Grammy- and Tony Award-winning actress Heather Headley gave Metea Valley High School students a back stage pass this week when she conducted an after-school workshop for student actors.
“Meeting Heather and hearing her speak meant the opportunity of a lifetime,” sophomore Rich Lazatin said. “She was such a genuine and humble spirit. It was easy to connect with her.”
Ariyana White, 16, shared the sentiment.
“I am an extreme theater nerd so I knew exactly who she was and I was extremely star struck,” White said. “For her to have given me all her wisdom about just doing what you love was a phenomenal experience.”
Headley’s visit was part of Metea’s “Live from Broadway” series, the brainchild of choir and theater teacher Nathan Bramstedt.
“At Metea Valley, we ask our students to dream big,” Bramstedt said. “So when we are considering workshop experiences for our students, we also decided to dream big.”
Bramstedt spent the last two years trying to secure Headley, who has attained impressive credits over the course of her career. Her Broadway parts include Nala in “The Lion King,” the title role in “Aida” and Shug Avery in “The Color Purple.” She also starred as Rachel Marron in the West End production of “The Bodyguard.” The “Aida” role won her a Tony.
She’s also toured and recorded with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, and in 2010, her album, “Audience of One,” was awarded a Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album.
Headley’s visit is the first of four major workshops being held for Naperville and Aurora students at Metea, all funded by a grant from the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation.
“We are grateful for teachers like Nathan, who have exciting ideas to enrich education and a passion to find ways to make them a reality,” said Susan Rasmus, the foundation’s executive director. “Experiences like this give students the chance to think bigger. How many kids get a chance to meet a Tony Award-winner and ask them questions?”
Headley engaged the group during the nearly three-hour workshop, sharing her struggles and triumphs, offering advice and even belting out a few bars from “The Lion King.”
Metea’s theater students are currently working on “Aida” as their spring musical. Headley met with cast members before joining other Metea students for an informal discussion in the school’s black box theater.
“She talked about her journey as an artist, the successes along with the failures,” said Lazatin, who will play Mereb in “Aida.” “She said that every ‘no’ leads to a ‘yes.’ Heather made me laugh, cry and reassured me that I’m on the right path.”
White agreed.
“The main thing I will take away is to have passion,” said White, who will play “Aida” in the spring musical. “Passion is key to success and if you do everything with the utmost love and emotion, everything is worth it. She really reminded me what I know I want to do for the rest of my life.”
Bramstedt said Headley made quite an impact on the students, and they left the workshop with more than acting or singing skills.
“We’ve spent time reflecting, and many students learned life lessons as well,” Bramstedt said. “Art, music and theater are so powerful at teaching us about character, values, aesthetics and love.”
Future workshops at Metea will include an appearance by Alex Gemignani, who is currently in Chicago’s production of “Hamilton,” a technical master class with a lighting designer and a stage manager, and an acting master class with an acting coach.
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Jane Donahue is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.