So for video or audio resource I found some podcasts, or The UK's Independant Musical Theatre Podcast, to be specific. I quite frankly didn't have the attention span required to sit through forty-ish minutes of interviews and specific musical talks from people I had no clue about anbout stuff, but one certain interview caught my attention, as it was something I actually knew a shred about: an interview with Idina Menzel, who performed in the musical Wicked, the movie Rent, and the television show Glee. As a bonus, it was half the time of the forty minute podcasts I was seeing.
She was asked about and talked about a variety of things, one being her famous role in the popular musical Wicked, and another being the movie Rent. In Rent she said she juggled with the naivete and first time feelings of the character, later having better technique but still trying to keep the freshness. When asked about whether or not she disliked singing the same songs over and over again she said she liked to find new nuances in them as a vocalist and interpreter, and so they never really got old. Professionalism came into play during an incident she recalled where she had to sing Defying Gravity...on the ground, because the machine that was supposed to lift her into the air wasn't working. Glee is mentioned, also, and her role in it as well.
In addition to her career though, she discussed a summer camp for girls she helped create. In her own childhood she attended a sleep away camp that was a wonderful, beneficial experience. After realizing that not many girls were afforded the opportunity to attend summer camps, she provided about thirty city girls, aged eleven-ish the chance to hang out in the country for eight weeks with her and other professionals, who helped them put together their own musical, based on their experiences.
In analysis, theatre has provided Ms. Menzel with lots of opportunities, and the opportunity to give others opportunities. Her love for her craft is evident, and she does not seem an overly pretentious person even with all her talent, instead choosing to give back in a way she can. It provided a way to connect with a group of young girls whom she says probably didn't really know who she was, and help foster the growth of confidence that will lead to well balanced young adults.
So, how else can musical theatre provide ways to give back to the community? Are there opportunities it can provide that only theatre can provide? How else can engaging in theatre activities encourage the growth of individuals?
Hutson, N. (Performer) (n.d.). Idina menzel interview.Musical Talk. [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.musicaltalk.co.uk/
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