Stephanie Asabi Howard, Ph.D., chair of the North Carolina Central University (NCCU) Department of Theatre and Dance, initially pursued undergraduate degrees in psychology and theology but quickly fell in love with the performing arts through theatre internships and teaching theatre at summer camps in Greensboro.
“I knew from teaching theatre in the summer to younger students that I wanted to do something more complex, so obtaining master’s and doctoral degrees became my goal,” she said. “I wanted to teach at the higher education level.”
Asabi Howard also credits her mentors for inspiring her to pursue theatre. As a student, she interned with the North Carolina Black Repertory Company (NC Black Rep) in Winston-Salem, working with the International Black Theatre Festival (IBTF). One of her first assignments was with veteran Broadway performer Mabel Robinson.
Robinson, who served as the artistic director of NC Black Rep and IBTF producer at the time, was one of the earliest African American women to be featured on American network television in “Golden Boy” with Sammy Davis Jr. She made American theatre history as the first African American woman to have concurrently running Broadway shows, starring in “Your Arms Too Short to Box with God” while working as choreographer and assistant director in the Broadway revival of “Porgy & Bess.” Her movie credits include “The Wiz,” “Cotton Comes to Harlem,” “Stand Up and Be Counted” and “Funny Lady.”
“She was tough, but it was great training for the rest of my life, specifically for the artist I am and the educator I sought to be. Much of that came from being mentored by her,” Asabi Howard said.
In June, Asabi Howard’s career came full circle when she received the inaugural Mabel Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Artists Celebrating Excellence (ACE) Awards. This award recognizes her contributions to the theatre field, including the 2015 and 2017 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival directing awards, co-directing “Ain't Mis-Behavin” at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival in Scotland, and “Soul Rhythm: Sistah’s Voices” at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa. Additionally, Asabi Howard guided NCCU students to national recognition from the Kennedy Center for the “Bus Stop” production and performances at the IBTF.
“I have always wanted to be like Ms. Mabel, and I’ve incorporated a lot of the things she did and the way she did it into my teaching style. That is why this lifetime achievement award is so important to me,” she said.
The Mabel Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals who have made remarkable creative contributions with significant artistic impact on both individuals and the broader field of theatre and performing arts throughout their lifetimes. The ACE Awards, held annually in June, highlight the nation’s most deserving performing artists, directors, designers, and writers in theatre, film, dance and entertainment.
Robinson, now in her 80s, continues to call on Howard to assist with projects, noting, “artists never officially retire.”
“She established a new standard of excellence in the theatre field, and as her mentee, I couldn’t be in the midst of greatness and not produce great work,” Asabi Howard said.
What’s next for the lifetime achievement awardee?
“I want to continue to grow the theatre and dance department at NCCU by establishing more concentrations, bringing together HBCU theatre departments for a conference, expanding partnerships for students with notable theatre companies like the Negro Ensemble Company in New York, and putting more energy into writing plays,” she said.
She advises emerging artists to “see the worth in their craft and always appreciate the end result, recognize that there are a variety of jobs in the field and remember that your gift will always make room for you.”
