A person doesn’t have to be athletically gifted to participate in the Olympics. Class of 2010 alumna Andrea Donigan had the opportunity to manage events during the the 2012 London games.
Life in high school
Drama wasn’t always on Donigan’s radar. In fact, it wasn’t until her freshman year that she joined beginning drama. She immediately immersed herself with backstage technology.
According to drama teacher Holly Cornelison, Donigan was a shy yet determined student. She willingly put in extra time and hours, especially in the making of two major productions in her senior year: “The Servant of Two Masters” and “The Odyssey.”
“Her biggest responsibility was stage management, and that is basically what she ended up pursuing,” Cornelison said.
Donigan wasn’t alone throughout her journey in MVHS drama; her long time friend 2010 alumna Shieva Khalily was one of the main influences that caused Donigan to choose drama.
“At [MVHS] I did Stage and Production Management. I helped Ms. Cornelison with the paperwork and organization of shows,” she said. “Once I got into my sophomore, junior, and senior years, I was [more] focused on stage and production management.”
During Donigan’s sophomore year, the tech-savvy class of 2008 had left the drama department with a void that she decided to fill. Donigan involved herself in backstage technology and she was awarded for her efforts with the position of head stage manager. At the time she didn’t know that it would be this very position that prepared her for the future.
2012 Olympics
Donigan is currently in her third year at Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, receiving a degree in Theatre Arts-Theatre Technology and Production Management. When she applied to college in 2010, she heard about the opportunity of helping out in the 2012 Olympic Games.
As the game season drew near, officials began to travel to drama and tech schools around the nation interviewing students who would be interested. There were 800 ceremony volunteer positions available across all the departments including lighting, sound, stage management and operations. Donigan acted as an Operations Assistant at the Olympic Stadium. The Operations department is in charge of tasks such as directing traffic. Donigan also was involved in the Safety aspect of the Olympics such as putting up many signs.
“I also did things such as data entry and other not so glamourous things such as flushing toilets in the compounds where the animal keepers stayed,” Donigan said. “I was there to help with anything basically.”
During the ceremony, Donigan directed audience members and stage props to assure the pace of the ceremony. For example, she would make sure audiences weren’t wondering during the firework ceremony as a safety hazard.
“[Some of the major] highlights for me included hanging with Team USA and I also got to see celebrities like The Spice Girls, Jessie J, Tinie Tempah, Taio Cruz and Kate Moss,” Donigan said.
Plans for the future
“I love theatre, [but] I would like to pursue [a career] in the events industry and I would love to go to Rio in four years and get a job with the ceremonies there,” said Donigan.
For Donigan, being a part of the Olympics marks the very beginning of a whole new set of opportunities. Sheís currently the production manager of three operas due in November and after college hopes to expand her skill sets.
“I would have to say that if it were not for Ms. Cornelison and the drama program at MVHS, I would not be here,” Donigan said.”I wouldn’t have found out that I love doing theatre and events [and] I wouldn’t be the same person either.”
