A Welcome Letter from our Interim Chair: Dr. Ofosuwa M. Abiola
Welcome to the Department of Theatre Arts
You have made a life altering choice by majoring in Theatre Arts at Howard University. The Department offers five concentrations: Acting, Musical Theatre, Dance, Arts Administration, and Theatre Technology. The Theatre Arts Department is known for its illustrious alumni, historical relevance, and for providing students the opportunity to engage up and coming and established renowned guest artists. Once involved with our dedicated faculty and modern-day, culturally relevant programming, our success in producing skilled, grounded performers, triple threats, theatre administrators, and technical theatre practitioners will be apparent. With a history of over a century, and distinction as the first HBCU to offer a BFA degree, Howard’s Department of Theatre Arts will continue to lead as an artist incubator and producer of cutting-edge artists who are not afraid to step out of the box. From Phylicia Rashad, Chuck Davis, and Debbie Allen, to Chadwick Boseman, Anthony Anderson, and many others in-between and beyond, Howard’s footprint in the Acting, Dance, and the Musical Theatre world is significant.
With the last academic year being marked by the historical events of the Black Lives Matter Movement, the Covid-19 Pandemic, and all online instruction for a virtually hands-on discipline, students were challenged to rise to the occasion. They had to embrace the understanding that some changes made as a result of these historic events would be with us for years to come – and that some would never leave. However, while navigating the Theatre Arts program students quickly came to the realization that these realities were nonfactors with regard to their growth and ultimate achievement of excellence.
Although a light is at the end of the tunnel, Covid, racial, gender, and many other inequities, and injustices are still a reality. For academic year 2021-2022, you will be challenged to rise; to reimagine and rebuild what has long been neglected due to the social and political climate you find yourself in in this country; to push yourself until the inner excellence that we know you possess can no longer be contained within; and to rival the sun – an achievable feat because you have decided to join a list of luminaries by choosing Howard University’s Department of Theatre Arts.
Your journey starts now.
Ofosuwa M. Abiola, PhD
Interim Chair, Department of Theatre Arts
