'Glee' Actress Idina Menzel to Star in New Musical 'If/Then'

NEW YORK -- Idina Menzel is on her way back to Broadway, following a stop in D.C.

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The actress has committed to star in If/Then, a new romantic musical about the collision between chance and choice, centering on a woman on the verge of turning 40 who moves to Manhattan intent on making a fresh start. The show will have its world premiere at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C., in what is being billed as a pre-Broadway engagement. Previews start Nov. 5 for a Nov. 24 opening.

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The musical will mark Menzel's first Broadway role since she won the Tony Award for lead actress in a musical as Elphaba in the original cast of the long-running smash Wicked. Menzel also was part of both the original cast and film adaptation ensemble of Rent. She received wide exposure in her recurring role as the biological mother of Lea Michele's character on Glee. Menzel is currently working on vocals for Disney's upcoming animated musical feature, Frozen.

If/Then reunites composer Tom Kitt, book writer and lyricist Brian Yorkey and director Michael Greif, who last teamed on the Pulitzer and Tony-winning musical Next to Normal. The new show is being produced by David Stone, who also shepherded both Wicked and Next to Normal.

"Tom and Brian have written an ambitious, challenging, and very moving musical with a tour-de-force role at its center," said Stone. "I am thrilled to have Idina Menzel, whom I consider one of the most exciting stage talents of our time, leading the company and returning to musical theatre with this production."

“I’ve experienced the beauty of working on original musicals and was eager to find a project where the material was exciting and new and spoke to my heart," added Menzel. "I am extremely excited about If/Then and very much look forward to returning home to Broadway."

The production is scheduled to open on Broadway at a Nederlander theatre in spring 2014. Additional cast and creative team will be announced at a later date.