Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Alzheimer's AssociationIs it any wonder that Idina Menzel and Taye Diggs son, Walker, has the gift of song and dance?
Diggs told me in March that the little one was already taking music lessons at 17 months. "He's definitely singing a lot more—and a lot of times in tune, I have to say," Menzel told me earlier today. "But the biggest thing though is dancing. I know all little kids dance, but it's pretty awesome dancing."
Walker isn't even two yet. That happens on Sept. 2. So what do mom and dad have planned for the big day?
Read on to find out...
"Taye said, 'Can we please do something smaller this year?' Because last year was his first birthday and all family and everybody is around," Menzel told me during a break from filming her return to Glee (more on that later from my pals over at Watch With Kristin). "He said, 'Can we have something with just a few kids?'
"I was like, 'Of course. It's Labor Day, no one is probably going to come,'" she continued. "Meanwhile, there are 20 kids coming. [laughs] We're going to have a Lightning McQueen bouncy castle in the backyard and then probably just have some bagels for the parents."
But they have couple of weeks before that. They'll be in New York City this weekend for Camp BroaderWay, their 10-day program they launched this summer for inner-city girls.
More than 30 children participated. On Sunday, they'll perform at the Miller Theater at Columbia University. "The cool thing about it is it's all written and inspired by these girls—it's their lyrics, their poems [and] their choreography," Menzel said.
Menzel, who won a Tony for her work in Wicked, launched the program because she knows how lucky she was to go to camp when she was a child growing up on Long Island. "I thought our mission was one thing, but now I'm realizing it's not necessarily about a girl getting in toe shoes," she said. "It's about empowerment and self-esteem. These girls need a place to play and explore."