Said by Idina

I was born in New York City to Stuart and Helene Mentzel (no that's not a spelling mistake). I took out the t because everyone always pronounces it wrong. Now it's like Menzelle - like French, but not.
We moved from Queens to New Jersey but by the 2nd grade we settled in Woodbury, Long Island, where I lived until I went to NYU. I always knew I wanted to sing. I was 5 and in summer camp where we were singing "Cat's in the Cradle" and I was somehow harmonizing by accident; all of the counselors made a big deal. Later I brought down the house in this talent show where I performed "The Way We Were" with the biggest Long Island accent you've ever heard (I'm still made fun of today for that). Coincidentally, in the 5th grade I was Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" and Mabel in "The Pirates of Penzance" - the latter was pretty challenging for elementary school. I went to a voice teacher when I was 8 and I sang some songs from "Annie" and she said I was screaming so much that she didn't want me to hurt myself, so she took me on.
By the time I got to Syosset High School, I was cast as 60-year old nettie in "Carousel"; our director felt that my voice sounded the most mature. At that time, I was studying classically with Mr. Arnold but found myself wanting to listen to and imitate R&B singers: Aretha, Chaka Kahn, Etta James and the list goes on.
Instead of working at the local delicatessen, I auditioned for a wedding band, lied about my age and got hired as the lead singer. I had to buy a black cocktail dress and learn everything from jazz to rock to motown. I started writing my own songs and when I got to NYU, I focused less on class and more on trying to get a record deal and keep my own band together which isn't a very easy thing to do when you have very little money and no name. Then on a whim, I auditioned for a show called "Rent" which I thought would fit perfectly into my calendar being that January and February are slow months for weddings. But that year, December 1995 New Year's Eve was my final wedding gig at the Four Seasons in Philly.
"Rent" went to Broadway and I had a new, wonderful family. The show allowed me the opportunity to record my own album and tour with it. I played at Lillith Fair, started working on a second album, got dropped by my record label, cried a lot and then went right back to the theater where I have always felt so comfortable. I was in a fabulous show called "The Wild Party," by Andrew Lippa and got to be on stage with my (now) husband whom, as some of you may know, I met in "Rent."
Since then I 've been trying to go wherever the water is warm; whether it be music or theater or film, I'm just trying to do what I love. One day I heard about a new musical based on the book "Wicked", so I put on green lipstick and smokey black eye shadow and went to audition for the green girl. I got the project and I've been working on it ever since (almost 3 years). And now I 'm living in one of the sweetest times of my life. Just the sweetest.
Thanks for caring. xoxo, Idina.

 

 

The fact that Shoshana Bean was born into a Jewish family in rural Washington and raised in Beaverton, Oregon is an anomaly in and of itself, but her having been described as a hybrid of her idol Mary J. Blige and Nikka Costa with the vocal range of Mariah Carey, is what most distinguishes her as exceptionally unique!

Referred to as the second coming of Teena Marie, Shoshana's love of music was fostered by an incredibly varied range of musical influences that she was exposed to early on. From the grinding bass lines and infectious beats of Jodeci, Salt-N-Pepa, and Mary J. Blige that she fell in love with in her mother's urban inner-city dance studio, to the appreciation she shared with her father of blues and jazz, with favorites including Etta James, Robert Cray and Bonnie Raitt; from having her grandmother introduce her to the sounds of Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand to the indigenous grunge phenomenon and classic rock resurgence that surrounded her in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, Shoshana's life, talent and career read like a master class in eclecticism and diversity, yielding the utmost strength of character, adaptability and versatility.

With such an incredible audible palette to draw from, Shoshana grew up studying voice as well as dance, and even began dabbling in songwriting, all as a means to musically channel her creative expression. Wanting never to lose that outlet, Shoshana enrolled in the University of Cincinnati's renown College-Conservatory of Music. Notorious for checking out the maximum of 30 CDs at the library, Shoshana further broadened her musical horizons, listening to everything from 1920s Jazz to African tribal chants. By immersing herself in her studies as well as into her personal and musical growth, and marrying performance skills with vocal diversity, Shoshana graduated with a B.F.A. in Musical Theater.

Like most of her graduating classmates, Shoshana then moved to the musical theater Mecca that is New York. She was instantaneously immersed in the traditional New York experience by rigorously working the audition circuit, competing in R&B contests, participating in showcases, continuing her training, all the while subsidizing her income with the mandatory restaurant job! Perfectly suited for its cross-cultural compositions, Shoshana was soon cast in the off-Broadway revival of "Godspell" that generated a stirring cast recording that has since elicited a cult following, due in part to her rousing rendition of "Bless the Lord". Shoshana then toured the country with "Leader of the Pack", starring Mary Wilson of the Supremes. Upon her return, Shoshana made her Broadway debut in the Tony winning best musical "Hairspray", and has most recently returned to the Broadway stage in the Tony winning "Wicked" to stand-by for Idina Menzel, in one of the greatest and most challenging female roles in musical theater history.

All the while, Shoshana never ceased honing the distinct skills pertinent to her own dream of becoming a recording artist. She has sung back up for Christina Aguilera, Destiny's Child, Brian McKnight, Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony, and has also supported the vocals of Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, NSync, Usher, Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, etc. at Jackson's legendary two-night 30th anniversary celebration at Madison Square Garden. Shoshana continues to work tirelessly on her own music, constantly writing, performing, and recording. She considers herself blessed to have had the opportunity to collaborate with some of the industry's finest producers, including Team Heat (Black Eyed Peas, The Roots, Erykah Badu), Dave Cook (NSync, JC Chasez) and the Beat Boys (Rodney Jerkins, Goodie Mob, 69 Boys), and has been developing and fine tuning her own dazzling show, making appearances in some of the city's most celebrated venues, that include Joe's Pub and the Duplex. "Bean has an unbelievable voice that is thrilling in its beauty, theatricality and sheer power. In fact-and as crazy as this will sound to those who haven't heard her-she can sing circles around her idols with one of the most category-defying voices I've ever heard" praised David Hurst's review in Show Business Weekly of Shoshana's Duplex show.

Shoshana's music ideally illustrates the culmination of all her influences: hip-hop beats, pop/R&B melodies, complex vocal arrangements, and the most soulful of deliveries, resulting in a focused and unique soulful pop sound. She is a brilliant storyteller, and has an inimitable ability to tap into feelings that are universal, from a lovelorn teenager to a veteran matriarch. "I speak very candidly about my own experiences because I know everyone has gone through similar things, though at the time, they probably felt totally alone; I want to let them know that they're not" explains Shoshana. Her music touches core emotions, and calls for demanding respect: of yourself, and of others: "I definitely want my music to empower women, but without being man-hating. It's more about self-respect". Shoshana believes that there's an inherent strength in admitting one's feelings - right or wrong - and her music is a raw communication of that honest emotion and its freeing consequences. "You teach people how to treat you, and my music is the Cliff's Notes!"

Tony winner Harvey Fierstein has said: "Shoshana explodes onstage in voice and verve like a fourth of July pyrotechnic extravaganza! This is a talent that will not be ignored!" Stage and screen legend Shirley MacClaine has declared that Shoshana is "a shining light up on that stage! She's going to be a star!" "Ultimately" Shoshana concludes "though it's definitely important to be respected as a great vocalist, I also want to have something important to say; I want to convey a worth-while message." That insight perfectly illustrates how Shoshana has, for her entire life, distinguished herself as a pioneer, merging sounds, defying sterotypes and expanding the boundaries of today's categorical musical conventions both vocally and lyrically. So now, with her visionary approach, a powerful arsenal of original songs, a celebrated cover of Aretha Franklin's "Ain't No Way", an electrifying live show, and an impeccable professional reputation and unmatched work ethic, Shoshana has asserted herself - from studio to stage - as one of the most extraordinary and multifaceted young talents of our time.

I will have more pictures of Idina and Shoshana very soon!