Flushed with excitement, senior Katie Snyder stood beside Heather Headley, Broadway actress and musician, preparing for critiques on her performance of “Easy as Life” from the Glenbrook spring musical “Aida.” Instead of criticizing Snyder, who has been cast to play the lead role, Headley physically shoved her.   

“Just in case someone comes up on stage and tries to fight you, you have to be ready,” Headley said, explaining the physical instruction meant to improve Snyder’s performance stance.

Headley won a Tony award and Drama Desk award for her starring role in “Aida,” on Broadway. According to Chad Davidson, instructional supervisor for fine arts, Headley defined the character of Aida.

Her acting career also includes the role of Nala in the Broadway production of “The Lion King” and an understudy role in the play “Ragtime,” a production Headley dropped out of Northwestern University to participate in.

Headley is also an acclaimed musician. Her gospel voice earned her four Grammy award nominations, one of which she won.

During Headley’s visit to Glenbrook North for the “Aida” masterclass, she lead a variety of acting exercises after telling the cast her theater experience and delving into the character development of “Aida” with the lead actors.

The leads performed key songs from the musical and received feedback from Headley and the other cast members. Headley advised leads like Snyder,  on what the mannerisms of the characters are and on the arc of emotions that should be projected.

Headley performed a solo piece and sung as Aida with Glenbrook South senior Chuck Quinn, who has been cast as Radames.

Snyder said it was surreal to see Headley onstage performing with Snyder’s co-star.

According to junior Garrett Shuman, Headley helped students understand the message behind the play. In “Aida,” an enslaved Nubian princess falls in love with an Egyptian soldier who is betrothed to the Pharaoh’s daughter.

“We need to learn about loving someone who’s not like ourselves, who doesn’t look like us or talk like us,” said Headley. “We need to know the story that you can love someone even if you’re at war with them.”

Headley said she hopes to boost enthusiasm for “Aida,” which is scheduled for performances on April 27-30.

According to Shuman, Headley’s expertise will positively impact the Glenbrook “Aida” performance.

“After this visit with Heather, I think that the cast will be more aware of the intensity and culture of the show, and that’ll lead to a deeper, more entrancing performance,” Shuman said.