Heather Headley to Have An Alternate in THE BODYGUARD — Page 2

"I think heather was hired because she is a tony winner"

I don't think that will carry much weight here in the UK, especially with the audience this show will attract. I just feel they should have gone with a pop star.
Nor does the fact that she is a Tony winner mean she is right for the part. I do, however, feel she thoroughly deserved the Tony for Aida, she was incredible.

have you seen the excellent creative team - Thea Sharrock will not just be looking for someone who can sing - its a dark thriller after all. Its not a happy clappy show!

She is not that known or talked about on here, but I think Dan'yelle Williamson would be PERFECT for the role or as a standby for Broadway. Her acting and voice are perfect and shes is perfect age for it.

Here is a video of singing " I will always love you"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sAaS0Y_kIQ

She sounds like a perfect between Heather and Whitney

Heather was hired because:

a) can sing the score
b) is a Tony winner
c) she is a relatively unknown in London (more accepting of that in West End)
d) when/if the show becomes a hit, she will move with it to New York and West End cast will fill in, a la GHOST

Know this for a fact -- worked w/ producer.

it's easy, easy as life

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Stephen Daldry hadn't directed a musical before BILLY ELLIOT
Phyllida Lloyd hadn't directed a musical before MAMMA MIA
Trevor Nunn hadn't directed a musical before CATS
Nick Hytner hadn't directed a musical before MISS SAIGON

And the list goes on.....

I agree Something Wicked! it is dark, its not a dancing in the aisles type of show.

That "statement" about Heather saying she used Broadway as a stepping stone toward other things has been misconstrued and taken out of context on this board for years. Just because someone has other aspirtations doesn't mean they should be punished for it, and it also doesn't mean they respect the theater any less.

After her success in AIDA, she wanted to explore other things. She got involved in the music industry and was very, very successful in doing so. So what? People in the entertainment industry have a diverse array of opportunities made available to them, and Headley used her exposure from AIDA to utilize those opportunities. Concert work is incredibly lucrative, and it has afforded someone like Headley the opportunity to work less and be at home with her family more. She's purposefully waited for the right project to return to the stage, and she found it in THE BODYGUARD. Why should she be punished for that?

Strong leading roles for African-American women in musical theater are few and far between, so if there's anyone to begrudge in this situation, it should be the writers and producers who aren't generating those projects.

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Updated On: 9/2/12 at 04:36 PM

Not sure I've seen a Thea Sharrock production I've enjoyed yet but I love Heather Headley so here's hoping...

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Updated On: 9/2/12 at 04:39 PM

Sister George - none of those were commercial musicals in the West End. Did you see the "musical version" of the Comedy Of Errors? I'll give you The Threeepenny Opera but it is not a comparison I would make and I'm afraid directing Opera is not the same as developing a musical.

No none of these were commercial musicals in the West End but these were not the provisos you originally put on their credits - you said they had not directed musicals - 3 out of the 4 had previous experience in musicals and the fourth had directed the original film that was the source for the musical.

These directors had not created blockbuster musicals from a vacuum - yes producers had taken a risk based on their admittedly limited experience but it was most definitely a calculated risk and they were not a total shot in the dark

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And Sister George to be 100% clear the film of BILLY ELLIOT was not a musical

in any case - we've lost the thread here - I'm looking forward to seeing this AND Heather Headley.

Well Trevor Nunn's production of Comedy of Errors won the 1977 Olivier Award for Best New Musical for it's London run,

Threepenny Opera was nominated for a best musical revival Olivier Award for its 1994 west end run

Alice at the Leeds Playhouse was a well recieved commercial new musical.

And yes I'm aware that the film of Billy Elliot was not a musical but a lot of the creators such as the composer and the choreographer had strong commercial musical credits prior to the stage version

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