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The fact that you have struggled with this university that you love is a sign that you can use your education to improve the world that you are entering. ~ Chadwick A. Boseman, 2018 Commencement, Howard University
Discover the Howard Players Theatre History Archive
Discover the Howard Players Theatre History Archive
Welcome to the Howard Players Archive
Welcome to the Howard Players Archive
Researched and Curated by Professor Denise J. Hart
This information is made freely available for research, teaching and educational purposes only.
Howard Players Theatre History Archive 1909-2019 (HPTHA), is a publicly available digital humanities research archive.
HPTHA chronicles and documents the hidden history of the Howard University Players collegiate theatrical production history from 1909 - 2019. It's a significant resource for researchers, educators and the general public to study the history of Black Theatre. It provides scholars with a deeper understanding of the Howard Players contributions of Black Theatre to American Theatre.
Its unique factor is the comprehensive digitized snapshot of different time periods and access to biographical information, photographs, playbills, other theatre ephemera, news, video, oral histories and documents related to Howard Players theatrical production from 1909-2019 that have not been brought together before as a single collection. It will also feature specially curated in person and digital projects on various aspects of Black Theatre.
Since its founding in 1909, the Howard University Players has remained intertwined with a global community. To study its history is to study the history of Washington DC, Black Theatre, Regional Theatre, National Theatre and the Black people who have made a significant contribution to arts and humanities.
Howard Players Early Leadership
Howard Players Faculty Leadership 1909-1950
Drama/Theatre formally becomes a department in fall 1950 under Anne Cooke.
Prior to September 1950 Drama is housed in the Department of English
and produced under the moniker of The Howard Players from 1920-1950
Ernest Everett Just - 1909 (College Dramatic Club)
Thomas Montgomery Gregory 1920-1925 (Howard Players begins)
Alain LeRoy Locke 1919-1925
Marie Moore-Forrest - 1919-1925
Sterling Brown & Leona B. Dudley - 1925-30
George D. Lipscomb - 1931-1932
John Lovell Jr. - 1932-1933
Sterling Brown - 1933-1937
James W. Butcher Jr. - 1938-1942
Ella Haith Weaver - 1942-1944
Elizabeth Walker Reeves - 1944-1945
Elizabeth Walker Reeves, James W. Butcher Jr, Anne M. Cooke - 1944-1945
Anne M. Cooke - 1946-1950
Howard Players 1950's. Photo credit: Moorland Spingarn Research Center
Front Row:
Owen Dodson
unknown
James Butcher (with black hat on in 2nd row)
Anne Cooke
Mark Fax
At a campus reception faculty members in the Department of English host the Howard Players. Chairman Cooke (Center right, seated on floor in mid ground), Professor Dodson (foreground, second from the left, seated) (1950's)Photo credit: Moorland Spingarn Research Center
Professor Anne Cooke (center), Eleanor Roosevelt (right center), and Professor Owen Dodson (right) before the Howard Players sail to Norway (1949)Photo credit: Moorland Spingarn Research Center
Eleanor Roosevelt (center) receives Professor Anne Cooke (left center), Professor Owen Dodson (right center), and the Howard Players before they sail to Norway (1949)Photo credit: Moorland Spingarn Research Center
Stats on Howard Players Theatrical Production (1909– 2019)
Stats on Howard Players Theatrical Production (1909– 2019)
15 department chairs from 1950 – 2019
Typical tenure, 6 years
Approximately 473 plays & dance concerts
produced 1909 - 2019
8 Different Drama/Theatre Identities (1909 – 2019)
College Dramatic Club (1909-1919)
College Comedy Club (1911-1915)
Ira Aldridge Dramatic Club (1916-1920)
Howard Players/Howard University Players (1920-current)
The Department of Dramatic Art & Speech (In the Department of English)
Division of Dramatics (In the Department of English)
Department of Drama (Began in the Department of English. The Department of Drama established by the Board of Trustees in May 1950)
Department of Theatre Arts (recommended by faculty and approved by Board of Trustees. Active starting fall 1992)
Department of Theatre and Dance (recommended by faculty in 2018)
The Evolution of the Howard Players on the campus of Howard University
Prior to 1909 theatre on the campus of Howard University was pursued by students mostly as off campus endeavors.
1909 - Ernest Evert Just along with other English faculty as well as external professionals counsel and direct the students creation of the College Dramatic Club. However, the idea for the dramatic club was conceived by students
1909 to 1919, faculty advisors & faculty directors are assigned to the student theatrical production
1920 to 1924 Thomas Montgomery Gregory and Alain Locke consume the College Dramatic Club and create the Howard Players to support the creation of the Department of Dramatic Arts housed in the Department of English. The goal was to create an independent (of English) degree granting Theatre program. Had their "experiment" been successful, Howard would have been the first college or university in the country to have a degree granting Department of Drama.
1924 the Department of Dramatic Arts is ended
1925 to 1949 Drama/The Howard Players is housed in the Department of English under the leadership of Sterling Brown followed by the leadership of Anne Cooke, Owen Dodson and James Butcher
In 1950 with the advent of a new formal department structure the position of the "Howard Players" becomes a "brand-able" identity.
Late 1960's to 1970's - students want autonomy. This creates friction. Tension exists between students and faculty. The challenge is around departmental identity. The question becomes "How to honor the history of the Players and retain stature as a formal department?"
1970's - Eventually, University oversight of student organizations creates guidelines and positions Howard Players as subordinate to the department. The students resist.
Late 1970's to 1992 the Howard Players are viewed as subordinate to the Department of Drama. Often during this period the "Players" are dormant and there is no formal student led theatrical production on the campus.
Please note, this research site is not a comprehensive report on all Howard University or Department of Theatre Arts performance/workshop/symposia/masterclass presentations. Nor is it comprehensive for all Howard Players performance presentations. Nor is this a comprehensive report on the Dance area performance/workshop/masterclass presentations. The research continues.
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