Defying Gravity (Tony Awards)

[kaqcruz03]

gawd... one of the best musicales ever... great songs... all the cast then and now are really talented...

[liladdy42590]

At the end of the day.. you haters aren't the ones who got nominated or WON a Tony.

[suttonfosteristhebes]

SQUEAKY!!! She'll never be as great as Sutton Foster!

[michellyeponiny]

@suttonfosteristhebes Duh, the OVERRATED Sutton Foster is just as squeaky! Watch "Anything Goes Tony Awards 2011"!

[elphieglindaoz]

@suttonfosteristhebes SUTTON FOSTER IS THE MOST OVERRATED ACTRESS IN THE WORLD. Her Defying Gravity video on Youtube is a total mess! She has nothing on either Idina or Kristin.

[hottielahot]

@suttonfosteristhebes Idina already is greater than Sutton.

[dandandandanflores]

im having fun reading the comments of glee-fans! lol!

[billy119able]

i love these to i admit it.

but their voice goes croaky towards the end

sorry guys

[anafor2un]

I think Idina and Kristin got the roles precisely BECAUSE their voices are squeaky. The producers obviously wanted a stereotypical "witch" sound for both their characters.

[DedmonStudios]

STOP BEING MEAN. its unfortunate that India was terribly sick that day. she did the best she could and put on a great show. I'd like to see you belt out a high D flat in front of thousands of people. SSOOOOOO.. THERE!

[janemansfield73]

I love the way Kristin looks at Idina @ 3:50 .

[WickedDeeRoscioli]

Some of you are pathetic. Yes she may be squeaky but she got the role. Elphaba's singing part is incredibly hard. Obviously she got the role for a reason. Originating a role on broadway is so hard and Idina did a good job of creating Elphaba. Yes, she has vocal issues here but that doesn't make her a bad performer. Stop looking at her faults and look at the amazing performance put on by these AMAZING women!

[jamesgardell2]

Yeah, they are so squeaky!

[starianna200023]

OMG THAT'S RACHEL'S MOMMY ON GLEE! Im sorry I had to say it! I couldn't hold it back I bet people are gonna yell at me for posting Glee comments :(

[fartingbanana1]

idina is scary in this, but that makes it all the more amazing :)

[EmmaaMW]

i really dont understand why all people do on these videos is looks for faults.. just shh and enjoy them.. i would like to see you guys get up on stage and peform like these two amazing women!!

[QueenAino]

everyone's saying it's squeaky?

I'd like to see you guys sing like this.

I think they are awesome!

[sarahgfan24]

I agree. VERY SQUEAKY!

[johnniboi94]

why does whenever there's a recording of idina, everyone says shes sick. maybe she just needs to stop being so over dramatic and focus on her notes???

[dAguerreri]

oh please. "i had a cold" ?? oldest most overused excuse in a performer's book. and she always sounds like this.....lol

[johnjg536]

S Q U E A K Y. V E R Y S Q U E A K Y.

[musicbyjamie]

PEOPLE. Stop being haters on Idina and Kristin! They are two amazing singers and actresses. Sure, the last note wasn't perfect, but she was sick for goodness sakes! And even if she wasn't, the role of Elphaba requires enormous amounts of belting. Combine that with doing 8+ shows a week, and whose voice wouldn't be strained after a while? I love this show so much and if you don't share the same opinion as me, that is fine. But cut them some slack!

[MsMusiclover024]

I truley beleive that they aare good friends and that they will do what ever for eachother

[jgardell]

Idina NEVER said that she had asthma or that she was sick blah, blah, blah during this atrocious performance.

[taurusgirl65]

@3:50 I love the look Glinda (Chenoweth) is giving Elphaba (Menzel) almost like she is saying "I'm so very proud of you. No matter what, you are my best friend."

[MsMusiclover024]

I love that they show Taye Diggs (Idina Menzel's husband (the Green one)) and he is like Thats my Wife I'm so proud!

[MsMusiclover024]

I love where the Mics are

[FantomLightning]

Do you people not realize that Idina had an asthma attack like 4 minutes before she went on?

[mmm91592]

If you have not perform in front of professional and experienced broadway artists at the TONY Awards, then you don't know how much pressure Idina and Kristin have on their shoulders. All the people in there are judging their singing and acting based on what the have seen or perform ! It's very difficult ! Let's just enjoy the performance having in mind that nobody's voice is perfect and that both of them are just awesome broadway artists ((:

[georgiaherdman2009]

give them a break people, no its not their best performance, but they are truly amazing at their best. Imagine going up in the air on that lift, belting out those notes with asthma - it would be hard. IDINA AND KRISTIN 4 EVA!!!

[MsMusiclover024]

@georgiaherdman2009 THANK YOU!!

[georgiaherdman2009]

@MsMusiclover024 np :D its just annoying seeing those comments for me tho

[MsMusiclover024]

@georgiaherdman2009 Its just crazy how people will make fun of stuff like that the when they attempt to try they aren't that good! Its just sad

[georgiaherdman2009]

@MsMusiclover024 i agree :) stop cristising kristin and idina people

[sarahgfan24]

The production deliberately chose actresses with ugly, squeaky voices as their voices fit their WITCH roles PERFECTLY!

[kkdolphin29]

This is absoulutely amazing. I especially love the part at 3:07 (:

[lPyrokinetic]

Yeah even if she was sick, those last notes were shit. Still liked it though.

[rogerelgeo]

4 personas no tienen oidos.

[DeansLILgirl]

i heard she had a panic attack like right before this so idina did well considering that

[obsessivewickedfan]

does kristin forget to sing 'i hope your happy' at 4:25?

[Bergenfluff]

@obsessivewickedfan I thought I could hear it faintly, drowned out by Idinas belting

[JTropp92]

Some interesting notes here and there but still good.

[TheNucleolus]

Honestly I have never heard a live rendition of a song by Idina that has made me go "Wow"

[NobodyInAllofOZ1]

ok you all need to relax. one idina had a asthma attack right before this song..two the gasps in the song fit cuz its the first time she is flying in the show the CHARACTER of elphaba im sure would be scared to fly three idina is amazing! this videos do her no justice at all ive seen her live and she 1000000% better and if she sucked she wouldnt have won the tony award

[sintaks29]

Brilliant acting. Horrible singing. Interesting!

[annief31]

Half of Idina's lines are "sung" in GASPS and off-key, unsustained notes! Individually, they sound VERY squeaky (thank you, Anna), which is bad at 2:16 when they start singing together, but it gets worse beginning at 3:05. They do sound like cats - CATS IN HEAT!!! Too bad, the song itself - lyrics, melody, and all - is good, but they ruined it!

[kickinass09]

Give me a break guys, THIS IS REAL THEATRE! These women are amazing! Just because all you've seen is Glee, where they have multiple takes and do overs, doesn't mean you have any kind of authoritative opinion on LIVE THEATRE! It's harder to act and sing while staying in character than just more your arms around and walk a bit. These women are amazing and shame on you for criticizing something you cannot even do.

[Jonasfan3651]

@kickinass09 very well put

[carpeWdiem]

Hmm. Well I think their voices add to the character. Everything isn't technologically perfected like in Glee...horrible excuse for theater.

[punknnerd2]

Many succeeding Elphabas have done better. WAY BETTER.

[oakamz]

you think any one of you could do any better?

[mdiamse]

Despite the difficulty of singing a few of the songs (because the casting officials keep getting mezzo sopranos such as Idina Menzel for the songs that actually require full-fledged sopranos), many actresses have played the Elphaba and Galinda roles quite well (and many say better than the original). In fact, it seems that the only requirement is for the actresses to have annoyingly thin, SHRILL voices. No wonder audiences describe them as sounding like CATS IN HEAT!

[aaprato]

Idina's voice was definitely in bad shape during this performance. She was flat many times and her voice crack in the middle of a note. :-(

[mdiamse]

Still love them both, though. Maybe voice lessons will help modulate their shrill voices.

[SMSProductions1]

@mdiamse Okay...because Kristin Chenoweth with her masters in opera and acceptance into the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia...needs to get voice lessons to stop being so shrill. It's the natural timbre of their voices. Sit down.

[sarahgfan24]

@SMSProductions1 I LOVE Kristin in this role - she couldn't have possibly studied opera, though. Her placement is wrong and her vocal technique is so wrong, which is why she sounds VERY squeaky (Idina is much worse). But they totally fit the roles, though.

[SMSProductions1]

@sarahgfan24 This portion of Wicked doesn't use Kristin's opera training; she sings using her musical theatre voice, which is why there's a lot of squeak. No One Mourns The Wicked shows off her classical voice. 

[phylosaccount]

@sarahgfan24 but she did study opera, go listen her "glitter and be gay" (there are better ones, but hers is my favorite, it's the funniest).

And about Idina, given her state at the moment it's a wonder she didn't pass out in the middle of the performance.

[anna465hu]

They BOTH sound like CATS! So squeaky!!!

[Moviestar20]

@anna465hu No they dont! :p

[janetcalicagan]

This POOR excuse of a performance won a Tony? Wow, the Tonys have lowered their standards!

[scminobe]

@janetcalicagan IT'S USUALLY BETTER I SWEAR. 

[LikeRufus]

Taye's face at the end was awesome, he looked so proud of Idina :')

[LiamAtRandom]

Isn't this the one where Idina had an asthma attack right before?

[lulubangaba]

shes sik but she needs to sort out that dodgy breathing..

[leftfieldmind]

as a singer myself and a musician, I have listened to this video and others of this scene, other shows.... regardless of what Edina's Team says or others here, the ending was just not solid and she got shaky and off key.... Had Edina had either of these problems you would have noticed issues in her voice throughout the whole song,, granted the ending is pretty high and says up in that range,, her voice is pure up til this point..... Regardless she kicks butt.

[leftfieldmind]

as a singer myself and a musician, I have listened to this video and others of this scene, other shows.... regardless of what Edina's Team says or others here, the ending was just hitting bad notes, not a cold, nor asthma.... Had Edina had either of these problems you would have noticed issues in her voice throughout the whole song,, granted the ending is pretty high and says up in that range,, her voice is pure up til this point..... Regardless she kicks butt

[kezAK47]

west end is better saw last week i have to admit

[MrPHILDABASS]

Awful.

[SandDeath24]

Kristen grew up in Broken Arrow oklahoma, has Mrs. Nichols as her high shcool drama teacher. Also went to Broken Arrow High School, and the same goes for me. I am so special

[roggor123]

is that girl in the end miley cyrus?

[alexcheeze16]

@roggor123 no

[roggor123]

@alexcheeze16 damm

[ajcaliguire]

she actually did have training... she went to NYU's School for Performing Arts, where her degree is in Drama...I am sure she has had vocal training at some point in there...She also had numerous smaller roles between Rent and Wicked....just sayin'

[xXthefataldesireXx]

She didn't have a cold. If she had a cold that bad they wouldn't have allowed her to perform.

Before Rent, which was right before Idina got the part for Wicked, she had no previous vocal training. If you compare her to Kristin she is very tense, considering Kristin has had a TON of vocal training.

Don't get me wrong, Idina is a good singer, but the reason she doesn't sound as good as she could is because she didn't have the training.

She is a good singer, but would be better with the training.

[Kagome811]

Wait, I've seen about 5 videos where people claim she "has a cold." Is poor Idina always sick? XD

Anyway, this made me tear up. Especially when Kristen is looking up at her smiling, looking like she's crying a little too.

[littlechick500]

She had an asthma attack, i think, not a cold.

[Faith821]

fell in love with the musical with this video

[TotalZukoFan]

It just breaks my heart when someone of Idina's calibur has a cold or asthma, etc. She was still incredible, but if her voice was healthy there the audience would all be blown away.

[Satchel334]

Watching this video makes me long for 2005 when it was first broadcast. I guess there's always new shows to look forward to. But it fills me with nostalgia.

[bananersssssss7]

im in desperate need of a love button

[12321kaitlynn]

my eyes started watering at 4:20

[CLY1992]

Goodness! She can sing!

[JBLoveSong]

Is that the wizard? :O :) Joel owns that part :D

[nekosora1]

Holy shit that was amazing, especially when she had a cold!!!! XD I <3 it!

[macysenee]

this is amazing! they are both talented!

[wickedthemusical08]

This performance really did steal the show!

[asswhole239]

Lol at the little dragon :L x

[wildlark]

there were a few pitch problems but she makes up for it with really sincere acting - who am i to complain lol

[tomfeltonfan]

I so want to go and see this, saving up as we speak. It looks incredible, I'm sure it'll compete with The Lion King in London, if not beat it.

[pullmanlover]

I'm speechless, it was so amazing. :)

[yesjac]

i love her expression when idina said 'of me'. so much fear yet so much faith!

[Rebelliousbynature]

PERFECTION!!!!!!

[beccapear]

Idina Menzel is a broadway godess! I wish to be as good as her

[KatherineLupin]

I cant even notice the bad notes (yeah some tumbling but no big deals) so I dont see why criticize her about this performance, it was perfect

[chcrider2000]

she is so fantastic!! she was sick while she sang this and she's still good!

[lunarcase13]

people stop commenting about her singing being a tad off! if you read the description you'd know that she was SICK! gosh people! learn this little thing called reading!

[Jess63004]

i think considering she was having an asthma attack and they were rushed because of the time limit, idina still pulled it off. not her best performance, but still good.

Personally my favorite part is 3:50-3:55. The look on Kristin's face as she watches Idina is adorable

[bigd4523]

i completely agree that Kristin smiling on almost in awe is what really makes this clip special.

i just saw Wicked on Broadway last week for the first time (obviously not with these original cast members) and ever since i cant get thru a day without watching one of the Defying Gravity clips here on youtube...so awesome!

[ellz1020]

Amazing:) If you hadnt told me she had a cold...i wouldnt have noticed:) <3

[smallcutie101]

this preformance was rushed. ):

[rubberpingy]

poor Indina :( got the sniffles?

[ereslocomotion]

It's SUPER bright!

[votemichaelformaniac]

she was having an asthma attack right before she got on stage.

[chaceecraw]

Some people deny she suffers from asthma

[Katluver56]

I heard that she was singing with broken ribs

[chaceecraw]

She wasn't. She broke her ribbs in one of her last performances because she fell through a trapdoor in the melting scene of Wicked, but there was no broken ribb in this performance.

[Ayanna4ever]

theyre both still on broodway right?

[chaceecraw]

Wicked is on stage on Boradway but it's no longer with the original cast. Idina and Kristen left long ago. But still, they are probably the most famous woman pair on Broadway and the original recording of the songs was made with their voices.

[votemichaelformaniac]

yeah, they were perfect for that show.

[nerites]

GORGEOUS!

I love them so much. I love Wicked!

[hottieho13]

i can tell she's having an asthma attack or something just by looking at her eyes she kinda looks like she's in pain or uncomfortable but she still held it togehter!!!! IDINA ROCKS!!!!!!!

[michaelermcgowaniv]

it does sounds like she gasping for air when she taes breaths.

[wickedthemusical08]

Here's a question...wonder why producers or whoever picked the Shiz outfit other than the Emerald City costume?

[chaceecraw]

Good question, but Elphie is wearing the dress she wears in the Emerald City scene. It's Glinda who doesn't have the yellow dress

[jadem1122]

she sings amazing even when she has a cold

[imapirate16]

@jadem1122 it wasn't a cold, she actually had an asthma attack only 4 minutes before she had to be ON STAGE!! that just makes me idolize her even more :) even if, at the beginning of the vid, you can tell that her eyes are red and watery lol

[wickedthemusical08]

Do we have proof she was ill? Or are you making it up?  Just to be making sure.

[wickedthemusical08]

This better be on the next 2010 Tonys!! But without Idina. Sorry she sounds horrible here...well when shes in the air. When shes on the ground shes flawless!! :)

[Mikkilov]

i love the way that kristin looks up at idina in the air its so sweet <3 they are amazing

[atup93]

ya she has asthma

[chaceecraw]

She brewaths that way because she's got a problem in her lounges. I thinks is asthma or somethinkg like that. Anyway, I think she is the best Elphaba. She just rocks ♥

[insanlyme14]

i dont like how she keeps breathing in so loud like that!

i loooove nicole Parker!!!!!!

[RaDnEsS728]

ok u sing that much and do all that. and then c if ur breathing that loud. not to be mean 2 ur comment but that takes alot of breath to sing that high and keep singing.

[LauraxxStrange]

I dont like it either but you know its awsome for a person who has bad asthma. :)

[ShowtuneSilly]

go team elphie!!

defy gravity and dance thru life! :-)

[SamanthaL123]

she still sounds great even though she had a cold

[CaitBob04]

She isn't a touch on Kerry Ellis tbh, but is still good....

[TurdFergeson5512]

coolio.. love this play

[sebrunn]

idina is amazing in this