Wicked star Idina Menzel to perform at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Idina Menzel will head up Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year. (Getty)
Wicked icon Idina Menzel is set to perform at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, USA.
Following the release of Wicked: Part One, it’s safe to say that a case of pink-and-green fever has struck the world. Greenwich in London has been renamed GreenWitch. Charli XCX led a Saturday Night Live sketch about stars auditioning for the film. Fans of the musical are taking the lyrics to “Defying Gravity” and are “really holding space with that” (iykyk).
So, it’s only natural then that Broadway superstar Menzel, who originated the role of Elphaba in the Wizard of Oz stage musical, would be tapped for Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The Tony Award winner will be promoting a new musical, though. Menzel is set to perform the song “Great Escape” from Redwood on a new float, “Wonderous World of Wildlife,” from the Bronx Zoo. This will be the first time the 125-year-old organisation is partnering with the parade.
In a statement, Menzel said of her upcoming performance: “As a native New Yorker, it’s such a joy to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and to partner with the Bronx Zoo, whose connection to the city and mission to protect nature is very near and dear to me.
“Conservation is at the heart of my new musical, and an important message for viewers. I can’t wait to connect with my fans on the streets of Manhattan and soon again on Broadway.”
Menzel is making her long-awaited Broadway return in January with the original musical by writer and director Tina Landau, which includes songs from Landau and composer Kate Diaz.
Menzel will perform as Jesse, who “seems to have it all — a successful career and devoted family — until a life-altering event drives her far from everyone and everything she knows,” the musical logline reads.
“When she finds herself at the foot of the redwoods in Northern California, a chance encounter and a leap of faith will change her life forever. Redwood explores the lengths — and heights — one travels to find strength, resilience and healing.”
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place on 28 November in Manhattan, New York City, and will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock from 8.30 am to 12 pm. Previews for Redwood begin on 24 January at the Nederlander Theatre, New York City.
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