Broadway News
Heather Headley to Return to the Stage
If you're an Aida super-fan like me (I saw it on Broadway no less than fifteen times), prepare to get excited. Heather Headley, who won the Best Actress in a Musical Tony Award for her brilliant portrayal of the Nubian princess-turned-slave in the Elton John/Tim Rice musical, is finally returning to the stage. She has signed on to play the lead role of Rachel in the musical adaptation of the 1992 feature film The Bodyguard, set to open in London next fall, with a transfer to Broadway in the works.
Broadway.com reports:
"The Bodyguard starred Houston as soul-singing film diva Rachel Marron, who hires a former U.S. Secret Service agent, Frank Farmer (played in the film by Kevin Costner) as her bodyguard for protection from an obsessed and violent fan. In addition to the anthem “I Will Always Love You,” written by Dolly Parton, the movie features “I’m Every Woman,” “Run To You,” “I Have Nothing,” “Queen of the Night” and “Jesus Loves Me,” all sung by Houston. Additional numbers on the soundtrack include Joe Cocker’s “Trust in Me” and Soul System’s “It’s Gonna Be a Lovely Day.” The stage musical will feature a book by Alex Dinelarius."
Headley, who made her Broadway debut as Nala in the original cast of the Tony-winning stage adaptation of The Lion King, announced the news on her Facebook page:
"So, let's talk about London.... Yes! I've been offered the role of Rachel in the musical version The Bodyguard. Very Honored! The script has been rewritten a bit and it's very interesting. Needless to say, the music is great (they're using many of the songs of Whitney's catalogue) - - very challenging, but great. We'll start on the West End in London and then we'll move to Broadway (if all goes well - - I think it will). Anyhow, give me your thoughts. What do you think about this one? To be or not to be - - that is the question...."
Photo courtesy of Heather Headley's Facebook page.
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