Page 56 - NCAT Magazine Fall 2018
P. 56
Once shy and overlooked,
Zonya Love’s star shines on stage
By Jordan M. Howse
Zonya Johnson ’03 could feel that
North Carolina A&T State University “ Be so good they can’t ignore you. ”
was going to change her life when — STEVE MARTIN
she stepped on campus as a callow
freshman.
Johnson said that graduate school She sang at the famed Carnegie Hall
While she grew up in the church,
Johnson was not into theater until her really taught her about herself, and with Broadway Inspirational Voices,
last year of high school. She came to she learned more about her will and which afforded her opportunities to
N.C. A&T to major in music, but when endurance to live her dream. sing background vocals for TV shows
she realized she was behind on sight “America’s Got Talent,” “Smash” and
reading she changed her major to “I’ve always had to work hard, but in “The David Letterman Show.”
theater. grad school I felt like I was overlooked
and often ignored by the program,” Johnson said she believes it is
she said. “So, I had to have a strong will especially important now to have
“There was a stigma about not
declaring a major, so I thought that I and be okay with my individuality.” spaces like A&T that build up,
could major in theater to help bring encourage, nurture, challenge and
me out of my shyness and take some One of her professors, Glenn Casale, develop black youth.
sight-reading classes on the side and did not overlook the talented young
then I’d switch to music,” Johnson said. woman and gave Johnson her first “For some people, it will be their first
performing opportunity after grad and only experience being surrounded
school. That opportunity allowed her to
by people who look like you,” she said.
SECOND performs under the stage name Zonya union and move to New York. so that we are able to strut through
In her first semester, Johnson, who
“It’s vital that we have that foundation
become a professional actress, join the
Love, was cast in the department’s
this world knowing our greatness,
competition piece for the Kennedy
our diversity, our achievements and
Her breakout performance was as
Center American College Theater
Celie in the Broadway production of
contributions to this world.”
Festival and the annual holiday
“The Color Purple,” replacing Fantasia
performance of “Black Nativity.”
Barrino in the Oprah Winfrey-produced Johnson said her experience at A&T
SIGHT department), Frankie Day, Miller Lucky, Johnson went on to travel in the first as a black woman in professional
musical.
gave her the confidence that is needed
“Once I got in (the theater
theater.
Jeff Richardson, Donna Bradby and
national tour of the Tony Award-
Tina Liggins took me under their
winning musical, “Avenue Q.” Her
“Being on a campus where the majority
wings and didn’t let me go. They saw
other theater credits include playing
something in me that I didn’t see in
Bessie Smith in “The Devil’s Music,”
plethora of black folk,” she said. “A&T,
myself,” she said.
“You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” looked like me exposed me to a
specifically the theater department,
and “The Wiz.” was where I really learned myself. I
After leaving A&T, Johnson landed
a few roles but ultimately decided grew to love myself because I was in
to pursue her Master of Fine Arts at an environment that catered to being
University of Nevada, Las Vegas. black, proud and the best person I
could be.”
54 • N.C. A&T MAGAZINE NCAT.EDU • 55
