The Monan Professorship in Theatre Arts

The Rev. J. Donald Monan, S.J. Professorship in Theatre Arts is a endowed professorship that brings regionally and nationally renowned theatre artists to work and teach at Boston College on an annual basis

Established in 2007 by a generous gift to the university, this distinguished position is named in honor of University Chancellor and former Boston College President J. Donald Monan, S.J. The position also commemorates the late Trustee E. Paul Robsham, M.Ed. ’83, a major benefactor of the theater arts facility named for his son, the E. Paul Robsham Jr. Theater Arts Center.

The creation of this Professorship celebrates in perpetuity the longstanding relationship between Father Monan, the Robsham family, and the Boston College Theatre department.

 

Previous Monan Professors


Bryce Pinkham

Bryce Pinkham

An American stage and screen actor, Bryce is most widely known for originating the role of Monty Navarro in the Tony-winning production of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, for which he was nominated for Tony, Grammy, and Drama Desk awards.  He also notably appeared in the Broadway revival of The Heidi Chronicles as Peter Patrone, for which he was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award and a Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance.  His other Broadway credits include original roles in Holiday InnThe Great Society, Ghost, and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and the upcoming Ohio State Murders with Audra McDonald.

Bryce's on-screen appearances include as a series regular on the Civil War drama Mercy Street, guest appearances in HBO's Julia, Baz Lurman's Netflix series The Get Down, and Robert DeNiro's feature film The Comedian, as well as The Good Wife (CBS), Proven Innocent (FOX) Person of Interest (CBS), Blindspot (NBC) The Blacklist (NBC). 

As a singer Bryce has performed in concert venues across the country, most notably Carnegie Hall, The Chicago Lyric Opera, Lincoln Center, and The Library of Congress.   

As a writer, Bryce has published articles in American Theater Magazine and Yale Alumni Magazine.

  In 2012 Bryce helped found Zara Aina, a not-for-profit that uses the power of theatrical storytelling to empower under-resourced youth. In May 2013, Bryce led a team of American artists on Zara Aina’s pilot program to Madagascar.  Bryce is also a frequent collaborator with Outside the Wire, a social impact theater company that serves many communities but particularly focuses on military audiences. His most notable international tours include Guantanamo Bay, Japan, Kuwait, and Qatar.  

A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, Bryce was awarded the Leonore Annenberg Foundation Early Career Fellowship in 2012. 

In 2023 Bryce will serve as the Monan visiting professor at Boston College.

Bryce holds a BA from Boston College and an MFA in Acting and bio-writing from the Yale School of Drama.