's gotta go. -He's already announced you.
-[Walker] Mommy. -You're fine.
[crew 3] Come on. I'll help you.
You're gonna come here just to the right.
What do you mean he announced me, they're waiting for me to come out?
-You didn't get a call? -[Goldstein] No, nope, nobody.
-Is my mic up there or-- -I've got it right here.
We're gonna cue from him.
-Okay. We're all set. -Oh, we're going.
All right. Stay here, honey. Stay with these-- Stay with Burt.
[Groban] All right, I'm just gonna do this song because-- Idina!
♪ You must be yourself ♪
♪ It's time that you are ♪
-♪ Oh ♪ -♪ Oh ♪
♪ So take this sinking boat ♪
♪ And point it home ♪
♪ We've still got time ♪
♪ Raise your hopeful voice ♪
♪ You have a choice ♪
♪ You've made it now ♪
[Menzel] That was advanced notice we got.
-Yeah. What happened? -Might've been a little confusion.
-It's the first night. -[Menzel] Okay.
That was a very good dress rehearsal.
[crew member] "I now welcome to the stage Idina Menzel," I was like,
"Oh, my God. She's not here. Where is she?"
-[shutter clicking] -[Walker] No picture.
[fan 1] Looks beautiful on all these guys too.
He's my bodyguard. I'm sorry.
-[fan 2] It's important to have. -I'll give you one of their radios…
[Menzel] My parents wouldn't let me work professionally as a kid.
So I just studied at home with teachers and was active in all the school stuff.
♪ …through the rain ♪
♪ Though your dreams be tossed… ♪
[Menzel] I wanted to-- I wanted to, like, go in for the next Annie production.
♪ Tomorrow, tomorrow I love you, tomorrow ♪
♪ You're only a day away ♪
[Stuart cheers, laughs]
Yay!
[Menzel] But they wouldn't let me.
And then my parents split up, and my life turned upside down.
So this is like a catering hall.
Like a lot of people come here and they get married or have parties.
When I was 15, on Thanksgiving morning,
my parents brought my sister and I down to the kitchen table
and they told us they were separating.
And that they were gonna cancel all the guests that were coming over,
our extended family, and, um…
That we're gonna salvage the day, though,
because in an effort to show my sister and I that we would…
that it would always be amicable and that we'd still be a family,
we wanted-- they wanted to still go to dinner, Thanksgiving.
And my sister and I are like crying up in our rooms.
And so my mom throws the mashed potatoes down the drain
and the turkey in the garbage,
and makes a reservation to come here and sit in public.
[Stuart] Hey, honey. How are you doing?
Good. Guess where I am right now?
Uh, let me see…
I'm at the Fox Hollow Inn. On Jericho Turnpike.
[Stuart laughing]
-Are you really? -Does this look familiar to you?
Does it bring back memories?
Why do you think you guys picked Thanksgiving morning
to just break it to us?
Well, honey, I have--
[person on phone] You told your daughter on Thanksgiving morning?
-[Stuart] Yes, I know. -Yeah.
Literally Thanksgiving morning. Like, wouldn't you tell--
Wouldn't you and Mommy be like, "Let's wait till tomorrow.
We can hold it in. We've waited this long"?
[Stuart] Honey, I-- I don't actually remember.
I actually have never been back to that place.
But then, you know, then I came here all the time
and had gigs here all the time.
-I'd sing at bar mitzvahs and weddings… -Well--
…and I had to be reminded of this horrible day
every time I came here to make a buck and sing.
Well, you could have taken-- you could've taken up a different occupation.
[both laughing]
[Menzel] During these tough times,
my younger sister, Cara, and I, we got really close.
She always was really protective of me but I think even then,
when she kind of felt that our world was shaking, was kind of falling apart,
then she was even more protective in making sure I was okay.
[Menzel] I also think that this period of my life
was a catalyst for me to go deeper into my songwriting and immerse myself in music.
[Cara] I think it was a couple of years after the divorce,
D started to go into the studio and record her own music.
What else is in here?
These are lyrics.
♪ Why is it when we're on the phone I really want you to-- want you near me? ♪
♪ Yet then, when you're by my side The test seems not so easy ♪
♪ You'll probably never get to read this In certain ways, I wish you would ♪
♪ Maybe one day we'll surrender To each other, I wish I felt we should ♪
[laughing]
Tonight's important because it's my own music.
[announcer on speaker] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Idina Menzel.
[applause]
♪ It don't come easy Never once ♪
♪ Lessons along the way ♪
[interviewer] Do you actually get paid for this?
-No, I do pay my musicians. He-- -[musician laughs] Right.
-You pay money to do it. -I pay money out.
I usually come out negative.
[interviewer] Why do you do it?
It's the only way to get out there and be seen.
She was on this pedestal and I idolized her.
She could do all these things that not only I couldn't do but, like,
nobody else I knew could do.
♪ If this is the moment ♪
♪ I stand here on my own ♪
♪ If this is my rite of passage ♪
♪ That somehow leads me home ♪
♪ I might be afraid ♪
♪ But it's my turn to be brave ♪
♪ If this is the last chance ♪
♪ Before we say goodbye ♪
♪ At least it's the first day Of the rest of my life ♪
♪ I can't be afraid ♪
♪ 'Cause it's my turn to be brave ♪
[no audible dialogue]
[crowd cheering, whistling]
[all cheer]
♪ Let it go Let it go ♪
[shouts]
[Walker laughs]
Tell-- Walker, what are we doing right now?
We're taking off my mom's fake hair.
He likes to tell his friends that when they come over.
[laughing]
Oh, don't look at that thing, that chipmunk on the table.
It's just my mom's fake hair.
You look beautiful without it.
[all] Aw.
So the first night we have a piece and I just put it on, like, good.
You know, I have a Broadway background so I know you just have to secure it.
-I thought she was gonna sit… -[Menzel] Walker.
…and go, like, do the Idina Menzel show.
An evening-- Sit on a stool and sing to everyone.
We get in there, and Led Zeppelin comes on. And she's there…
[imitates Idina singing]
-I'm like, "I'm fired. I'm so fired." -[Menzel laughing]
"This thing is gonna come off.
I will never work again. Ever."
Like, I just gotta do something else.
Now we're going home. We got flag football
-and basketball games. -[Walker] Yeah!
And we're going home to see my husband, stepfather.
I need to-- [whispers] I need to get me some.
[all laughing]
[Hennings] Whoo!
Ladies and gentlemen…
Los Angeles!
Ow, I hit my hand on that.
It's Los Angeles.
Isn't that-- It's Marina del Rey. It doesn't look like Los Angeles.
-[Aaron] My brother wanted to ask-- -[Walker] I'm back!
[both grunting]
[Walker] Hi-yah!
Just a little peace and quiet before an important show.
[Walker] Yes! Mama! No! What are you--
I didn't know is what I'm saying.
-Watch. Watch. Watch. -[Aaron] Come play back over here.
I don't wanna be running one of you to the hospital instead of being onstage.
Thank you. Priorities.
[Walker] You'll crush me.
[Menzel] And the jackets we're supposed to have with you.
Hi!
I guess LA is always an uncomfortable show.
'Cause it's like LA industry people,
they don't know how to just relax and have a good time.
You think you have all these people there that you know, and it's hometown,
and then they're usually more reserved.
Oh, man. I'm so late. [sighs]
[Menzel] And to add to the stress of the day,
we also had trouble getting into the venue.
The security people didn't even have me on the list. They didn't recognize me.
[security] Only artists can come in here.
-[PA 1] Are you serious with all this? -[Menzel] Yes.
[PA 2 chuckles] Oh, my God.
-This is my girlfriend, Claire. -Hi.
-Hi. It's so nice to meet you. -[Claire] So nice to meet you too.
-I'm sorry. I'm on a little bit of a-- -[Claire] No worries.
They wouldn't let me or my family in.
[Claire] Oh, no.
I feel like crying right now so--
[Claire] Oh, no.
So…
[Claire] What's the deal?
I'm not Josh Groban's wife, apparently.
[Claire] Well… [laughs]
[Aaron] How you doing?
I just lost it for a minute.
Embarrassed that nobody would let me in.
[whimpers] Like, "She's not the artist, she's not-- The artist is onstage."
"Well, I have Josh's wife here."
-I'm like, "I'm not his wife!" -Oh, my gosh.
[assistant] Did anything happen?
It's just my ego. [cries]
This town never fails.
-[laughs] -[Hennings] It's gonna be okay.
[assistant] Oh, my gosh.
[Aaron] I'm consoling my wife and Geo's consoling me.
-[Hennings laughs] Right. -[Menzel laughs]
What's wrong?
Well, I was just thinking that maybe you could give me a massage
-before you go onstage? -Oh, shut up.
-[Aaron laughs] -[Hennings laughs]
He just has a way, soulfulness, and a-- just like--
-[Hennings] Mm-hmm. Calming. -Yeah.
-Just his voice alone. -It is.
-[Hennings] It's a very calming voice. -Yeah.
-[Hennings] He could be a pastor. -A pas-- [laughs]
[Menzel vocalizing]
[Menzel] I feel like LA makes me more nervous
because here I feel like I have to prove myself.
Maybe that's what's the underlying tone, you know, wanting to be accepted.
And I hate even that idea of wanting to be accepted.
I love you, Mommy.
[Menzel] I love you.
Hey there, Los Angeles!
[crowd cheering]
[Aaron] She gave me a heads-up
-about a couple songs. -[assistant] She did?
She's worried that I might get emotional.
♪ I probably had a bit too much to drink ♪
♪ It's a little after midnight You are probably asleep ♪
♪ I bet that you're surprised To hear from me ♪
[vocalizes]
♪ I still have your number memorized ♪
♪ I know it's been eight years But I still got these butterflies ♪
♪ I know I might sound crazy ♪
Every day I experience her as my wife and mother,
and coming here, and then I get to experience her.
You know, while she's up there doing her thing.
It's like, "Is that-- Is that my wife up there?"
♪ I always wonder If we could have been something ♪
♪ Or was it all in my mind ♪
♪ And I always wonder Here I might have missed something ♪
♪ That we left behind ♪
♪ And do you ever think of me? ♪
♪ And have you wondered Could we be ♪
♪ Something extraordinary? ♪
[Menzel] I love writing music because you have to write both universal
and with specific and unique to only you in order for a song to be great.
And that's really hard to do.
But I love that about songwriting.
♪ You love me ♪
♪ I never told you ♪
♪ That you are the one thing I held onto all this time ♪
♪ And do you ever think of me? ♪
♪ And have you wondered Could we be ♪
♪ Something extraordinary? ♪
♪ Extraordinary ♪
[crowd cheering]
Thank you.
[assistant] Was there any-- Did we even wash…
-I love you. -I love you.
That was fantastic. Couldn't have been-- Couldn't have been better.
Thanks.
[sighs]
It's one thing about me, maybe it's the pessimist,
but I never celebrate too long.
Yeah, it's probably because…
when your parents divorce,
and you don't expect that they would ever get divorced,
I think that that's changed the way that I see my whole life.
'Cause you never know. Nothing is ever what it seems.
So, like, sure, this show, Rent, seemed cool
and it seemed like something really special, but you never know.
It could just end tomorrow, or…
You get this big Broadway show, you get an agent.
You get a record deal that I've been trying to get.
I had some money, you know?
So, you think it's happening.
Then after my record deal, and the album came out, and it didn't do anything.
Literally, two people would be at each bar we showed up at. I was like,
"I have a big album coming out and I just came out of this hit show.
Where are all the people?"
And then I got dropped, and then the momentum from Rent was gone.
I sold no records. I went into obscurity for a couple years.
I-I-- I've had a lot of highs and lows,
so you start to realize how fleeting all this stuff can be, and how you just--
When it comes, you gotta-- you gotta grasp it.
This was my first single. It's called "Minuet."
The single was sixth most added on the radio
of the first week it came out.
-[crowd cheering] -It was between Madonna's "Ray of Light"
and some Babyface song.
I don't remember what it was.
And I just thought, you know, I had it all figured out.
I had, like, the rock star fantasy in my head. I just knew.
I just knew, the next day, they were gonna be flying me back to New York in a jet.
Steven Meisel was gonna be waiting there
to take my picture for the cover of Rolling Stone.
Next thing you know, I'd be whisked off in a limousine
to where I'd be opening at Madison Square Garden.
And I'd get there, and I'm just, like, walking towards the light.
And I hear, like…
-They're waiting for me. "Idina! Idina!" -[crowd laughing]
"Idina! Idina!"
And what really happened…
[crowd laughing]
[applause]
is first time I heard my song on the radio they called it "Minute" by Idina Mensel.
I had to just kinda start all over again.
And it wasn't till, uh, eight years later that they called me
to come in for some show called Wicked and start working on that.
♪ When I meet the Wizard ♪
♪ Once I prove my worth ♪
♪ And then I meet the Wizard What I've waited for since birth ♪
♪ And with all his wizard wisdom ♪
♪ By my looks, he won't be blinded ♪
♪ Do you think the Wizard is dumb? ♪
♪ Or like Munchkins so small-minded? ♪
♪ He'll say to me I see who you truly are ♪
♪ A girl on whom I can rely ♪
♪ And that's how we'll begin The Wizard and I ♪
♪ Come on! ♪
[Menzel] Creating an original role is the most rewarding.
Nobody's seen it before, you know?
You can have that freedom to really discover who they are
and build it piece by piece.
♪ I do believe I have been changed ♪
-♪ For the better ♪ -[music director] Now you can stretch.
I have to take a-- Where do I take a breath?
[music director] Oh, breath? Yeah, it's gonna be here.
♪ Who can say ♪
♪ If I've been changed ♪
-[Menzel] ♪ For the better ♪ -Take it right on the downbeat.
-♪ I do believe ♪ -There you go.
♪ I have been changed For the better ♪
[Oremus] Actually…
♪ None of it seems to matter anymore ♪
♪ Like a comet pulled ♪
[person 1] You're one of the few people who can pull off green.
[Chenoweth] Oh, my God.
-[person 1] Great, right? -I'm thinking I wanna be green. [laughs]
[all cheering]
-[person 2] Give her some space, guys. -[laughing]
[Menzel] When you're doing readings and workshopping a new show,
you never know when the money might fall out, or something will happen.
It's rare you see something make its way
all the way through to the Broadway stage.
♪ I know it sounds truly crazy ♪
♪ And true, the vision's hazy ♪
♪ But I swear, someday there'll be A celebration throughout Oz ♪
♪ That's all to do with me ♪
And the 2004 Tony for best leading actress in a musical goes to…
[both] Idina Menzel, Wicked.
[crowd cheering]
[announcer] Idina Menzel takes home her first Tony Award.
Playing the part of Elphaba in the original musical Wicked.
She was nominated for featured actress in a musical in 1996 for Rent.
I am so proud to be in a musical that celebrates women.
That celebrates their strengths and their differences.
[Menzel] Kids come with their parents and they get it on a whole different level.
I think that's the best part of the whole experience for me.
The impact it's having on younger people.
When you get tired and the eight shows a week starts to get you down.
And you might have a cold,
I try to remember these kids that are out there.
♪ And I'll stand there with the Wizard ♪
♪ Feeling things I've never felt ♪
♪ And though I'd never show it ♪
♪ I'd be so happy, I could melt ♪
♪ And so it will be For the rest of my life ♪
♪ And I'll want nothing else Till I die ♪
♪ Held in such high esteem ♪
♪ When people see me, they will scream ♪
♪ For half of Oz's favorite team ♪
♪ The Wizard ♪
♪ And I ♪
-[crowd cheering] -[panting]
[birds chirping]
[dog barks]
Good flipper. I'm a good flipper.
Aw, it's a messy flip.
The thing is, I'm not a cook.
The one thing I do is some good pancakes.
So he gets it, like, every day, and he thinks I'm the best cook. [laughs]
Dude.
Let's go. Let's go.
Louie, come here.
-Go get dressed. -I'll race you.
-And brush your teeth too. -I'll race you.
[on radio] ♪ We gonna party like it's your birthday ♪
♪ And we gonna sip Bacardí Like it's your birthday ♪
♪ And you know we don't give a [bleep] It's not your birthday ♪
Yeah, good parenting.
My entire identity was
wrapped up in being a singer even.
Not even an actor. Like, just--
This is what everyone paid attention to ever since I was a little girl.
This is what makes me different and special in the world.
This is who I am. If I don't have that, who am I?
So when you become a parent,
and you realize that they're just relying on you for love and protection,
it sort of liberates you in this way, and you--
Not that a woman should define herself as a mother either.
Like, I feel like we put ourselves with so many labels.
"Am I a working mom? Am I not a working mom?"
It's, uh, being in perpetual conflict with yourself.
It's, like,
guilty that you're leaving.
But there's this part of me that's sort of excited to be on the road
without him for a couple days 'cause it's--
I can sleep in and just focus on myself and…
But then that's, you know, feels wrong as a mom, so…
I gotta focus on the baby thing.
It's really amazing.
Like, when I'm flying and doing tour,
my-- the count-- the follicles--
Is this TMI?
Is… Gets so low.
But then when I'm home, and I'm, like, just hanging, the doctors are like,
"You know, this can totally still happen for you."
So that's why they've kept my hopes alive.
[horns honking]
-How are you feeling? How's the meds? -I feel fine.
Are you here now with New York for a couple of--
No, but I'm-- I can keep coming back. I'm here. I'm close.
-Okay, let's take a look. -So…
Yeah, so…
We have a couple advanced eggies, but some are ready, some are not.
What do you-- What's your instinct? Should we just grab them?
Can I take a look at your blood work today?
-Yeah. -Then we decide what is the next step.
Should we pursue or not?
It's a very easy retrieval. Should not be in too much pain.
Can go right back to work
-if you need to. -Yeah.
But at the same time, is it worth it? Not worth it?
I do want to take a look at your blood work.
-Okay. -And then to decide.
It's good news or bad news.
It's kind of mediocre.
Yeah, I guess it's bad news. Like, you want them to be like,
"Yeah. It's gonna be a great cycle.
-We're gonna get all these eggs." -[elevator door opens]
I remember when Dina was born, and they wanted to name her after an "I."
But they couldn't find a name, so they took the word-- name Dina,
and they put the "I" in front of it, and they called her Idina.
-So, I-- Go ahead. -And we call her Idina,
but I guess you guys call her Dina.
[Menzel] No. Nobody calls me Dina. It's Idina with a short "I."
-It's shorter? -It's "Idina."
-Idina. So shoot me. -She's always "Idina."
So shoot me. So all these years I made a mistake.
[Menzel] People are always having trouble with my name.
Idina Menzel for Rent.
Please welcome the wickedly talented, one and only, Adele Dazeem.
[band playing "Let It Go"]
Idina, when you had to perform at the Oscars,
-he introduced you-- -Adele Dazeem.
And then I have eight seconds, the-- the band starts, and I'm like,
"Get your [bleep] together. Come on. This is your moment.
Like, stop worrying about that he messed up your name.
-Just sing, bitch." You know? I was like-- -Sing!
♪ Snow glows white On the mountain tonight ♪
Retrospectively, how do you feel about that moment now?
It was the greatest thing ever happened to me.
Yeah.
And listen, she's gonna be a household name within 24 hours.
-Yeah. So true. So true. -Like, I was like,
"I need somebody to say my name wrong at the Oscars."
[Menzel] Yeah!
He's written so many nice, apologetic emails and sent flowers.
He's so kind. And I just always say,
"No worries, 'cause it was the best thing that ever happened."
[Corden] Correct!
I'm not leaving without you, Elsa.
Yes, you are.
[Bell] No, I know we can figure this out together, Elsa.
How?
What power do you have to stop this winter?
To stop me?
[Menzel] Whenever I'd go into a recording studio
with a big-time producer or songwriter,
they'd sort of admonish me and say, like,
"You're too expressive. You have to-- All that Broadway training…"
You know? Or, "You have to sound more like Sheryl Crow.
-Throw it away." -Enough!
[Menzel] They would have all of these rules like theater people never,
you know, are never gonna get on the radio on a pop station.
And then all of a sudden, cut to, like, 15 years later,
I'm, like, taking my kid to school, and Z100's on, and I hear "Let It Go."
I'm like, "What the hell?" You know?
And you just can't worry about those rules.
And I did for a long time.
You just gotta keep moving and going and taking work that makes you feel good,
and surround yourself with people that teach you stuff,
and just keep going.
[reporter] Frozen is the second-highest-grossing animated film
in history.
Frozen is now out on DVD,
and more than three million copies were sold
on its first day of release on Tuesday.
[shutter clicking]
It was so crazy how it just overnight, it just sort of became this thing.
It's become, like, this huge pop-culture moment.
♪ Couldn't keep it in Heaven knows I tried ♪
♪ Don't let them in Don't let them see ♪
♪ Be the good girl ♪
♪ Who you always have to be ♪
♪ Conceal, don't feel ♪
♪ Don't let them know ♪
♪ Well, now they know ♪
♪ Let it go ♪
♪ Can't hold it back anymore ♪
[playing "Let It Go"]
♪ Let it go ♪
[Menzel] The success of "Let It Go" and Frozen,
that was a huge defining moment for me.
And my thing with Elsa is more about, like, harnessing this incredible power
we all have in ourselves.
And so often in the world where we're so, like,
"Watch out. That's too much for people. That's gonna, you know, be off-putting."
Especially with women. You know?
That anger, that ferocity, that magic sorcery that you have,
whatever it is that you have.
That thing that makes you really exceptional and incredible in life.
♪ The snow glows white On the mountain tonight ♪
[crowd cheering]
♪ Not a footprint to be seen ♪
♪ A kingdom of isolation ♪
♪ And it looks like I'm the queen ♪
♪ The wind is howling Like this swirling storm inside ♪
♪ Couldn't keep it in Heaven knows I tried ♪
♪ I tried ♪
♪ Oh, I tried ♪
[Menzel] I love that I get to perform these songs for young audiences,
but they're actually great reminders for all of us
to just stop making yourself smaller so other people can feel better.
♪ It's time to see what I can do ♪
♪ To test the limits and break through ♪
♪ No right, no wrong, no rules for me ♪
♪ I'm free ♪
♪ Let it go Let it go ♪
♪ I'm one with the wind and sky ♪
♪ Let it go Let it go ♪
♪ You'll never see me cry ♪
♪ Here I stand ♪
♪ And here I'll stay ♪
♪ Let the storm rage on ♪
Come on!
[crowd cheering, whistling]
♪ My power flurries through the air Into the ground ♪
♪ My soul is spiraling In frozen fractals all around ♪
♪ And then one crystallizes Like an icy blast ♪
♪ I'm never going back ♪
♪ The past is in the past ♪
♪ Let it go ♪
Sing it!
♪ Let it go ♪
♪ Can't hold it back ♪
♪ Anymore ♪
♪ Let it go ♪
♪ Turn away ♪
♪ And slam the door ♪
♪ I… ♪
♪ I don't care what they're going to say ♪
♪ Let the storm rage on ♪
♪ The cold never bothered me anyway ♪
♪ Anyway ♪
I just wanted you to know I wasn't lip-syncing.
[laughs]
[elevator bell dings]
[electronic voice] Tenth floor.
Ugh, I could just lay here all day in this bed.
Okay. What time is it?
I'm-- I can't believe how on time I am.
When you say, "The snow," I would say it would be there.
[Menzel] Okay, let's try that. Ready…
♪ Snow glows white On the mountain tonight ♪
Just refining.
[crowd cheering on phone]
[person on phone] David, David, David! David!
[Menzel] Watch. There's Walker.
-He caught it and he runs it in. Come on! -[cheering on phone]
-[crew member] Are you screaming? -Do you hear us?
Well, you know, I was saving my voice, actually, a little bit.
Oh, and then I didn't tell you guys, some kid tackled him.
-You're not supposed to. -[Hennings] No.
Aaron and Taye both, "Hey! Hey! Watch it! Watch it!"
And then the ref comes over and starts yelling at the parents like,
"Guys, I got this."
And then Taye, in defense of Aaron, goes,
"Listen, it's just parents here, man. We're just parents."
[all laughing]
-It was like a bonding moment. -[crew member] I wish you filmed that.
-Hilarious. -I know.
Remember when our rider
-just had dinosaurs here? -[crew member] Yeah. Mm-hmm.
[Menzel] And then, all of a sudden,
these kids at school didn't pick him for the basketball team,
and, like, he's like, "Nobody's gonna tell me I can't do it."
[crew member] Yeah.
Sound like anybody you know?
[all laughing]
♪ Don't tell me not to live Just sit and putter ♪
♪ Life's candy and the sun's A ball of butter ♪
♪ Don't bring around a cloud To rain on my parade ♪
♪ Don't tell me not to fly I've simply got to ♪
♪ If someone takes a spill It's me and not you ♪
♪ Who told you you're allowed To rain on my parade? ♪
-Baby! I'm so proud of you. -Mom!
Dallas!
Denver!
Boston!
Isn't it beautiful?
And you did it all with a horrible mother who didn't come to any games.
[Walker on phone] Uh-huh.
Excuse me?
♪ …hat, sir I guess I didn't make it! ♪
♪ But whether I'm the rose Of sheer perfection ♪
He hung up on me and he's crying.
♪ A freckle on the nose Of life's complexion ♪
♪ The cinder Or the shiny apple of its eye ♪
♪ I gotta fly once I gotta try once ♪
Do you love my child?
-[Aaron on phone] Of course. -You do? Okay.
♪ …is juicy ♪
♪ Juicy, and you see I gotta have my bite, sir! ♪
♪ Get ready for me, love 'Cause I'm a comer ♪
♪ I simply gotta march My heart's a drummer ♪
♪ Don't bring around a cloud To rain on my parade ♪
♪ I'm gonna live and live now ♪
♪ Get what I want I know how ♪
♪ One roll for the whole shebang ♪
♪ One throw, that bell will go clang ♪
♪ Eye on the target, and wham ♪
♪ One shot, one gunshot, and bam ♪
[Menzel] When you're juggling so many things and--
The extra performance I do with Josh.
Then having family, going back and forth, the traveling.
I don't hang out with the band in between cities sometimes.
So it's nice to bond with them.
[Menzel on speaker] ♪ With a feeling from side to side ♪
♪ Sit yourself down in your car Rock steady ♪
♪ Let's call this song Exactly what it is ♪
♪ What it is, what it is, what it is ♪
♪ It's a funky and low down feeling What it is, what it is ♪
♪ Move my hips from left to right What it is ♪
♪ This funky dance all night Yeah ♪
["Defying Gravity" playing]
Yeah, you can!
♪ I think I'll try defying gravity ♪
♪ I think I'll try-- ♪
-♪ I think I'll try… ♪ -♪ I think I'll try defying gravity ♪
♪ And you won't bring me down ♪
♪ I've had the time of my life ♪
To be someone who is away from home a lot, away from your loved ones,
we couldn't do what we do without every single person on the team.
Like, we're friends. And let's just make fun music together. You know?
[Menzel] Whenever the band and I are just vibing together in a spontaneous way,
stuff always comes up.
The time we were doing Aretha, it hit me that
her song "Respect" and "Take Me or Leave Me"
actually have a similar chord progression.
[Bryan] She doesn't sing the same way.
Every evening, "Do you like this here?" and "What do you think about this?"
And she has really great ideas. Like "Take Me or Leave Me."
Go… ♪ Take me, leave me, take me ♪
♪ Take me, leave me ♪
-♪ Take me for what I-- ♪ -♪ Take me for what I'm meant-- ♪
[Menzel] ♪ Am I for-- ♪
-Where's your for at? -♪ For what I am meant to be ♪
-[Menzel] ♪ For what I am meant to be ♪ -Right.
-[Menzel] What's yours? -♪ For what I'm meant to be ♪
-[Menzel] Is that it? -That's me.
♪ The way that you treat me ♪
♪ You take me or leave me Or I'm gonna walk out the door ♪
And then we gotta do one together.
♪ Get with the program And if you really give a damn ♪
-Then we do our thing. -[Bryan] ♪ Take me ♪
-Yeah. -All right. Let's just give it a go.
♪ Take me or leave me ♪
♪ Take me for what I am meant to be ♪
♪ So, I'll tell you what I want What I really, really want ♪
♪ What I really… ♪
[Menzel] I've always said that versatility is a gift and a curse for me.
♪ What you really, really want… ♪
People in this business wanna pigeonhole you stylistically.
When you're versatile, and you can do a bunch of things,
that confuses them.
They don't know how to market you when you're eclectic like that.
You think it would be something that would excite them,
but it makes their jobs more difficult.
Who are you?
♪ R-E-S-P-E-C-T ♪
♪ Find out what it means to me ♪
♪ Re-re-re-re-re-re-re-- ♪
♪ Guess I'm leaving ♪
♪ I'm gone ♪
[both vocalizing]
Vanessa Bryan!
Thank you, Idina!
[Menzel] And so I've struggled with that my whole life,
'cause I've been inspired by so many different kinds of artists.
Are you a Broadway girl or are you a pop girl?
Do you sing rock 'n' roll? Who are you? What do you wanna be?
It's like, I'm all these things. And all these things make up who I am.
So I was thinking about this song to cover,
because it was a song that
I used to listen to with my boyfriend back in junior high school
when we'd drive around Long Island trying to find Billy Joel's house.
-[crowd cheering] -And…
It's not a Billy Joel song, but--
So we start working on this in the rehearsal with the band,
trying to come up with our own cool arrangement.
And when we get to the bridge will that-- Forget about Mazz for now.
When she comes in, we'll play around with her.
Can you do the pretty piano thing you were doing and--
-Play it on piano? Okay. I will. -Yeah.
Sean, can we do it the way we did it, like, just me and you and maybe Oz?
Really-- Really sparse.
And Sean Hurley over here on the bass, he started playing this bass line…
[playing "I Melt with You"]
Yeah.
[keyboardist] From the top?
-This is how it would start. -[keyboardist] We're starting at bar 14.
There is no--
We can sell more merch.
♪ Moving forward using all my breath ♪
♪ Making love to you Was never second best ♪
Maybe now us?
♪ I'll stop the world and melt with you ♪
♪ You've seen the difference And it's getting better all the time ♪
♪ There's nothing you and I won't do ♪
♪ I'll stop the world and melt with you ♪
♪ I dream of better lives The kind you never hate ♪
♪ Dropped in a state of imaginary grace ♪
♪ I made a pilgrimage To save this human's race ♪
♪ Never really knowing The race had long gone ♪
♪ Gone by ♪
♪ I'll stop the world and melt with you ♪
♪ You've seen the difference ♪
♪ And it's getting better all the time ♪
♪ There's nothing you and I won't do ♪
This is the, uh… where I grew up.
[Menzel] I have a complicated relationship with my hometown.
They always want you to fit in when you're out here.
You want to wear what everyone else is wearing,
have the same car everyone else has, you know?
Otherwise, you feel like you stand out and get bullied.
♪ I'll stop the world and melt with you ♪
[Menzel] That's why I wanted to go to NYU.
Because Manhattan, you know, you know you don't have to fit in.
They don't want you to fit in. You can be whatever you wanna be.
♪ The future The future's open wide ♪
♪ I'll stop the world and melt with you ♪
♪ I've seen some changes ♪
♪ Have you seen my changes? ♪
♪ I really made some changes ♪
To be honest, it's memories of hard work.
School, and then gigging, and then…
uh, trying to fit in with the kids at school,
but then going late at night on a Friday or Saturday,
missing a party because I wanted to work and sing at somebody's bar mitzvah.
[crowd cheering]
[Menzel] Thank you.
[mouthing words] Thank you.
This was the location of the very final, last club date,
which is like a cool way of saying wedding or bar mitzvah gig,
um, that I ever did in my entire life,
after doing it for-- on and off for, like, eight years.
Yeah, this was it.
Well, this is the thing that people don't realize,
is we don't usually come in that way. We usually come in this way.
This way. This way.
So we just come in like this.
All decked out in a gorgeous, little black cocktail dress.
♪ Ladies with an attitude ♪
♪ Fellas that were in the mood ♪
♪ Don't just stand there Let's get to it ♪
♪ Strike a pose There's nothing to it ♪
♪ Vogue ♪
But I never could do the vogue. I couldn't-- [laughs] I couldn't dance.
And so whenever I'd be up here, whether it was a decent gig
where it felt musical, and I felt appreciated,
or it was horrendous and cheesy, and, you know, drunk people yelling at you…
Either way, I always stood up here and I was, like, "I'm gonna…
This isn't gonna be all for me."
[playing "No Day But Today"]
This is from a show called Rent.
[crowd cheering]
Yeah. It's the very first show I ever got.
My first big break.
Back in New York City down in the Village.
Ah, and it changed my life, it really did.
Just, uh…
finally someone seeing something in me and hiring me and believing in me.
And that man was Jonathan Larson, who was the composer of Rent.
[applause]
He wrote a show all about--
Well, really love.
About loving whoever the hell you want.
And, um, embracing the moment, not taking things for granted,
not taking people for granted.
Trying to stay present, you know, and live every day as though it's our last.
And, uh, he didn't-- he didn't stay with us very long.
We lost him very early on in our process.
[Menzel sighs] The night of our first--
It was supposed to be your first audience. The night of our first audience.
We were supposed to show up at around three o'clock at the theater,
and we got a call and told us to come a little bit later,
that Jonathan Larson had passed away on-- in his kitchen, in his apartment downtown.
So, um…
that was just crazy.
We dedicate this opening night and every performance to our friend Jonathan Larson.
[Menzel] And it became this mission for everyone involved to--
It was more than just, "Wow, we got our first Broadway show."
It was like now we had a mission to get forth this man's music
and his love and his message and, um…
[clears throat]
He was a struggling artist just like the rest of us.
So everything's always been so bittersweet about that
because he never got to enjoy
all of the accolades
and the love that everybody was sending back our way through that show.
Till-- Till now-- Till tomorrow night, you know, to every concert that I ever do.
It's like it's--
Thanks to him, like, I have fans from 23 years ago that've grown up with me.
That kids-- Those--
Their kids now see Frozen, you know? That's how, like, deep it goes.
And that's because of him.
And I find, as the years go by,
that the impact and the meaning of what he wrote
starts to resonate more and more.
♪ There's only us ♪
♪ There's only this ♪
♪ Forget regret ♪
♪ Or life is yours to miss ♪
♪ No other road ♪
♪ No other way ♪
♪ No day but today ♪
[sighs] Jonathan Larson,
he wrote this show about tolerance and love…
combating hatred with love.
[Menzel] As an artist, we are always a conduit for what's going on in our lives
and what we're feeling emotionally and what's going on in the world.
Our Pittsburgh show was just a few days after the Synagogue shooting.
So I had to acknowledge it. And you know?
The songs, they take on new meaning.
And what a testament to Jonathan Larson and his music.
That show was all about tolerance.
It was about love.
It was about community.
If we could use this song tonight, um,
while I'm sitting here in this-- in this beautiful city,
a Jewish girl from Long Island,
I thought about how we-- we light candles in the Jewish religion.
Sort of choosing light over darkness.
Choosing love over bigotry.
♪ There's only now ♪
♪ There's only here ♪
♪ Give in to love ♪
♪ Or live in fear ♪
♪ No other road ♪
♪ No other way ♪
♪ No day but today ♪
[crowd cheering]
♪ No day but today ♪
Sing.
♪ No day but today ♪
[crowd] ♪ No day but today ♪
[Menzel] ♪ No day but today ♪
[crowd] ♪ No day but today ♪
[Menzel] ♪ No day but today ♪
[crowd] ♪ No day but today ♪
♪ No day but today ♪
[crowd] ♪ No day but today ♪
[crowd cheering]
-[assistant] We need-- -So this is--
Wait, where's Halloween?
Oh, so, we're home…
-Day off here at home. -[assistant] Mm-hmm.
How long does it take to drive from LA to
-Salt Lake? Mmm. -[assistant] Salt Lake?
[Menzel] When I signed on for the tour, I told them I'm only doing it
if I could have the two days off to take Walker trick-or-treating
and go home for Halloween.
[assistant 1] We're planning to fly home this morning.
-[Menzel] For Halloween? -Mm-hmm.
-Denver, the following night… -Yeah.
-…would be nine hours. -[assistant 2] She wasn't here for that.
-Yeah, there was two drivers there. -[assistant 1] They got a 12-hour drive.
♪ I miss my child ♪
Hi! Hi, babe.
[Walker] I'm filling in my homework.
Oh, good. Do you want me to do a little with you?
Okay.
So you know how "who's" with a,
I think it's called an apostrophe, before the S?
Yeah.
"H"-- I mean "W-H-O" and then the-- What's it called again?
Apostrophe.
-We going on a walk? -[crew] Yeah.
We gotta go up? Okay.
[crew member] Keep that on.
"…she yelled, 'blank making all that racket down there.'"
[laughs] Who's making all that racket down there?
-Which one is it? -Same one.
Same one, 'cause it's a person.
W-H-O-S-E, right?
It was hard for me to hear 'cause the reception went out.
You see me?
Can you hear me?
Walk, can you hear me?
-Homework. -[Groban] Okay. Aw.
Can you hear me, babe?
Yeah.
I'm gonna call you because it's bad reception here,
I'm gonna go do those two songs with Josh and then call you right back, okay?
-Okay. -All right, I love you.
I'll call you right back and go over it with you.
[crowd cheering]
♪ And all love through darkness ♪
♪ Don't you ever stop believing ♪
♪ With love forlorn ♪
♪ With love, you'll find your way ♪
I miss my son and my husband,
and then I decided not to bring in Walker this weekend
because he's got all these games.
And I won't have seen him for, like, two and a half weeks,
so what kind of mother does that make me?
And then-- then I'm thinking, "Why am I choosing to do this whole IVF thing?"
There's only that many eggs, so it's like I gotta rush it in.
Why am I rushing it in on the one week I decide to, like,
film a documentary for Madison Square Garden
and, like, capture this dream
and… [sniffles] …trying to fly my kid in and do everything all at once?
And then I'm just gonna get sick and not be able to sing it anyway.
[chuckles]
Remember, Geo, when you were like, "If we do this documentary,
you have to, like, have your hair done
-when you wake up in the morning"? -[laughing]
Eye shadow on, mascara-- like, waterproof mascara.
Like, "If Beyoncé was doing it, she'd look great no--
from the minute she woke up out of bed."
I'm like, "I cannot do that. That is exhausting."
[crowd cheering, whistling]
["Do You Want to Build a Snowman" playing]
[Menzel laughs]
We're gonna go into this nice children's song.
♪ Do you wanna build a snowman? ♪
[crowd member] Yeah!
♪ Come on Let's go and play ♪
[laughs]
♪ I never see you anymore ♪
Sing with me.
♪ Come out the door It's like you've gone away ♪
♪ We used to be best buddies ♪
♪ And now we're not ♪
♪ I wish you would tell me why ♪
Let me hear those 12-year-old girls sing.
♪ Do you wanna build a snowman? ♪
♪ It doesn't have to be a snowman ♪
♪ Okay, bye ♪
Hello.
Can you hear me?
-[Walker] Yeah. -I love you. I'm so proud of you.
I love you too.
[Aaron] I can't take pictures 'cause I'm doing--
All right, all right, all right. I love you. Go take pictures.
-Do you want me to take pictures or not? -Yeah, take pictures.
♪ …build a snowman? ♪
♪ Or ride our bikes around the hall? ♪
[vocalizing]
One second, Tania. I don't see my son's name.
So I'm wondering if he missed it because he was away with me.
Just writing the teacher right now.
♪ …gets a little lonely All these empty rooms ♪
[Menzel] It's an indescribable feeling
to connect with these young kids every night onstage.
♪ Do you wanna build a snowman? ♪
But it also can make me miss my own son.
♪ It doesn't have to be a snowman ♪
♪ Okay, bye ♪
Apparently, we're in Chicago. [chuckles]
No, I mean-- Where are we? We're in Detroit.
-What time zone are we on right now? -[assistant] East.
-No-- We're East now? -[horns honking]
We're in Chicago. Are we in Chicago?
♪ It doesn't have to be a snowman ♪
♪ Goodbye ♪
[Aaron] How was your show last night?
Oh, it was awesome. It was like a sea of lights.
-Oh, wow. -[yawning] It was beautiful.
♪ It doesn't have to be a snowman ♪
♪ Goodbye ♪
[Walker] You made me die.
[Menzel] He's playing Fortnite at 6:00 in the morning,
which he's not allowed, but I didn't wanna start a whole thing.
"I don't wanna talk to you. You made me die."
Thank you. Good morning to you too, sir.
[scoffs]
Honey, I love you.
♪ We only have each other ♪
♪ It's just you and me ♪
♪ What are we gonna do? ♪
♪ Do you wanna build a snowman? ♪
♪ It doesn't have to be a snowman ♪
Bye!
♪ The sun is up ♪
♪ The sky is blue ♪
♪ It's beautiful ♪
♪ And so are you ♪
♪ Won't you come out to play? ♪
[crowd cheering, whistling]
[birds chirping]
Close your eyes.
Okay, but wait, um, just let me--
No big gloopy-goopy parts.
I know. I know that. Okay, you can open.
Good luck.
-The light! The light. -Hurry, get to the car, get to the car.
[groans]
[Menzel laughs] Walker!
Are you all right?
Dracula!
Take your pumpkin.
You in?
Happy Halloween.
[chattering]
Where are we?
How we doing Milwaukee?
What's going on Philly? Are you ready?
I gotta get to the theater-- Not the theater.
We're not at theaters. We're-- Arenas. Arena, baby!
[vocalizing]
Okay, here we are. Everybody, this is Rochester.
Don't be jealous!
[crowd cheering]
MSG, here we come!
[horns honking]
[doctor] For the retrieval, you have been sleeping, right?
-[Menzel] No, I've been awake. -[doctor] Okay.
Were you able to do something after retrieval here though?
[Menzel] Yeah, I did six hours of recording Frozen.
[laughs]
It looks better. So, I think we should go for it.
Okay, cool.
[Aaron] Are you in pain?
-[Menzel] It's uncomfortable.Not painful. -Okay.
[Menzel] It's more that I'm just bleeding a lot more than I remember.
[assistant] Just keep doing your thing. Drink that tea and--
[Menzel] I didn't drink it.
I don't know.
I'm just annoyed 'cause I said to that lady,
"Are they all a good size?"
And usually, they'd be like, "Well, there's one really big one."
And she was like, "Yeah, they're all--"
[assistant] So is the concern that the big one takes over
-and prevents the other ones from growing? -Mm-hmm.
That's what all the medicine's about.
Like, suppressing and growing the others.
Such a headache. Why do I have such a headache?
And probably I didn't drink enough water.
[horns honking]
[sound engineer] One, two, one, two, one, two.
[Menzel clears throat, vocalizes]
[interviewer] What's 26-year-old you saying to you right now?
She has an accent. A bad Long Island accent.
She's like, "Oh, my God!
Idina, you made it to the big time. That's amazing."
[chuckles]
No. She's saying, "You did it, girl."
She's saying, "See, I told you. I knew you'd do it all the time."
No matter how big the venue is,
tonight it's Madison Square Garden,
but years ago it was The Bitter End back in-- in the Village.
My goal is always to feel like it's a living room,
like, you know, we're just still talking and telling a story.
All those girls that were mean to me in high school, see ya!
Putting bubble gum under my car handle.
♪ Something's coming I don't know what it is ♪
♪ But it is gonna be great ♪
I had, like, the rock star fantasy in my head. I just knew, I just knew--
You remember the time when the-- I couldn't pay my musicians?
I remember you asking.
I was like, "Can I have 40 bucks to pay my drummer?"
[Stuart] Yeah.
-[Menzel] You gave it to me. -[Stuart] I gave it to her.
Toothbrush, check. Deodorant, check.
Parents, check.
I saw Rent 265 times.
I saw Wicked 282 times.
[Menzel] It's true.
♪ …leaving today ♪
♪ I want to be a part of it ♪
♪ New York, New York ♪
Madison Square Garden.
♪ I wanna wake up ♪
♪ In a city-- ♪
Hello. How you do?
"Madison Square Garden, the world's most famous arena."
[shutter clicks]
[vocalizing]
Going there now to see my daughter sing at Madison Square.
-[Menzel] Hey, guys. -Hello.
I'm enormously proud of her.
[Menzel] I just wanna enjoy it.
It took 47 years to get here, and now I'm nervous.
You got to take these moments in, you know?
Hey, what's up, New York City?
[crowd cheering]
I wanna thank all of you for showing up
and making it possible for me to do this tonight.
And for showing up to all my shows throughout the years and supporting me.
I love you all. Thank you.
This is for you.
♪ It well may be ♪
♪ That we will never meet again ♪
♪ In this lifetime ♪
♪ So let me say before we part ♪
♪ So much of me ♪
♪ Is made of what I learned from you ♪
♪ You'll be with me ♪
♪ Like a handprint on my heart ♪
♪ And now whatever way our stories end ♪
♪ I know you have rewritten mine ♪
♪ By being my friends ♪
♪ Like a ship blown from its mooring ♪
♪ By a wind off the sea ♪
♪ Like a seed dropped by a sky bird ♪
♪ In a distant wood ♪
♪ Who can say if I've been changed For the better ♪
♪ But because I knew you ♪
♪ Because I knew you ♪
♪ I have ♪
♪ Been changed ♪
♪ For good ♪
[crowd cheering]
Can I just take this in for a minute?
Tonight is a lifelong dream coming true.
Playing at MSG.
It's a little girl from Long Island…
coming to Manhattan all the time with her parents,
then going to school at NYU.
Stomping around this city,
struggling to be noticed.
This city welcomes every crazy creature like us.
To feel different.
["Defying Gravity" playing]
To embrace what makes them different.
♪ Something has changed within me ♪
♪ Something is not the same ♪
♪ I'm through with playing by the rules Of someone else's game ♪
♪ Too late for second-guessing ♪
♪ Too late to go back to sleep ♪
♪ It's time to trust my instincts ♪
♪ Close my eyes and leap ♪
♪ It's time to try defying gravity ♪
♪ Kiss me goodbye ♪
♪ I am defying gravity ♪
♪ And you won't bring me down ♪
♪ No, you won't bring me down ♪
♪ I'm through accepting limits ♪
♪ 'Cause someone says they're so ♪
♪ Some things I cannot change ♪
♪ But till I try, I'll never know ♪
♪ Too long I've been afraid of ♪
♪ Losing love I guess I've lost ♪
♪ Well, if that's love It comes at much too high a cost ♪
♪ I'd sooner buy defying gravity ♪
♪ Kiss me goodbye ♪
♪ I am defying gravity ♪
♪ I think I'll try defying gravity ♪
♪ You won't bring me down ♪
♪ Unlimited ♪
♪ Our future is ♪
♪ Unlimited ♪
♪ And I just had a vision Almost like a prophecy ♪
♪ I know ♪
♪ This song's truly crazy! ♪
♪ With you the vision's hazy ♪
♪ But I swear, someday I'll be ♪
♪ Flying so high ♪
♪ Kiss me goodbye ♪
♪ So if you care to find me ♪
♪ Look to the western sky ♪
♪ As someone told me lately ♪
♪ Everyone deserves the chance to fly ♪
♪ And if I'm flying solo ♪
♪ At least I'm flying free ♪
♪ To those who ground me ♪
♪ Take a message back from me ♪
♪ Tell them how I am defying gravity ♪
♪ I'm flying high, defying gravity ♪
Sing it!
♪ I'm flying ♪
[crowd] ♪ High, defying gravity ♪
Kiss me!
♪ Kiss me goodbye ♪
♪ I'm defying gravity ♪
One more time. You got it, New York!
♪ I'm flying high ♪
♪ Defying gravity ♪
Kiss me goodbye!
♪ Kiss me goodbye ♪
♪ Defying gravity ♪
Good night, New York City! I love you!
♪ Soon, I'll match them in renown ♪
♪ And nobody in all of Oz ♪
♪ No wizard that there is or was ♪
♪ Is ever gonna bring me ♪
♪ Down ♪
[vocalizing]
[cheering]
Come on!
[crowd cheering]
[crowd] Idina! Idina! Idina! Idina!
Idina! Idina! Idina! Idina!
Idina!
[birds chirping]
♪ Five hundred, twenty-five thousand Six hundred minutes ♪
♪ Five hundred, twenty-five thousand Moments so dear ♪
[Menzel] So it's towards the end of the tour, we're playing in DC,
and we hear a high school there was putting on their own production of Rent.
We're going to surprise this class.
-Hi. How are you? Thanks for having me. -Such a thrill--
So, they have no idea you're here.
♪ Take me, baby ♪
♪ Or leave me ♪
Yes, I'm leaving! I'm gone!
[Menzel] That sounds awesome.
[students cheer, scream]
[screaming]
[Menzel] Hi, guys.
I love your hair.
[student] One of the big messages of the show
is to live in the moment and not take anything for granted.
Do you think that you took that into your own life?
I think I do. Yeah.
I forget all the time, obviously.
I have my own anxiety
and, um, my own neuroses and fears and nerves,
and all those things that I contend with still.
At your age, I was just, like, let me at-- Let me at it.
I can wow anybody.
As I got older, maybe more people are looking at me.
Sometimes it makes me get a little bit more, um, introverted and insecure.
But being a mom and a parent helps me also stay in the moment.
Because if I'm gonna think too much about all the other superficial things in life,
I'll-- I have to worry about my child, you know?
And be here. Right now.
I think that everyone tries to survive in this world and make their way.
We all find different ways to do that,
and some of us feel like we have to take the safer path,
and other people feel a bit more comfortable
at certain times in their life taking risks.
♪ This is my story now ♪
♪ It's always been so up and down ♪
This tour taught me so much about who I am as a person.
What I have to offer.
♪ And this is my story now ♪
But, most importantly, I just wanna be as honest and real as I can in my life and…
make a real connection.
♪ I'm a bit more tired now ♪
♪ I made it through, I don't know how ♪
♪ Maybe next we'll have a little girl ♪
♪ She can start with a dream ♪
♪ Just like me ♪
We tried many times to have a baby, but it just wasn't meant to be.
♪ It's always been so up and down Never went the way I thought… ♪
And that's okay, you know, because I have a beautiful son and husband,
and this is my family.
♪ But damn, life is good ♪
We're gonna go home and getting home in time to pick up Walker from school.
-And just, you know, keeping it real, man. -[Aaron] We have to take him to practice?
-Do we have to take him to a practice? -Mondays we got basketball practice.
Just life goes on.
[interviewer] Sunday night you play Madison Square Garden.
And then I show up and say, "Hi, Mrs. Wu. How was your weekend?" [laughs]
[crowd cheering]
["Seasons of Love" playing]
This used to be my bus stop.
Right across the street. This is the dumpster.
This one-- One-- Yeah, my dad was right. 137.
♪ All right, help me out now, okay? ♪
Everything looks small when you return to it when you're a grown-up, right?
Should we knock on the door? It doesn't look like anybody's home.
♪ Five hundred Twenty-five thousand moments… ♪
For some reason, I thought I was gonna be like a--
Like an alternative rock star or something.
A mosh pit would be there, and I'd just stage dive into the audience.
We're gonna try to stage dive.
He's having a heart attack about it every night.
♪ …measure a year? In daylights… ♪
We're walking in the backyard.
I'm gonna get arrested at my own house.
[assistant] We're totally trespassing.
[Menzel] I know. I'm trespassing.
-Hello, doggy. Hello, dog. -[dog barking]
♪ In five hundred, twenty-five thousand… ♪
There's, like, a big trench here,
and there's some 11-year-old girls that will drop me.
-They don't go up to the stage. -[person] Some are four years old.
They're not all standing.
-Some are like four or five years old. -[person] Like four.
So, I don't know how they're gonna hold me.
Some are large, muscular gay men that are very in shape.
-[chattering] -[laughing]
[vocalizing]
♪ Seasons of love ♪
Whoa! Whoa!
♪ Seasons of love ♪
I'm fine. I'm fine.
♪ Five hundred, twenty-five thousand Six hundred minutes ♪
♪ Five hundred, twenty-five thousand Journeys to plan ♪
♪ Five hundred, twenty-five thousand Six hundred minutes ♪
♪ How do you measure the life Of a woman or a man? ♪
♪ In truths that she learned Or in times that she cried ♪
♪ In bridges she burned Or the way that she died ♪
♪ It's time now to sing out Though the story never ends ♪
♪ Let's celebrate, remember a year In the life of friends ♪
-♪ Remember the love ♪ -♪ You got to remember the love, yeah ♪
-♪ Remember the love ♪ -♪ Oh, give love, oh ♪
-♪ Remember the love ♪ -♪ Give love, spread love ♪
♪ Measure in love Measure ♪
♪ Measure your life in love Seasons of love ♪
[vocalizing]
-♪ Seasons of love ♪ -♪ Oh, yeah, come on ♪
♪ Seasons of love ♪
♪ Seasons of love Love, love ♪
One more time. Come on!
♪ Seasons of love ♪
[crowd cheering]