ChiArts senior Sarah Bonds making her mark in musical theater

Sun-Times

There was a turning point in Sarah Bonds’ musical theater studies last summer when the budding talent received a scholarship to travel to New York City and study with teaching artists working on Broadway. Her mentors included professionals like Erika Henningsen, who was the lead in the production of “Mean Girls,” and Alex Ewell, who received rave reviews for his work in a revival of “Once on This Island.”

“It was so eye-opening getting to talk to these professionals and hear from them what it takes to work on Broadway and in regional theater,” says Bonds, a 17-year-old senior and musical theater major at The Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts) who lives in the Beverly neighborhood. “Hearing the steps they took when they were in high school and college to further their education and end up on Broadway was really inspiring, and it’s changed the way I have trained in musical theater.”

“As a young black woman in the city of Chicago, being able to bring stories of other black women to the stage ... showing how different people celebrate themselves is beautiful to me,” says 17-year-old Sarah Bonds, a musical theater major at The Chicago High School for the Arts.

Bonds has been a part of Chicago’s theater scene for the past six years, studying at both ChiArts and the Beverly Arts Center, where she got her start at just 11 years old.

“I was originally taking ballet classes, and my teacher one day said to me, you have so much energy, you should really try out for the musical,” recalls Bonds, landing a part in “Godspell” for her stage debut. Prominent parts in “Hairspray” (at the Beverly Arts Center) and “Once Upon a Mattress” (through a summer program at Merit School of Music) soon followed.

“I really fell in love with musical theater; it’s different from dance because you get to act and sing, and I also really like being able to tell stories through theater. That has become so important to me.” She adds, “As a young black woman in the city of Chicago, being able to bring stories of other black women to the stage, bringing real issues to people’s attention and showing how different people celebrate themselves, is beautiful to me.”

Bonds, who comes from a musical family but is the first to pursue musical theater, says seeing women and people of color in such prominent roles on the stage has been nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Sarah Bonds (right) rehearses with her voice and acting coach Rebecca Prescott.

“When I was in New York, the marquee for Audra McDonald’s most recent show was still up and I had to walk up front to just look at her name and say thank you and bow down,” she says, laughing. “It’s women like her who have paved the way, especially for black women, by playing roles that normally weren’t considered for us. Because their talent was so undeniable and they worked so hard, they made a change in this industry, and I’m very grateful for that.”

ChiArts teacher A.J. Wester sees Bonds as having as much of an impact in her own theater circle.

“Sarah has a wonderful energy about her, and not only is she quite the belter as a singer and just really hungry for musical theater, but what I find really great is that she advocates for herself and other people in her school. If she sees something that’s not right, Sarah is not quiet about it, she doesn’t just let it happen,” says Wester, noting a situation in school last year where the ensemble found some of the material they were working on racially offensive. “Sarah was professional about scheduling a meeting with directors and the department to discuss why that was something that she felt was very important. … I enjoy that she often turns [productions] into a learning experience for a lot of kids in the cast.”

Bonds holds Wester and another vocal coach, Rebecca Prescott, in high regard.

“Every chance I get, I try to thank my teachers,” she says. “They’re always there to push me — not only as an artist but as a person. They’re wonderful people, and when I make mistakes, they remind me to pick myself back up, learn from my mistakes and to never give up, because the minute you give up you’re just slamming the door in your own face.”

Selena Fragassi is a local freelance writer.

This profile is part of a series made possible by Allstate as part of its commitment to support young artists in Chicago and to empower the next generation of rising stars.