Idina Menzel Lands Lead in New TV Series in Development, Eyes Return to Glee

ABC is developing a new series for Tony Award winner Idina Menzel, according to Deadline.com. Created by writer Bob Kushell (who wrote the comedy series Samantha Who?), the show will star Menzel as a single mother of a teenager who waits tables and performs at weddings and bar mitzvahs to make ends meet. The website also reports that Menzel may return to her role as Lea Michele’s mother on Glee later this season.

Menzel herself sang in a band at weddings and bar mitzvahs prior to hitting it big as an original cast member of Rent, earning a Tony nomination for her performance as Maureen. She later won a Tony for playing Elphaba in the Broadway mega-musical Wicked, and has also been seen in the Rent film and more recently on TV’s Glee.

Kushell is writing the script for ABC Studios and will serve as executive producer with David Knoller. Menzel will also produce. The series is aiming for a fall 2011 premiere.