First they cheered wildly. Then, as former Northwestern student HeatherHeadley approached the microphone to accept her Tony Award, the NU studentswatching in Evanston abruptly quieted.
“We were just completely excited for her,” said Speech senior DanielBrintz, who was among those watching the ceremony on television. “It wasalmost surreal to know someone who was getting such a distinguished award.”
Headley won a Tony Award for best actress in a musical on June 4 for hertitle role in Disney’s “Aida.” She portrayed a Nubian princess caught in alove triangle with an Egyptian princess and soldier.
Although Brintz did not personally know Headley, he and other music theatrestudents were proud to claim the new Broadway star as one of their own.Staff from the Music Theatre Program, where Headley was a student beforeshe left in 1996, were also happy to sing her praises.
“She’s incredibly talented,” said Claudia Kunin, manager of operations forNU’s Theatre and Interpretation Center. “I think we all knew she would dowell eventually, but I think we’re all surprised by how quickly.”
Everything has happened quickly for Headley since she won a role in thepre-Broadway version of “Ragtime” in 1996 during her junior year. She madeher Broadway debut one year later as Nala in Disney’s “The Lion King,”where she stayed until cast in “Aida” in 1998.
Although Headley has climbed to the top of the musical world much fasterthan other NU students from the Music Theatre Program, both Kunin andstudents agree Headley’s accomplishments will only add to the program’salready-impressive reputation.
“I think the theatre and music programs at Northwestern, and the MusicTheatre Program already have a lot of respect,” said Anne Mannal, Speech’00. “I think the people at Northwestern always had a good reputation.”
Kunin said Headley’s win ranked her among an elite group of NU students.Others in that group include Craig Bierko, Speech ’86, who was nominatedfor a Tony this year for his role as Harold Hill in “The Music Man.” JayneAtkinson was nominated for best actress in a play for her role in “TheRainmaker.”
Kunin said these individual success stories would not be used as marketingtools for the Music Theatre Program.
“We definitely use the history of their successes as a group,” Kunin said.”I don’t think we’re going to have a new marketing campaign saying, ‘Cometo Northwestern with Heather Headley.'”
But director Dominic Missimi said the students’ nominations boosted theprestige of NU’s program. He said he will use that prestige to help recruittalented students for the program.
“I’m not sure how many colleges in the U.S. can field that many people (onBroadway),” he said. “Three out of four categories is pretty wonderful.”
The program’s reputation is built by students who don’t land Broadway rolesas much as it is by those who do, Kunin said. NU students learn auditiontechniques that impress directors and choreographers. Directors in turntalk to high school teachers and counselors who then encourage high schoolseniors to apply to NU’s Music Theatre Program.
Even though Headley chose to travel the Great White Way without an NUdegree, other students aren’t likely to follow her lead.
“I think that (Headley’s) was a special circumstance because theopportunity just came at a time when she was still in school,” Brintz said.”Unless you are offered a role on Broadway while you’re here, the educationis very valuable.”
A liberal arts education as well as lessons in singing and acting techniqueare part of the training that comes with a complete NU education. Whilestudents are encouraged to audition for professional productions in theChicago area during their senior year, the purpose of the try-outs is togive students exposure to the “real world” of acting rather than to winroles, Kunin said.
Because NU is known as an elite academic institution, students are morelikely to stay until they earn their degrees rather than to head to NewYork and start auditioning, Mannal said.
“I think most people are there to learn,” she said. “Heather was offered ajob. That’s why she left.”
Headley has said she plans to return to NU eventually, Kunin said. ButSteven Padla, a representative from Headley’s publicity firm,Boneau/Bryan-Brown, said she has no such plans.
“She’s on Broadway,” he said.
