Aaron Godwin

Aaron J. Godwin is a singer, actor, director, teacher, advisor, and scholar and is thrilled to join the world-class faculty at Northwestern University.

Originally from Orange County, California, Aaron began cutting his teeth in the industry in Orlando, FL (the other Orange County with Disney theme parks). Aaron was a member of the Florida Opera Theater and the Orlando Opera choruses from 2011-2014, in addition to performing with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Theatre Downtown, the Orlando Repertory Theatre, and Walt Disney World Resort. Favorite recent credits include Jon in tick, tick…BOOM!, Jeff in [title of show], Jack in Into the Woods, Jamie in The Last 5 Years, Flute/Thisby in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Benedict in Berlioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict.

After earning two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Central Florida (BA Interdisciplinary Studies, 2010; BM Music Performance, 2013), Aaron relocated to the cornfields of East Central Illinois and matriculated to the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. While at Illinois, Aaron earned three graduate degrees (MM, Performance & Literature, 2016; DMA, Performance & Literature, 2020; MSW, Advanced Clinical Practice, 2024). During their graduate studies, Aaron gained extensive experience as both a teacher and academic advisor for undergraduate students, including teaching introductory courses in public speaking in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, teaching private voice lessons and developing and teaching a course for non-music majors focused on musical theatre singing, repertoire coaching, and audition techniques in the School of Music, and advising pre-health professions students through the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology. Aaron also served one year as a visiting professor of voice at Millikin University. Many of Aaron’s former students are performing professionally in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, or are attending medical, dental, and pharmacy school, including the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Rush Medical College, UIC College of Dentistry, and the St. Louis College of Pharmacy.

Aaron’s research interests center on musical theatre performance and pedagogy. His doctoral studies focused on viewing musicals through queer critical theory to inform 21st-century performance practices through an analysis of A Chorus Line. Additional research and teaching interests include musical theatre history, representation of disabilities in musical theatre, creating safe learning environments for students to hone their craft through trauma-informed pedagogy, and neurodivergent affirming teaching and academic advising.

In addition to teaching, advising, and performing, Aaron is a Licensed Social Worker specializing in neurodivergent affirming care. He maintains a small caseload of private therapy clients. In his free time, Aaron enjoys spending time with his partner and their two feline friends, cooking, traveling, and attending as much live theatre as time and resources allow.

Education

• PhD, Sociology, New York University- Doctor of Musical Arts, 2020, Voice Performance & Literature, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
• Master of Social Work, 2024, Advanced Clinical Practice, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
• Master of Music, 2016, Voice Performance & Literature, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
• Bachelor of Music, 2013, Voice Performance & Literature, University of Central Florida
• Bachelor of Arts, 2010, Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Central Florida