WORDS WITH IDINA: You know Idina Menzel as part of the original cast of Rent and for her Tony-winning turn in Wicked. And now a whole new generation of musical theater lovers are learning about her from her role on Glee (she plays Rachel’s mom). Tonight, she’ll perform a mix of Broadway tunes and songs that are more Glee-friendly at the Music Hall at Fair Park. And she says that singing the radio hits has been a revelation. “I love to take these pop songs and arrange them for orchestras, they become such different creatures and I can really make them my own,” she tells theaterjones.com. “‘Poker Face’ I started doing because I thought people would request it from Glee, but it became a whole storytelling device for me.”

SADDLING UP TO SCHUBERT: The 2012 PianoTexas International Academy & Festival begins tomorrow on the TCU campus. This year’s event will highlight the music of Franz Schubert. Don’t know your Schubert from your Chopin? Olin Chism opens up his big music brain for a primer on dfw.com.

BIG BUCKS ON BROADWAY: Did you know the average ticket price to see a Broadway show is a whopping $93? If you’re looking for someone to blame, try the rich. “Broadway plays and special events are limited-time-only star-studded events that draw lots of rich people,” according to a story in The Atlantic. “And producers have gotten wise to the idea that rich people are extremely price insensitive when it comes to seeing celebrities on the Great White Way, especially if there’s only a short window. The message rich people appear to be sending is: If you charge it, we will pay it.”