DANBURY, CONN. — Catching up with 2012 Western Connecticut State University graduate Andrew Hendrick proved interesting this fall, as he traveled across the country as a cast member of the national touring company of “Jekyll & Hyde.” A layover in the Charlotte, North Carolina, airport just before Thanksgiving provided the opportunity to find out what the musical theatre major has been up to.

“The last year has been pretty amazing, being on tour,” Hendrick said. “I auditioned for ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ in May, was given a call-back, and a week later I was told I had the role of the Bishop of Basingstoke.”

The “Jekyll & Hyde” national tour opened in September 2014, and Hendrick said the hardest part was waiting all summer for the rehearsals to begin and the show to premiere in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after finding out he had been given the role four months earlier. By late November, he’d already performed in more than 50 shows, with the production being staged on average seven times a week — often in a different city every night. Heading into his weeklong Thanksgiving break, Hendrick had just performed nine times in four different states, being murdered nightly by Mr. Hyde at the end of Act One.

As the production rolls across the country, Hendrick said every element is orchestrated to the smallest detail.

“We don’t have to think about any of the logistics,” Hendrick said. “They take good care of us, and we get to perform in all different kinds of venues. Each space is different — some are very old theatres and some are very new — and it’s cool to meet people from all over the country. It’s most exciting to meet people who are seeing their first touring Broadway show and knowing that our performance could be what inspires them to love theatre or pursue a career in theatre themselves.”

With so many performances under his belt, Hendrick said his role is “already in my muscle memory. I’m really enjoying what I’m doing and I’m doing the best that I can each time I take the stage.”

Several of Hendrick’s former professors and classmates had the opportunity to see him at work when “Jekyll & Hyde” came to the Palace Theatre in Waterbury in early December. A recognizable presence on campus following lead roles in WCSU productions of “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” in 2010 and “Sweeney Todd” in 2011, Hendrick credits his musical theatre studies at Western with his subsequent professional success.

“The performing experience I had at WCSU included amazing voice teachers who worked with me to develop a grounded voice, which I need in order to be successful,” he said. Hendrick also credited “the work ethic I was taught at Western, which included being in a show and working on the show, whether in the box office or as a producer.”

After obtaining his degree from Western’s School of Visual and Performing Arts in 2012, Hendrick worked for a few months as a shift supervisor at CVS until he acquired roles doing local theatre at the Downtown Cabaret in Bridgeport. Upon moving to New York City shortly thereafter, his job as a box office manager at the Mint Theater Company in Midtown Manhattan enabled him to “immediately put my WCSU experience to professional use.” At the Mint, Hendrick said, he was “surrounded by incredibly artistic people at a company that specializes in lost and forgotten plays.”

Hendrick, who grew up in Fairfield, landed an internship with renowned producer Van Dean at the Broadway Consortium for several months before being promoted to producing associate. In that role, he worked with the company and Dean to produce Broadway shows that included “Big Fish,” “Matilda the Musical” and “The Velocity of Autumn.” Dean is a five-time Tony Award nominee, a Grammy Award nominee, and he won a 2012 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical for “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.” Dean also produced “From Broadway with Love: A Benefit Concert for Sandy Hook,” which was staged and recorded in January 2013 at the Palace Theatre in Waterbury.

Because of his affiliation with Dean, Hendrick also found work as a producing associate at Dean’s sister company, Broadway Records. Known for its cast recordings of Broadway shows, the company recently announced that it will release the original soundtrack of NBC’s “Peter Pan LIVE!”

Hendrick maintains his off-stage production responsibilities for the Broadway Consortium and Broadway Records while he’s on the road. “There’s a lot of downtime on tour: time on the bus and in hotel rooms,” he said. “I do remote work.”

His first Actors’ Equity show after graduating from Western was in a regional production of “Avenue Q” in Florida, with fellow WCSU alumnus Joel Oramas. In late 2013, Hendrick added to his regional credits when he performed at the White Plains Performing Arts Center in “Les Miserables.”

During a six-week break in the “Jekyll & Hyde” tour, Hendrick returned to the White Plains Performing Arts Center to perform in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” from mid-December to early January. He obtained the role of Chef Louis after sending a video audition tape to the director while on his current tour. He’s already eyeing some audition opportunities for spring 2015 when “Jekyll & Hyde” closes.

As an announcement signaling that his flight was about to board echoed in the background, Hendrick reflected on his success in the two years since his graduation from Western.

“I’ve made sure I have jobs I am passionate about — not jobs just for money,” Hendrick said. “I don’t go to work feeling like it’s work; I go thinking I’m having a good time. I’m enjoying what I have — and keeping an eye to the future.”

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.