Idina Menzel Explains How She Came Up with Idea for New Broadway Musical ‘Redwood’

Idina Menzel is back on Broadway and she actually helped conceive the idea for her new musical Redwood!

The Tony-winning actress explained how she came up with the concept for Redwood while speaking with the hosts of The View on Thursday (February 20) in New York City.

Idina plays Jesse, a woman 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. She escapes her life and finds herself in Northern California’s redwood forest, where an unexpected connection will change her life forever.

“I had heard of a woman who lived in a tree for over 700 days in order to protest the logging companies and I was just so inspired by her fortitude and conviction and bravery and I thought, ‘How could I do something like that?’” Idina said. “Also the idea of escaping my life, sort of pressing on, which I wouldn’t do now because I do have a child, but you know, we’ve all probably thought about what would it be like.”

Idina celebrated the show’s official opening night last week!