Michelle Tyrene Johnson, Finalist

I have to admit, I’ve never been a huge fan of the dramaturg experience. Too many that I’ve come across spend more time trying to deconstruct your play to turn it into something that you weren’t trying to write than in seeing the play you created. But not Professor Denise J. Hart. Not even close.

From my first session with Prof. Hart, I felt the full force of her respect for my play “40 Acres and a Laptop” which is probably the craziest play I’ve ever written. And I’ve written my share of stories bending time and space. 

Prof. Hart created the best thing that a playwright needs - a safe space. It was a safe space from the questions she asked me about my play and then through all the sessions we had about it. I always felt her genuine liking for the play and her desire to make it stronger, tighter, and in better alignment with my vision of the play I wrote. 

Our sessions never felt strained or uncomfortable. Rather I felt each session and “homework” assignment left me feeling inspired and invigorated to sharpen the story. 

Also, a program that allowed me to fly out for a public reading at Howard University made the experience even better. Because that’s the real test of a play’s strengths and weaknesses, how it holds up before an audience. 

My being able to also have one-on-one time to discuss, not just the trajectory of the play, but of my career was the full circle bonus of this opportunity. Because, let’s face it, it’s just not easy for a Black woman playwright of a certain age to be treated as if my work and my future are as bright and worthy as a youngster coming out of a nationally recognized MFA school or platinum playwriting program.

Melda Beaty, Finalist

Feebleminded is my most ambitious play yet. I wanted to write a play based on a real-life event, seeped in history, with multiple characters, and told through the literary device, magical realism, because its use has fascinated me in other plays. 

The play was originally developed with the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival Confluence Fellowship in 2021-2022. I was part of a small but mighty cohort of female playwrights. However, when the fellowship ended, I was left asking, what is next? I knew my ambitious play needed further development, but I did not know where to turn. 

Prof. Hart notified me that she was launching the Play Development Lab and encouraged me to apply, and I am so glad that I did. It wasn't until my play was selected for the Play Development Lab that I was guided and encouraged to take Feebleminded to the next level through dramaturgical expertise. 

Professor Hart's expertise as a dramaturg provided the insight that my play was missing. Through one-on-one personal sessions, she challenged and expanded my notions of what was possible for not only my play but for my career as a playwright.

The entire process of development was personal, collaborative, reassuring, and validating. This newer and clearer version of my play is a direct result of the Lab and the acting talents of the Howard University students.

Yekta Khaghani, Semi-finalist

I was honored to be a semifinalist in Professor Hart’s Play Lab. I am an Iranian-born, New York-based playwright, actor, and theater educator. My journey in theater began 25 years ago in Iran, where I worked with prominent theater makers. In the four years leading up to my immigration, due to socio-political constraints, I became part of an underground theater group. Those experiences were transformative, reinforcing my belief that theater is not just about entertainment—it is about disruption, reflection, and cultivating change through storytelling.

After twelve years away from my homeland and like-minded artivists, my experience in Professor Hart’s Play Development Lab was a powerful reminder of that artistic resistance and community. The depth of care and attention she brought to our conversations and play development sessions was unparalleled.

I did not have the opportunity to attend an academic program in the U.S., so I continue to refine my craft through constant writing, learning, and lived experience. Developing my play under Professor Hart’s guidance felt like an intensive semester in an MFA playwriting program.

I hope more students and artists will have the opportunity to be nourished by Professor Hart’s guidance, fostering a generation of playwrights and theater makers who create authentic stories that challenge perspectives and envision a world rooted in social justice and hope for change.

Mildred Inez Lewis, Semi-finalist

I am an inaugural Play Development Lab semi-finalist who recently completed several sessions with Professor Hart. As a college instructor (Chapman University), published and produced playwright, 

I can truly say that the Lab is the most intellectually rigorous, culturally sensitive development process I’ve ever been a part of or seen.

Professor Hart may be starting another Charles Hamilton Houston legacy moment, but this time for African American playwrights. 

During these challenging times, our community need storytellers who can help us not only understand our challenges, but also help us conceive of a different, better world. 

An annual cohort of LAB playwrights will inform Howard students, spread Howard's legacy of excellence and impact the field.