Brief Bio

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BRIEF BIO

Denise J. Hart, is a full Professor at Howard University with over 25 years of proven experience leading in higher education, arts management, theatre training, archival research and non-profit theatre programming.

A creative humanities scholar, Denise is a proud recipient of the 2024 Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts Full Professor award for Scholarly Research and Creative Endeavors and the founder of the Restorative Theatre Performance Project, a collaborative performing arts-based research initiative that employs restorative practices to build bridges between arts, culture and science to engender social change. 

While serving as a Howard Entertainment Faculty Fellow with Amazon Studios, assigned to TV Development, her experience helped her transform the curriculum for the playwriting: writing for stage and screen program of which she is the area coordinator. 

Her digital humanities archival research project, the Howard Players Theatre History Archive has resulted in her being named one of the foremost anchors and documentarians of Howard’s theatrical lineage . Fans of the HBO hit drama series “The Wire” may recall her as the beloved Miss Anna while her other stage, directing and dramaturgy appearances include working with Wooly Mammoth, Arena Stage, Hattiloo Theatre, Studio Theatre, Howard University, Theatre Alliance and Ford’s Theatre. 

Throughout her career she’s honed mastery expertise in theatre for social change, cultural transformation through the arts and restorative practices in theatre.

Some of Denise's current membership and board appointments include member of Society for the Neuroscience of Creativity, VP of Conference for the Association of Theatre of Higher Education, Secretary of the Black Theatre Network and she's a proud founding charter member of the August Wilson Society.