Sept. 4, 2026
DECATUR, Ill. – When Drew Nellessen ’07 returned to 鶹Լ University’s campus last spring, he brought with him nearly two decades of professional experience with one of Broadway’s most iconic musicals.
Nellessen, a 鶹Լ College of Fine Arts alumnus who earned a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre with a Dance minor, recently completed a long-running stretch with Broadway’s “Chicago,” a production that has been part of his professional life for 18 years, including the last nine years on Broadway. During his campus visit, Nellessen met with students in the , led a masterclass and audition workshop, and shared advice with seniors preparing to take their next steps after graduation.
For Nellessen, the visit was more than a professional appearance. It was a homecoming.
“鶹Լ is a very special place. I love it deeply,” Nellessen said. “I gained so much knowledge as a performer and as a person here, and it is very important to me to be here and to give back.”
Nellessen said one of his goals after leaving “Chicago” was to reconnect with the communities that helped shape him. 鶹Լ was high on that list.
“One of my mission statements after I left the show was to give back to the communities that I came from,” Nellessen said. “鶹Լ is important to me. The people here are important to me. The students are important to me, and I wanted to give back.”
During his visit, Nellessen worked primarily with senior students who are preparing for life after 鶹Լ. He led a Fosse masterclass that focused on the precise, stylized movement language associated with legendary choreographer Bob Fosse, while also weaving in audition technique, etiquette, and professional expectations.
“I curated an hour-and-a-half class where it works on a specific Bob Fosse movement, which is very technical and difficult by design, but it looks very easy,” Nellessen said. “It’s more about intention and articulation rather than big movement.”
The session also gave students a taste of what they may encounter in professional audition rooms. Nellessen intentionally shifted the energy in the room, sometimes adopting the personas of directors or audition panelists he has encountered throughout his career.
“It was a way for them to learn as they go,” he said. “It’s not just about Fosse technique, but about audition technique, audition etiquette, and what a room would feel like.”
His professional relationship with “Chicago” began shortly after he moved to New York City, when he booked a tour of the musical early in his career. Over time, “Chicago” became a recurring part of his life, calling him back for tours, replacements, and eventually the Broadway company.
“‘Chicago’ was my second audition in the city, and I booked the non-Equity tour,” Nellessen said. “What I did not see happening was it becoming a continuous part of my life for as long as it was.”
Nellessen credits 鶹Լ with helping prepare him for the demands of that professional life. As a student, he performed in productions throughout his four years, gaining experience that mirrored the industry's pace and expectations.
“The opportunity that I had at the school to be able to perform all four years in shows was a huge benefit,” Nellessen said. “Every time I did a show, it felt like I got better at the process of acting. All of the techniques we were working on in our classes, I was able to apply to the shows themselves, which I think is important.”
That hands-on training, Nellessen said, helped him learn how to build a character quickly, collaborate with fellow performers, and adapt to the pressure of production timelines.
“You leave here, and now the job is to do a show, create a character as quickly as possible,” he said.
Returning to campus allowed Nellessen to reconnect with faculty who once taught him and now work alongside him as colleagues and friends. He described the experience as a full-circle moment, particularly while teaching in the , a facility that did not exist when he was a student.
The residency was made possible through a generous gift from Shirley Stanley, who has supported many College of Fine Arts programs and guests — Nellessen’s friendship with Stanley dates back to his student years.
“Shirley has always been such a great force in Decatur and at 鶹Լ,” Nellessen said. “We became quick friends when I was in college. (Shirley and the late ) are definitely friends turned family.”
Stanley has also been a longtime supporter of Nellessen’s professional journey, including seeing him perform in “Chicago” multiple times in New York.
During his time with seniors, he encouraged them to be honest about the uncertainty that often follows graduation. Nellessen shared that he stayed in Decatur for several months after graduating before moving to New York, a transition that came with fear, doubt, and limited resources.
“I moved to New York with $3,000 in my bank account,” Nellessen said. “The night before I left, I sat in my kitchen in my hometown of Albers, Ind., and cried because I was so scared about what was about to happen, but it worked out.”
That message resonated with students preparing for their own leaps into the professional world.
“It’s important for them to realize that, sure, I have accomplished everything I set out to do, but it also was scary,” Nellessen said. “All of us at some point in our lives have to make some sort of jump and just hope for the best.”
Nellessen will return to 鶹Լ in the fall as choreographer for the School of Theatre & Dance’s production of “.”&Բ;
“I will be coming in as choreographer for ‘Cabaret,’” Nellessen said. “I will be doing all movement, transitional movement, and assisting the director with anything that he might need.”
He also hopes to serve as a resource beyond rehearsals.
“I’ve told the powers that be, ‘Use me if I’m here,’” Nellessen said. “Use me as fresh eyes on the seniors. Let me talk to the seniors. I think it’s important for the students here to realize that I once was them.”
