School of Communication Dean E. Patrick Johnson hosted a Dialogue with the Dean Tuesday featuring former Northwestern attendee Heather Headley, winner of a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. 

Johnson moderated the Q&A session with Headley, discussing a variety of topics, ranging from career choices to diversity in theatre. 

“We launched these dialogues in the fall of 2021 to engage emerging and established artists and scholars in conversation about social justice, politics, media, communication and culture,” Johnson said. “This year, we’re spotlighting artists, especially those who use their platforms to tell forgotten or ignored stories, to create, to educate, as much as entertain.” 

Headley attended NU from 1993 to 96 before she left to accept an opportunity in “Ragtime,”  where she understudied Audra McDonald for the role of Sarah. About a year later, she secured the role of Nala in “The Lion King” on Broadway. While performing as Nala, she was cast as Aida on Broadway. She eventually won her Tony in this role.

Dropping out of NU was a difficult decision, Headley said, because she had just found her place on campus when the opportunity arose. However, she said many teachers and mentors helped her through the decision-making process and encouraged her to take the understudy role. 

Theatre’s collaborative environment means “everything” to her, Headley said. The supportive culture has extended beyond her decision to drop out of school, she said. 

“I cannot be a princess if I don’t have a queendom. I can try to be the princess by myself at home, but it doesn’t work as well,” Headley said. “You need the cast, you need the crew, you need everybody from soup to nuts.” 

College is a time for students to experiment and fail, Johnson said, adding that students are sometimes expected to be “perfect” in everything they do, an expectation Headley said isn’t realistic. 

Headley said failure is an integral part of success and no one should be ashamed of defeat. She shared times where she either struggled to say no or was rejected. However, she said everything worked out in the end. 

“‘No’ is a lesson and sometimes ‘no’ is really good for you even though it may hurt and it’s gonna be bad. Yeah, it’s gonna feel ugly. But many times that leads you to that ultimate yes,” Headley said. 

Headley also touched on Broadway’s diversity and the shifting dynamics following the Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020. She said she’s witnessed Broadway’s growing inclusion of stories from different cultures. 

There are many people who will continue to hold others accountable on Broadway, Headley said. She added that people there are working to create more inclusive and open spaces in theatre.

“There’s some people who don’t have our level of melanin that are in the room going, ‘No, we have to include this, we have to do this,’ they’re on it,” Headley said. “For Broadway, they’re going to try hard. We did come back with seven shows and they were all Black stories.” 

The next Dialogue with the Dean will be on June 2 and feature Tarell McCraney, the chair of playwriting at the Yale School of Drama. 

In her parting words, Headley shared her gratitude toward NU. The school provided her with her first formal vocal and theatre training, she said. 

“Everything leads to everything, but I’m grateful to God for putting me here on this ground, this hallowed ground, to learn not only about performance, and about being a performer whether backstage on stage, but just about being a woman about being learning to be a woman,” Headley said. “I am grateful to be a Wildcat, I’m grateful to you all and grateful for the school.” 

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @joannah_11

Related Stories: 

— Meet this year’s NU Alumnae of the Year Award recipient: Tony award winner Heather Headley

— Northwestern alumna Heather Headley replaces Jennifer Hudson in Broadway’s ‘The Color Purple’

— “People need art”: Northwestern alumni reflect on arts, pandemic and social justice