Donovan Russell

• 2025 CS Vocal Competition Semifinalist and Scholarship Recipient
• 2025 Metro Award Nomination for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Male Role
• 2024 National All Star Member; School of Rock Northeast Tour

Donovan Russell is a junior at Woodlands High School. For the past five years he has participated in the drama club’s spring musical for which he recently received a 2025 Metro Award nomination for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Male-identified Role, playing Ren McCormick in Footloose. His other significant roles include Jack Kelly in Newsies; Schlomo Metzenbaum in Fame; Agwe, God of Water, in Once on This Island; and the roles of Frank Decker and Utkarsh Trajillo in Working. In March of this year, Donovan was invited to sing the National Anthem for the New York State Section 1 Basketball Semifinals at the Westchester County Center. He is an arts advocate and leader within the music program at his high school. This past year, he was named President of the Drama Club and participated as a multi-instrumentalist in the concert, marching, and jazz bands. Outside of school, Donovan has been a House Band member of School of Rock, White Plains since 2020, primarily performing as the lead vocalist while also playing piano, guitar, and bass. His house band has headlined at fundraisers for the Pediatric Cancer Society and Alzheimer’s Association, performed on floats during holiday parades, and been invited to play at Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This past summer Donovan was selected as a School of Rock All Star and toured the Northeast, performing at venues in New York City, Boston and Philadelphia while raising awareness for teen suicide.