KENNESAW, Ga. | Jul 10, 2025

Less than a year after crossing the commencement stage at Kennesaw State University (KSU), Reyanna Edwards is already shining on dozens more – including the iconic stage of Atlanta’s Fox Theatre.

A 2024 graduate of KSU’s Geer College of the Arts, Edwards recently returned this summer as a cast member in the national tour of Ain’t Too Proud, the electrifying Broadway musical that tells the story of The Temptations. The moment was a full-circle experience for the musical theatre performer, who grew up watching productions at the Fox Theatre.

“Being able to be in a musical that people are watching in my hometown, after watching so many performances there, was so cool,” Edwards said. “It was a full-circle moment.”

Her rapid post-graduation success is no accident. While at KSU, Edwards majored in Theatre and Performance Studies with a concentration in musical theatre. During her senior year, she balanced classes with auditions in New York City, eventually landing an agent and securing professional opportunities before even receiving her diploma.

“KSU is a state college, but it's got a fine, strong College of the Arts,” Edwards notes. “And I think what is one differentiator for KSU is really trying to integrate into having a profession: like getting jobs and ensuring you are career ready.” 

Over her four years at KSU, Edwards was able to explore all aspects of theatre. Through opportunities to direct, assist, perform and even create original works, she discovered new dimensions of her artistry, and her voice as a leader.

“A big help was being 30 minutes from Atlanta,” she said. “While you're able to study and take classes and dig into your craft, you're also able to test out your technique in regional productions around the area. That really prepared me.”

Shortly after graduation, she performed in Little Shop of Horrors at the Virginia Theatre Festival before joining the Ain’t Too Proud national tour. Now, she’s preparing to pursue her Master of Fine Arts in acting in London, with hopes of expanding her work into classical texts and eventually teaching and running her own studio.

Her passion for performance is grounded in a larger mission, though; to uplift young Black girls and expand the representation of Black voices on stage.

“As kids, you don’t realize how much you need to see yourself until you actually do,” she said. “I want to be a part of the change, a voice for diversity in musical theatre. My dream role hasn’t been written yet; I’m going to originate her.”

Edwards credits KSU’s broad-based theatre training and mentorship with giving her the skills and vision to take her next steps. From the classroom to regional theaters, and now center stage at iconic venues, Reyanna Edwards is living proof that KSU graduates are ready to perform, and ready to lead.

--Alanna Foxwell