Page 48 - NCAT Magazine Fall 2018

“ she saw something in me that made her think I

would be a good stage manager and now I’m one of
Donna Bradby is Aggie born
Full and Aggie bred. She grew up in four african-american men in the business. ”
Greensboro and came to North
’08
— stanley ralpH
Carolina A&T in 1980, for the same
“STeAM” theatre arts program in which she “Dance helped me with math and Monet Marshall ’11 said that once
now works.
Bradby, director of marketing and
publication for the theatre arts acting helped me with physics,” she she graduated, she finally knew why
AheAd department, is a multitalented concepts in my body made more aspects of theater in addition to
said. “I was a smart kid but those
Bradby put so much emphasis on
force. She is an adjunct professor,
sense to me than learning it at a
performance.
choreographer and researcher, as
well as the executive director of desk. I took those math and science
Touring Theatre of North Carolina. concepts and helped children learn “She helped me understand that
donna BradBy ’84 Uses Passion, steaM how they are connected to artistry.” we have to know all sides of this
She’s always been an artist and business to be successful,” Marshall
and exPeriences to cUltivate new
now uses her talents to help others Bradby has an undeniable influence said. “The more information you
artists, leaders in theater. on her students. have, the better off you’ll be in this
develop theirs.
business.”
By Jordan M. Howse “The arts world was very different Stanley Ralph ’08, graduated with
when I was a kid, especially being a theatre performance degree Marshall’s degree is in theater
an African-American woman in but found his passion for stage performance. but she said because
the South,” she said. “It was tough management in Bradby’s classes. of Bradby and A&T’s preparation,
finding your way and I was often the He stage-manages Broadway she was prepared and is now
only African-American girl in drama Tours, including “Motown” and “The the founding artistic director of
club. I make sure our students know Bodyguard.” MOJOAA Performing Arts Company,
what it’s like out there, know their founder and lead consulting artist
stuff and do great work.” “Ironically, I was failing my stage for BaD Arts Consulting as well as a
management class,” he laughed. director at VAE Raleigh, a non-profit
Bradby’s experiences as a child “Ms. Donna had me stage manage visual arts organization.
fueled her passions as an adult. a show, so I could pass the class,
After graduating from A&T, she and putting that classwork into “Ms. Donna taught me that you
worked with kids to understand practice was the exciting part. have to form relationships in your
the effect the arts can have on She saw something in me that community and with other artists,”
core curriculum, a conversation made her think I would be a good Marshall said. “You can’t just think
continued today in the STEM vs. stage manager and now I’m one of about theatre and performance. You
STEAM debate. STEAM is the four African-American men in the have to expand your scope to be a
acronym for science, technology, business.” success.”
engineering, arts and music.
Bradby also makes sure she gives a
In her research, Bradby studied realistic, blunt outlook of the theater
children in her arts programs when world to her African-American
she worked at Touring Theatre in the female students.
80s and led Caldcleugh Multicultural
Arts Center in the late 90s.

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