Dr. Evelyn Collins
Director in Detroit & New York
Dr. Evelyn Collins
Founder & Executive Director, Onyx Center for the Arts
Dr. Evelyn Collins is an award-winning theatre director, producer, arts educator, author, and cultural leader whose career has been dedicated to advancing Black theatre, cultivating emerging artists, and building transformative arts institutions. A Detroit native who spent more than three decades shaping the artistic landscape of New York City before returning home, she has become a powerful bridge connecting the rich cultural legacies of Detroit and New York.
Over the course of her distinguished career, Dr. Collins has directed more than 70 theatrical productions spanning classical drama, contemporary works, Broadway musicals, opera, and original productions. Her directing credits include collaborations with professional theatres, universities, arts organizations, and public schools, earning widespread recognition for artistic excellence and educational innovation.
She is the founder of the Onyx Center for the Arts, a visionary multidisciplinary arts organization dedicated to producing professional theatre, music, dance, film, literary arts, and visual arts while preparing the next generation of artists through education, mentorship, artist residencies, and community engagement. The Center serves as a permanent cultural bridge between Detroit and New York City, celebrating the historic migration of Black artists while creating new opportunities for today’s creative voices.
Dr. Collins is also the founder of the nationally recognized Denzel Washington School of the Arts, where her innovative leadership established one of New York’s premier public arts schools. Under her direction, students achieved exceptional academic and artistic success while studying with distinguished artists from Broadway, television, film, dance, music, and the visual arts.