Education Spotlight: HEAD OVER HEELS' Andrew Durand

Education takes center stage in BroadwayWorld's new Education Spotlight education series. We ask Broadway stars a survey of questions about their college experience and how its made them the performer they are today.

Continuing with the cast of Head Over Heels, next up is the charming Andrew Durand. Below he shares how his education impacted his career and the lessons he has to share!

Name: Andrew Durand

Show you're in: Head Over Heels

Role you play: Musidorus

College/University you attended: Boston Conservatory

Favorite professor and/or class: Doug Lockwood, Paul Daigneault, Ken Baltin

What did you learn in school that has helped you most in your career?

Collaboration. Some of my favorite memories and experiences from college are of working alongside my peers in student directed projects. Making good theater is all about collaboration, making suggestions, taking suggestions, and playing well with others.

What's the best piece of advice you ever got from a professor or other instructor?

I worked with Kneehigh Theatre Co. based out of Cornwall, England for a while. The founder, Mike Shepard, said something that still sticks with me. Roughly quoting, it was something like: "Your job as an actor is to make the other people onstage with you look good." I like that a lot. If everyone is doing that, then we all look good. There is no ego, or pressure to perform. It's about knowing who/what/where the focus is at any given time, and putting it there. It's how we tell stories as a company of actors.

What do you wish you could say to your college-age self knowing what you know now?

Read more. And try harder in dance class, even though it frustrates you.

What advice would you give to aspiring theatre students?

Have confidence in your individuality, your interpretations of characters and material and performances. Always present your version of whatever it is you are doing. Don't try and produce what you think someone else wants to see from you. You do you, and go from there.

A hilarious, dazzling celebration of love, Head Over Heels follows the escapades of a royal family on an outrageous journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction. You'll meet a king about to lose his throne, a queen about to lose her inhibitions, and two princesses about to find love. It's a modern musical fairy tale where once upon a time is right now.

The new musical comedy featuring the iconic songs of The Go-Go's - the most successful female rock band of all time - will play its final Broadway performance at Hudson Theatre (141 West 44th Street) on Sunday, January 6, 2019.

Get tickets now at headoverheelsthemusical.com

Photo Credit: Walter McBride; Production Photo Credit: Joan Marcus