Students at Metea Valley High School got the chance to learn from a Broadway legend.
Heather Headley, the Tony and Grammy Award winning performer who originated the roles of Nala and Aida on Broadway, visited the school to talk to students about her journey from Indiana to the Great White Way.
Her talk kicked off Metea’s ‘Live From Broadway’ program, which is funded by a grant from the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation, District 204’s philanthropic side.
“Just to be inspired by a Broadway star, to have a Broadway star here in our own school, that’s just so exciting to know that someone that you’ve maybe listened to on the cast recording, she’s going to be here in our own theater. So I think I want them to be able to see themselves long term, if they think big, they have big goals, big dreams, that it’s possible, with a lot of hard work,” said Theater Program Director at Metea Valley, Nathan Bramstedt.
During her visit, Headley also spoke with Metea’s cast of Aida, giving them a unique insight into the show.
“To have the person that originated the role and built the spirit of the show, that’s going to be really cool, to get her perspective on what the show means and what it should be communicating,” said Ethan St. Germain, a senior at Metea Valley and a cast member of their production of Aida.
Metea will be performing Aida the first weekend in May.
Metea’s ‘Live From Broadway’ program will continue with professional lighting and sound engineers, and a Hamilton cast member all scheduled for a visit.
Naperville News 17’s Evan Summers reports.
