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Whether you're a Broadway buff or not, there's no denying that Idina Menzel has a memorable voice, one that is capable of burning down not one, not two, but hundreds of houses. Seriously, the roof of any venue in which she sings is bound to catch fire. So, it's a good thing that she also happens to voice everyone's favorite ice goddess, Queen Elsa from Frozen — so she can just put those flames out with a flick of the wrist.
On May 30, Menzel will celebrate her 45th birthday, adding one more year to the decades she's been burning down the metaphorical house. After getting her start performing at bat mitzvahs around New York, she first wowed audiences and critics in 1996 with her performance as Maureen in the original cast of Rent on Broadway. She would later reprise the role for the motion picture version of the musical.
In all, she's been in 12 different musicals, including the original cast Wicked, If/Then most recently, and, yes, Rent. All three got her Tony noms — she won for her portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked. In addition to her stage performances, her onscreen résumé goes way beyond Frozen, too, with more than 10 film and television appearances (let us never forget her guest-starring role on Glee).
Despite all that, she's extremely humble. Remember when John Travolta epically butchered her name at the Oscars in 2014? Menzel didn't even mind.
"I feel grateful people are giving me a shot. It's not something I take lightly," she told Billboard in an interview. "Maybe people didn't know me before John Travolta f-ed up my name, but I'm not going to chase anything anymore... Every time I've ever tried to do that, I've missed it. When you sit back and you just do what you love, things happen."
So, in honor of her unshakeable voice, here are Menzel's top 14 performances.
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