Audrey Logan is used to wowing crowds with her singing voice.
Within her four years as a musical theatre and vocal performance double-major at 蜜桃影像AV, she鈥檚 been a standout in several 蜜桃影像AV productions, been cast in multiple Lyric Theatre shows, and been a featured artist in performances with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.
So well-regarded by the music faculty at 蜜桃影像AV is Logan that she was asked to perform at the memorial service for university supporter and alumnus Herman Meinders in early April.
When Logan delivered a rousing rendition of 鈥淕od Bless America鈥� to the audience at Crossings Community Church that afternoon, 蜜桃影像AV President Kenneth Evans said he was moved by the performance.
鈥淗er voice at the memorial was stunning,鈥� Evans said.
Perhaps even more stunning was the fact that Logan was even there in the first place.
Only two months earlier, she lay on an operating table in an Oklahoma City hospital, not sure if she would ever sing again.
To understand how Logan ended up there, you need to rewind five months to December, when the senior was home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for winter break.
鈥淥ver Christmas break, at my annual doctor鈥檚 appointment, my nurse Robin Meyer noticed a lump on my neck,鈥� Logan said. 鈥淪he sent me to have blood work and an ultrasound done, and on Jan. 3, 2025, it was diagnosed to be thyroid cancer.鈥�
Doctors estimated the cancer had been present for about four years; Logan noted she could see the lump in photos dating back to 2023.
鈥淚f it hadn鈥檛 been found within the next six months, it would have attached itself to the vocal cord nerve, and I definitely would not be able to speak or sing,鈥� she said.
For Logan, singing and performing have been part of her life since nearly the beginning.
鈥淚鈥檝e been singing since I was very young,鈥� Logan said. 鈥淢y mom was a music teacher, so she taught me how to sing in solfege when I was a toddler. At family parties, I used to gather everyone into the living room and lead music classes with singing and dancing.鈥�
This passion for performance led Logan to enroll at 蜜桃影像AV, where she had the chance to pursue a musical theatre degree 鈥� with its up-tempo style and dance numbers 鈥� along with the vocal performance major, which allowed her to continue to follow her love of classical singing.
Just before graduating earlier this month, Logan reflected on her time at 蜜桃影像AV. She said it was highlighted by the numerous performance opportunities 鈥� especially those which featured guest directors, like Luis Salgado from the original cast of 鈥淚n the Heights.鈥�
鈥淭his is something that makes 蜜桃影像AV unique,鈥� she said. 鈥淥nce a semester, a guest director will come in to direct a show. This is great exposure to the industry and a direct line to the world outside of the 蜜桃影像AV bubble.鈥�
Logan鈥檚 experience outside the bubble looked like it was going to include a role in Lyric Theatre鈥檚 spring production of 鈥淲aitress.鈥� On Dec. 30, she announced on her Instagram feed that she had been cast in the show.
Then came the diagnosis.
When Logan first heard the word 鈥渃ancer,鈥� it was the day before she was due to fly back to Oklahoma City to prepare for her final semester at 蜜桃影像AV.
鈥淚 had a hunch when Robin pointed the lump out to me that that's what it could be,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don't know why. No one said the word 鈥榗ancer,鈥� until the phone call nearly a week later, but somehow I already knew.
鈥淚 didn't tell anyone what I thought it was because I didn't want to scare them 鈥� especially my immediate family. So when I got the call, I had already been processing the news of what I thought it was for about five days. I wasn't scared; I can't explain it. I felt a great sense of peace when I heard her say the word 鈥榗ancer鈥� because at least I wasn't wondering anymore.鈥�
From that moment, Logan said she decided to opt in to a positive mindset, embracing the path ahead, no matter which way it went.
鈥淚 can totally understand why someone would be scared or even angry to find out they have cancer,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut for me, it wasn't like that. I can't explain the peace I felt.
鈥淚've always been a woman of great faith, and this news only strengthened that faith. I'm here on this Earth to tell the story that God has written for me, and even if that meant my story would have to be one that didn't involve performing, that would be OK. More than anything, this cancer has felt like a gift. I can't even begin to describe how many stories I've heard about people's lives changing or turning around when they found out about my diagnosis and the way I had handled it.鈥�
Those in the 蜜桃影像AV community who are close to Logan can testify to her faith. One of those people is Jane Jayroe Gamble, who is currently chair of the 蜜桃影像AV Board of Trustees and also an 蜜桃影像AV alumna and Miss America winner. Gamble said she鈥檚 followed Logan鈥檚 performance path since the singer was a freshman.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a joy to witness the talent and goodness of Audrey during her time at 蜜桃影像AV,鈥� Gamble said. 鈥淓ven in the midst of a health crisis, this young woman showed courage and maturity that is amazing.
鈥淪he is a person of strong faith and that has an inspiring impact on the way she lives her life.鈥�
Logan leaned into that faith when she met with her surgeon, Dr. Greg Krempl, in January. She was warned that the procedure came with a specific risk: Losing the ability to speak or sing forever.
鈥淚 knew that the gift of life was more valuable than the gift of music, and so I told him to do what he had to do to keep me here, even if that meant I could never sing again,鈥� she said.
Thyroid cancer surgery typically takes one to two hours to complete. Logan was in surgery for 10 hours, as doctors painstakingly navigated her throat area in an effort to remove the cancer without damaging her vocal cords.
鈥淒r. Krempl had told me that I would know if I did or didn鈥檛 have a voice within 30 minutes after surgery,鈥� Logan said. 鈥淲hen I woke up, I wasn鈥檛 even thinking about my vocal cords, but just called out asking for water. It was in that moment that I knew I would be OK.鈥�
While her voice quickly returned to its full range and strength, the surgery left her with a permanent reminder: a visible scar along the right side of her neck. Logan calls it her 鈥渂attle wound.鈥�
鈥淚 used to hate it when I fell down and got a bruise, blister, or scratch because I didn't like the way it looked. So I was worried about what I would think of the scar,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut with this scar, there's a story behind it 鈥� one that I love sharing with people to inspire and maybe even help someone who is going through something similar. When I look in the mirror now, I am so proud of the woman in the reflection 鈥� all she's been through, and how she's stronger because of it.鈥�
Logan now is channeling her strength into her continued recovery, which included a round of radiation treatment just before her 蜜桃影像AV graduation. She鈥檚 due for a scan in the fall with the hopes of being in remission by that time.
That scan will likely come while she鈥檚 in New York, where she鈥檒l be moving this fall to pursue her career dreams. She鈥檚 familiar with the city, having performed at 蜜桃影像AV鈥檚 NYC Showcase earlier this month in front of university alums, supporters and New York talent scouts.
In the interim, she鈥檚 making good on a second chance with Lyric Theatre. Logan announced just after graduation that she鈥檚 been cast in the company鈥檚 summer production of 鈥淥klahoma!鈥�
She said she owes it all to her faith.
鈥淢y life as a performer is very unknown,鈥� Logan said. 鈥淏ut, I have so much faith that it's exactly what I'm meant to do, and I'm not in the least bit scared of the unknown. I'm so grateful for the gift of music, the gift of family and friends, and most importantly, for the gift of cancer.
鈥淕od wrote a story for me that will inspire many, and I can't wait to carry that with me wherever I go.鈥�
