MSU theatre student makes history with Broadway scholarship

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A Mississippi State Senior has made theatre history.

Donovan Andrade is one of 5 students of color nationally, who were given a chance to learn from the best of the best theatre professionals.

“To me, it’s monumental because I never truly saw myself as a theatre major coming into college. I kind of really wanted to stick with like science. But when I hoped into it, it was something I truly fell in love with. And then from there one, I developed myself as a student but also as a professional when it came to working in the theatre realm,” Andrade said.

While only 5 students were chosen for the scholarship, the symposium has many other participants.

“I’ve been able to talk to and also listen in on very prominent stage managers that are from Broadway and just kind of be part of all these different collaborations,” Andrade explained.

Andrade has been learning from Broadway stage manager Kenneth McGee in one-on-one conversations.

“We had, the five of us had like that personal connection, one on one, with a certain stage manager to kind of go under their wing, we’ll say,” Andrade added.

Andrade isn’t the only one who benefits from the symposium. This opportunity gives the Mississippi State Theater Department more recognition in the future.

“We identify ourselves with showcasing that you don’t always have to be, you know, at set color to be on the stage. Anyone can be on the stage. Theatre is a very opportunistic moment where you can easily see that once we’re on stage and once we have the captive audience then at that point, they are susceptible to learning to any lessons coming out of each play,” Andrade said.

In addition to the 4-day symposium, he now has a long-term connection to the theatre world.

“I’ve asked him to look over my resume as since he is a true professional, just to see like how I can better my resume, how I can better myself as a stage manager, what is it that I can do to even help my department here at State. And he’s given me a ton of insight about it,” Andrade said.

After getting his bachelor’s degree, he plans on getting a master’s degree in Fine Arts and Stage Management.