Staging 75 Years of Legacy: Evolutions of Excellence

God comes to us in theater... It’s a way of expressing our humanity. This quote by the American Association of Community Theatre assures us that theatre, at its truest, is a sacred act of revelation—a transcendent way of expressing and exploring our exquisite humanness. It reminds us that creativity is not a luxury, but a necessity; an eternal need that is never obsolete. Through storytelling, we bear witness to our joys and sorrows, our faith and frailty, our laughter and lament. As we open the curtains on this 75th Anniversary Season, we do so with hearts full of gratitude and reverence - for what theatre has been and what it continues to be: a divine meeting place between art, spirit, and humanity.

This milestone year allows us to honor and celebrate those who built the foundation upon which we stand, the strong shoulders upon which we are lifted. We pay homage to former chairs -Dr. Mary Bohanon, Dr. Linda Norflett, Dr. Johnny Alston, and Faculty Member Professor Karen Dacons-Brock and Nancy Pinckney. We also honor our past Artists-in-Residence—Zora Neale Hurston, Baba Chuck Davis, and Samm-Art Williams and the dedicated administrators Sandra Brunson and Martha McAllister, whose steadfast service helped sustain this department’s legacy. Because of this rich heritage laid by them, a lineage of generations keeps building, keeps creating, keeps making the world a better place through the power of performance.

We acknowledge with humble gratitude God’s divine providence in positioning each of these visionaries to bring us to this very moment in time. This 75th celebration is not merely a reflection of endurance, but of legacy, sustainability, and excellence—a living testimony to the transformative power of theatre in the life of a community and a nation.

Maintaining our artistic purpose, we promise to continue our efforts at providing excellence in service to the community and the university; to perpetuate a high level of personal, scholastic, cultural, and artistic development of our students; and to expand our positive theatrical impact. With the unwavering support of the University Administration, our Dean, and the Friends of the Theatre; and through the creativity and dedication of Professors Arthur Reese, Nadia Bodie-Smith, Kristi Johnson, and Kenneth Hinton; Adjunct Professors Irving Truitt, Nicole Sainworla, Toya Chinfloo, Howard Craft, Shrease Johnson-Thomas, and Chania Wilson, Staff; Murdock Wilson and Lydia Houston, we remain steadfast in our mission to produce artists who are disciplined, visionary, and prepared to serve.

As always, we measure our success by the achievements of our students and alumni—those who have made theatre a sustaining part of their lives. We thank every young artist who has allowed us to share in their educational and creative journey. They are, and will always be, our greatest source of pride and purpose.

We continue to hold fast to the words of Willem Dafoe, who reminds us that “Great theatre is about challenging how we think and encouraging us to fantasize about a world we aspire to.” In a world still burdened by political division, racial unrest, and moral uncertainty, we affirm the power of theatre to awaken, to heal, and to inspire change for the good.

To our loyal patrons, partners, and community - Thank you for your unfaltering support, respect, and belief in the transformative power of the arts. Join us as we celebrate 75 years of legacy, resilience, and excellence—and look forward to the next act in this extraordinary journey.

Peace & Blessings,

Dr. Asabi (S. Howard)

Chairperson​