CSU Theatre alum, Whitney Roy ('21), is a recipient of the 2023 Charlie Blackwell Symposium Scholarship. The scholarship was awarded to five BIPOC stage managers to attend the Broadway Stage Management Symposium, as well as a meeting with a selection committee member during the professional development and networking conference. The selection committee of veteran Broadway stage managers of color includes Narda E. Alcorn, Lisa Dawn Cave, Beverly Jenkins, Kenneth J. McGee, and Cody Renard Richard.

Whitney Renell Roy recently concluded a fellowship with Black Theatre Coalition's Management Fellowship. While at CSU, she focused on stage management and scenic design and also earned a minor in Ethnic Studies. "This is exactly what I need at this point in my career... to continue gaining experience in this unique craft," said Roy in a release on broadwayworld.com.

Whitney wishes to acknowledge Matt Grevan, CSU Theatre's production stage manager. "Matt taught me so much about the art of stage managing, and, most importantly, how being a good stage manager means being empathetic, not only to those around you but also to yourself."

(Graphics created by the symposium)

About the Symposium and Scholarship

The Broadway Stage Management Symposium is an educational intensive, open to the public, and designed for the growth of stage managers at all levels and experience. The ninth annual BSMS will be held May 20-21, 2023. The Charlie Blackwell Symposium Scholarships for BIPOC stage managers is named for Charlie Blackwell, a black stage manager whose Broadway credits include Nine, Sunday in the Park with George and Jerome Robbins Broadway. He passed away in 1995 and these scholarships honor his legacy, opening doors for future generations of BIPOC stage managers. (broadwayworld.com)