Idina Menzel: World Tour was a concert tour by actress and singer Idina Menzel.
Performances Following the success of her critically acclaimed one night only concert at Radio City Music Hall and the release of her Christmas album Holiday Wishes, Menzel announced she would embark on her first world tour. She planned 54 concerts in various countries including America, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines and the Netherlands.
In non-English speaking countries, Menzel sang a bilingual version of "Let it Go", singing one of the song's stanzas in the country's language.
Concert synopsis
Menzel is accompanied by a five-piece band, six-piece horn section, and four-piece orchestra. The show begins with video clips projected against a white curtain before Menzel emerges wearing a black strapless dress, starting the show with a lower version of "Defying Gravity: from Wicked and "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl.
She then addresses the audience before performing "Brave" and the title track from her 2008 solo album, I Stand. Next, Menzel talks about her role in Wicked and performs a lower version of "The Wizard and I". Next, Menzel pulls up a stool for her cover of "River" from her 2014 Christmas album Holiday Wishes.
Menzel shares a story about an experience she had studying theater at New York University and performs a mashup of Cole Porter's "Love For Sale" and The Police's "Roxanne'" She performs a tribute to Ethel Merman in a medley of "There's No Business Like Show Business", "Anything Goes", and "Everything's Coming Up Roses". Menzel then performs the title track of her debut studio album Still I Can't Be Still and a cover of Radiohead's "Creep".
Menzel then performs "Take Me Or Leave Me" with volunteers from the audience and "No Day But Today" from the musical Rent, paying tribute to Jonathan Larson, its composer. Menzel shares her experience with the Broadway run of If/Then and performs "Always Starting Over" from the musical.
Menzel then introduces her musicians and thanks the audience before performing an a cappella rendition of "For Good" from Wicked and "Let It Go" from Frozen, inviting audience members to perform with her. She then takes a bow, dances with her band, and leaves the stage.
Menzel returns to the stage to perform her new original song "Child" (dedicated to Walker Nathaniel Diggs) and "Tomorrow" from Annie.
Set list "Defying Gravity" from Wicked "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl "Brave" from I Stand "I Stand" from I Stand "The Wizard And I" from Wicked "River" from Holiday Wishes "Love for Sale" / "Roxanne" "There's No Business Like Show Business" / "Anything Goes" / "Everything's Coming Up Roses" "Still I Can't Be Still" from Still I Can't Be Still "Creep" "Take Me or Leave Me" from Rent (impromptu duet with chosen audience members) "No Day But Today" from Rent "Always Starting Over" from If/Then "For Good" (a cappella) from Wicked "Let It Go" from Frozen Encore "Child" "Tomorrow" from Annie
Critical reception Idina Menzel: World Tour has garnered critical acclaim. Sharon Eberson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote that Menzel was "a little bit naughty, a little bit nice and a little bit nutty, but always entertaining ... Each song, each story she told, was like unwrapping an elegantly wrapped package to see what surprise it held inside."
Melissa Ruggieri of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution opined, "What makes her live show so appealing is Menzel herself" because "She's funny." Ruggieri elaborated, "That's the thing about Menzel. Yes, the spotlight that comes with singing songs associated with 'The Wizard of Oz' ... and Disney cartoons ... But Menzel, 44, is an adult. And she sings about adult things". However, Ruggieri cited her performances of original songs "I Stand" and "Still I Can't Be Still", and rendition of "Take Me or Leave Me" alongside five audience members, among "a few moments that didn’t wow."
Personnel
Production Music director/piano: Rob Mounsey Tour manager: Scott Cadwallader Production coordinator: Courtney Keene Front of house engineer: Alex Dakoglou Monitor engineer: Chris Trimby Backline technician: Brian Clairemont Lightning/set designer: Abigail Rosen Holmes Lighting programmer: Felix Peralta Lighting director: Teddy Sosna Stylist: Kemal Harris Wardrobe: Joby Horrigan Hair stylist: Geo Brian Hennings
Musicians Music director/piano: Rob Mounsey (Europe), Clifford Carter (North America) Guitar: John Benthal Bass: Sean Hurley Drums: Rich Mercurio Keyboards: Clifford Carter (Europe), Keith Cotton (North America) Menzel is also accompanied by an additional 10 orchestral musicians (strings, woodwinds, and brass) serving as the local orchestra for each city.
Tour dates DateCityCountryVenueAttendanceRevenueLeg 1 — AsiaMay 30, 2015SeoulSouth Korea Olympic Hall — —June 1, 2015OsakaJapanOsaka-Jo Hall — —June 2, 2015 Nagoya Nagoya Aichi Ken Geijutsu Gekijo — —June 4, 2015TokyoNippon Budokan — —June 5, 2015June 7, 2015PasayPhilippines Mall of Asia Arena — — Leg 2 — EuropeJune 16, 2015AmsterdamNetherlandsRoyal Theatre Carré — —June 17, 2015AntwerpBelgiumStadsschouwburg898 / 1,982$49,153June 20, 2015DublinIrelandBord Gáis Energy Theatre — —June 22, 2015BirminghamEnglandSymphony Hall — —June 23, 2015ManchesterManchester O2 Apollo — —June 24, 2015GlasgowScotlandRoyal Concert Hall — —June 26, 2015BournemouthEnglandWindsor Hall — —June 27, 2015LondonSSE Arena — — Leg 3 — North AmericaJuly 7, 2015RichmondUnited StatesAltria Theater — —July 8, 2015BaltimoreHippodrome Theatre — —July 10, 2015Atlantic CityBorgata — —July 11, 2015UncasvilleMohegan Sun Arena 5,669 / 7,236 $254,799July 12, 2015HolmdelPNC Bank Arts Center — —July 14, 2015BethlehemSands Event Center — —July 16, 2015PhiladelphiaMann Center for the Performing Arts — —July 17, 2015WantaghNikon at Jones Beach Theater — —July 18, 2015BristowJiffy Lube Live — —July 22, 2015RaleighRed Hat Amphitheater — —July 24, 2015AtlantaDelta Classic Chastain Park Amphitheater — —July 25, 2015OrlandoWalt Disney Theater — —July 26, 2015Boca RatonMizner Park — —July 28, 2015ClearwaterRuth Eckerd Hall1,868 / 2,080$207,157July 30, 2015New OrleansSaenger Theatre — —July 31, 2015The WoodlandsCynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion — —August 1, 2015AustinBass Concert Hall — —August 5, 2015SeattleParamount Theatre — —August 7, 2015ConcordConcord Pavilion — —August 8, 2015San DiegoCal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre — —August 9, 2015PhoenixComerica Theatre — —August 11, 2015MorrisonRed Rocks Amphitheatre — —August 12, 2015Kansas CityStarlight Theatre — —August 13, 2015MinneapolisNorthrop Auditorium — —August 15, 2015NashvilleAscend Amphitheater — —August 16, 2015ChicagoJay Pritzker Pavilion — —August 18, 2015CincinnatiPNC Pavilion at Riverbend Center — —August 19, 2015ColumbusPalace Theatre — —August 21, 2015Cuyahoga FallsBlossom Music Center — —August 22, 2015DetroitFox Theatre — —August 23, 2015IndianapolisMurat Theatre — —August 25, 2015PittsburghBenedum Center — —August 26, 2015NorfolkChrysler Hall — —August 28, 2015BostonLeader Bank Pavilion — —August 29, 2015LenoxTanglewood — —August 30, 2015CanandaiguaConstellation Brands – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center — —September 1, 2015 MontrealCanada Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier — —September 2, 2015TorontoSony Centre for the Performing Arts — —October 1, 2015OremUnited StatesUCCU Center — —October 3, 2015Los AngelesHollywood Bowl11,617 / 17,469$954,687Total20,052 / 28,767 (68.7%)$1,465,800
References