Fordham University has tapped award-winning playwright Dominique Morisseau, one of the most influential voices in contemporary American theatre and writer of the Broadway hit Ain’t Too Proud, to serve as the Denzel Washington Chair in Theatre this fall.
“It is our great honor to welcome Dominique as the Denzel Washington Chair. Our community is deeply fortunate to be inspired by her artistry, wisdom, and distinguished playwriting career,” said Fadi Skeiker, Ph.D., chair of the theatre and visual arts department.
The award-winning artist said she’s excited to begin working with Fordham Theatre students.
“I am looking forward to learning how my work and experience can be of service to the architects of the future of the arts in our world,” Morisseau said.
The endowed chair was established in 2011 by acclaimed actor and 1977 Fordham grad Denzel Washington to connect students with leading professionals in the performing arts. Each fall semester, the chairholder teaches and collaborates with students on performances and productions. Past chairs include Golden Globe winner Regina Taylor, Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon, MacArthur “genius” set designer Mimi Lien, and most recently, Tony Award-winning actor Tonya Pinkins.
“Dominique is an incomparable force in American theatre—not only for her visionary work, but for her radical care for community and her passion for justice. Her presence will be transformational for our program and for Fordham University as a whole,” said May Adrales, director of the Fordham Theatre Program.
Morisseau, the 13th artist to hold the chair, is widely recognized for shaping a new era of American drama. A 2018 MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, she is the Tony-nominated book writer of the Broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations. She is also the author of The Detroit Project, a three-play cycle that includes Detroit ’67, Paradise Blue, and Skeleton Crew, which was nominated for the 2022 Tony Award for Best Play. She is the recipient of a Ford Foundation Art of Change fellowship, and her body of work has garnered numerous honors, including two Obie Awards, the Steinberg Playwright Award, the Wyndham Campbell Prize, the Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama, and multiple NAACP Image Awards.
Her impact extends beyond the stage; she has written and produced for film and television, including Showtime’s Shameless, with additional projects currently in development at major studios. A sought-after speaker and educator, she consistently brings a social justice lens to her work, exploring themes of labor, race, family, and resilience.
This fall, Morisseau will immerse herself in the life of the Fordham Theatre program—attending student performances, leading workshops, and fostering dialogue around the power of storytelling.
Highlights include her Oct. 15 talk, “Art as Righteous Indignation,” at 5:30 p.m. in Pope Auditorium, and a November intensive playwriting workshop, where she will guide students in creating bold, character-driven work that reflects their voices and grapples with the pressing questions of our time. Both events will be open to the entire Fordham community.
