Persepective, power, potential: An assessment study of nast-accredited historically black college & university theatre programs

Theatre is an academic discipline within American higher education that affords students and aspiring artists the opportunity to cultivate an understanding of theatrical performance, practices, methodologies, artists, practitioners, and scholars. More precisely, graduate theatre programs further this notion by providing more rigorous, focused studies that assist students with understanding their chosen field of concentration and cultivating their skills as scholars, actors, directors, designers, and administrators. However, these advanced level opportunities are not present at any Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as graduate theatre programs only exist at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). For that reason, this dissertation, Perspective, Power, Potential: An Assessment Study of NAST-Accredited Historically Black College and University Theatre Programs, assesses the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) accredited HBCU theatre arts programs. Three fundamental research questions guide the study: 1) How do Historically Black Colleges and University and their theatre programs impact the development of African American students? 2) What factors have hindered the development of a graduate theatre program at your institution specifically and at HBCUs? 3) How would a graduate theatre program at a Historically Black College and University impact educational theatre, the theatre professional, and African American graduate students? With a primary focus on the NAST-accredited Black academic theatre programs, this qualitative, narrative study project examines the role of Black Colleges and Universities, their theatre programs’ impact on African American student success and development, and the potential influence of a Black college graduate theatre program on academic and professional theatre. Significantly, this study addresses not only Black educational theatre but also ways in which undergraduate and graduate theatre programs at Predominantly White Institutions can strengthen relations with students of color and better incorporate the lived experiences of communities of color in theatre curricula and programming. The study mainly addresses the above research questions by employing a qualitative research methodology and narrative interviews, concentrating on the knowledge and experiences presented by experienced HBCU theatre faculty from Grambling State University, Howard University, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, and Alabama State University. However, the study does use qualitative research obtained through the Higher Education Arts Data Services (HEADS) and University of Pennsylvania's Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSIs) as a means to supplement and further strengthen the understanding of HBCUs and contextualize the current landscape of theatre in higher education. Most significantly, this study examines the implications of the findings, how these discoveries can aid in the HBCU theatre stability and advancement, and the ways in which PWIs can better engage with faculty and students of color.