Listening Before Leading: Omiyẹmi (Artisia) Green Begins a New Chapter for Howard Theatre Arts

By Chad Eric Smith, Director of Marketing and Communications, Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts

Header Image: Donning of the Kente Processional & Libation, William & Mary, Spring 2026. © Christina Hill, Pull Focus Photography

Before discussing curriculum, productions, or strategic priorities, Omiyẹmi (Artisia) Green keeps returning to one idea: listening.

The newly appointed chair of Howard University's Department of Theatre Arts says her first responsibility is not to reshape one of the nation's most storied theatre programs, but to understand it—to learn from the faculty, students, and traditions that have made Howard a destination for generations of artists, scholars, and cultural leaders.

"My vision is our vision," Green said. "The role of the chair is to serve the department."

That philosophy will guide her first year as chair following sixteen years at William & Mary, where she served as Professor of Theatre and Africana Studies. Recognized for her excellence in teaching and scholarship, Green most recently held the distinction of University Professor and was awarded the William R. Kenan, Jr. Endowed Professorship immediately before accepting Howard's call.

 

For Green, however, the journey to Howard began long before she stepped into a classroom as a professor.

Born in Michigan and raised in a military family, her childhood took her across continents and cultures. She lived in Virginia, spent four formative years in England, returned to the United States through New Mexico, and eventually settled back in Virginia. Those experiences cultivated a deep appreciation for people, perspectives, and cultural traditions that continues to shape both her artistry and her leadership.

While living in England, Green attended her first theatrical performance in London's West End.

"It all started from Oliver in England," she recalled.

The experience sparked an early fascination with live theatre, but it would take several more years before she discovered her calling. As an undergraduate at William & Mary, she enrolled in a course on African American theatre and performance that transformed a childhood interest into a lifelong vocation.

 

Theatre, she realized, could be more than entertainment. It could preserve history, challenge assumptions, build community, and deepen our understanding of one another. That realization launched a career spanning scholarship, directing, teaching, and academic leadership—one that has now brought her to Howard University.

Now, she arrives at Howard with an approach rooted not in sweeping change, but in stewardship.

"I don't want to come in with a vision that does not emanate from the collective," she said. "I'm coming into the community."

Rather than introducing a predetermined agenda, Green plans to spend her first months conducting listening sessions with faculty and students, learning the department's strengths, traditions, aspirations, and opportunities before working collaboratively to shape a shared vision for the future.

 

Her leadership philosophy has been informed by years of serving under multiple department chairs and experiencing leadership transitions firsthand. Those experiences reinforced the importance of understanding an institution's culture before attempting to shape it. She views listening not as hesitation, but as an essential leadership practice—one that builds trust, honors institutional knowledge, and creates the conditions for meaningful and lasting progress.

Any chair worth their salt is going to craft a vision that comes from the collective body.

While listening will shape her leadership, Green's priorities are already becoming clear.

She hopes to build upon the Department's extraordinary legacy while advancing a twenty-first-century curriculum that prepares students for an evolving profession. She also envisions a department where faculty receive meaningful mentorship, opportunities for professional growth, and the support they need throughout every stage of their academic careers.

Equally important is strengthening the systems that allow creative communities to flourish. Green believes transparent communication, clearly defined policies, and shared governance create the trust necessary for collaboration and innovation. By strengthening those foundations, she hopes the Department can devote even greater energy to artistic excellence, groundbreaking scholarship, and student success.

Those priorities closely align with the broader mission of the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts: preparing artists, scholars, and cultural leaders whose work shapes communities and expands the possibilities of artistic expression.

Beyond the classroom and rehearsal hall, Green continues to nurture her own creativity. She enjoys creating handmade jewelry through beadwork, taking Afro-Cuban folkloric dance classes, and exploring cuisines from around the world—interests that reflect the same curiosity, creativity, and appreciation for culture that characterize both her artistic practice and her leadership.

 

As Howard Theatre Arts begins a new academic year, Green approaches her role with humility, curiosity, and a profound respect for the Department's remarkable history. Rather than defining success by the imprint she alone leaves behind, she hopes to help faculty and students build upon a legacy that has been generations in the making.

 

For Green, Howard's legacy is not simply something to celebrate—it is something to steward. Every student who walks into the Department of Theatre Arts inherits an extraordinary artistic tradition, and every faculty member shares the responsibility of preparing that next generation to carry it forward.

That work, she believes, begins the same way every meaningful production begins: by listening carefully before the story unfolds.