Heather Headley, the original Nala in Broadway's The Lion King, will return to that role starting Dec. 7. She will play a special performance on that date and then continue on the musical's normal schedule Dec. 9. Headley left the production on July 5 to take the title part in Disney's latest stage musical Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida. That Elton John-Tim Rice musical, which closed at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta on Nov. 8, recently announced a new creative team, headed by director Robert Falls. It could not be learned how long Headley would stay with The Lion King, but, very likely, much depends on Disney's next move concerning Elaborate Lives.
During Headley's absence, Mary Randle played Nala in Broadway's The Lion King, making her Broadway debut in the show, which celebrates its first anniversary Nov. 13.
