Rae Covey '20
What have you been up to since graduation?
Anyone in the Class of 2020 can attest to the logistical and emotional challenges of graduating during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. I held a series of very odd jobs as I began to find my footing and community as a playwright and composer in New York City.
I’ve been fortunate enough to see my work brought to life by some incredible people, including several Northwestern graduates. Earlier this year, my song cycle, Where We Are, was performed in concert at Joe’s Pub, a cabaret venue at the Public Theater. The performance featured Claire Kwon ’22 and Stefan Schallack ’19. Shortly afterward, Broadway’s Ana Villafañe (On Your Feet!, Sinatra: The Musical) sang a song from the piece in an acoustic session-style video. My full-length musical, Noise, which was originally developed as my honors thesis at Northwestern, has been workshopped in several small venues in NYC and will receive a mainstage production at a theater in Texas next year. I also just presented a few of my songs in a new composer spotlight series created by Playbill (featuring Stefan Schallack ’19 and Pablo Laucerica ’20), which will be released in July. Please keep your eyes peeled!
This June, I will have spent as many years beyond Northwestern as I did there as an undergraduate student. Though much of the last four years has felt like an uphill climb, I refer to the guidance I received at Northwestern all the time, and I feel its impact so deeply on my post-college journey.
Who made an impact on your life at Northwestern?
I’m constantly returning to things I’ve learned from Professor of Theatre Henry Godinez, both in and beyond his incredible classes. He makes a point to teach the whole human being, so I shouldn’t be surprised to find lessons from his Shakespeare class ring true as I navigate the (sometimes Shakespearian!) challenges of life beyond college. Henry’s presence as a teacher and mentor made a massive impact on my learning and growing at Northwestern, and his continued friendship beyond Northwestern has meant the world to me.