Douglas Turner Ward


Douglas Turner Ward is an American playwright, actor, director, and theatrical producer best known as a founder and artistic director of the Negro Ensemble Company.

Personal life

His birth name was, Roosevelt Ward Jr., and he was born in Burnside, Louisiana. His mother was Dorothy Ward and his father was Roosevelt Ward.
Ward is married to Diana Powell Ward. They have a daughter, Elizabeth Ward.

Career

As an actor, Turner made his Broadway debut in a small role in A Raisin in the Sun. His first significant artistic achievement would be as a playwright, however. Happy Ending/Day of Absence, a program of two one-act plays, premiered at the St. Mark's Playhouse in Manhattan on November 15, 1965, and ran for 504 performances. Ward received a Drama Desk Award for his playwrighting.
In 1967, he was one of the founders of the Negro Ensemble Company and served for many years as its artistic director.

Selected credits

Theatre

Directing

Writing

Acting

Awards and nominations