Vinnette Carroll

Vinnette Carroll was a pioneering theater director, playwright, and educator. She taught drama at the High School of Performing Arts (New York City Public Schools, 1955–1966) and founded the Urban Arts Corps (UAC) in 1967, a groundbreaking initiative to empower underserved Black and Puerto Rican youth through the arts. Educated at Long Island University (B.A., 1944), New York University (M.A.), and Columbia University (doctoral coursework in psychology), she transitioned from clinical psychology to the performing arts, becoming the first Black woman to direct on Broadway and earn Tony nominations.

Education:

• B.A., Long Island University (1944)
• M.A., New York University
• Columbia University doctoral psychology coursework (1948–1950)

Her work emphasized art as a tool for social justice, with UAC prioritizing performances in non-traditional spaces (streets, prisons, libraries) to affirm cultural identity. Plays like Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope (1972) and Your Arms Too Short to Box With God (1976) cemented her legacy, blending humor, spirituality, and racial pride.

Awards:

• Two Tony nominations (1977: Best Book/Directing for Your Arms Too Short to Box With God)
• 1973 Tony nomination (Best Directing for Don’t Bother Me...)

Advising & Grants: UAC, funded by the New York State Council on the Arts, trained youth and produced over 20 plays. Carroll’s vision integrated art with community uplift, influencing Black theater globally.

Labs/Teams: Urban Arts Corps (multiracial repertory company) and collaborations with figures like Micki Grant (composer) and Patti LaBelle.