Hofstra University

Hofstra University’s Theatre program, housed within the Department of Drama and Dance, blends a rigorous liberal‑arts foundation with hands‑on technical and performance training. First‑year students in both BA and BFA tracks take core courses such as Introduction to the Theater, Play Analysis, Technical Production, and Acting or Design Fundamentals. This ensures a broad understanding of theatre within a wider academic context including composition, sciences, and social sciences.

After their first year, students choose between a BA in Drama or apply for a more specialized BFA in Performance or Production. BFA performance candidates audition in their sophomore year and receive intensive training in voice, movement, acting for stage and camera, and present a showcase in New York City for industry professionals. Production BFAs—focused on design, directing, stage management, or technical direction—craft portfolios for spring review and engage deeply in mainstage and student productions.

The program leverages Hofstra’s proximity to New York City, offering exceptional experiential learning through internships, guest artists, and exposure to Broadway and Off‑Broadway worlds. Annually, students participate in six plays, two dance concerts, a Shakespeare Festival, large‑scale musicals, and student productions, fostering a robust, performance‑rich environment.

Facilities include the expansive 1,105‑seat John Cranford Adams Playhouse, the flexible Black Box Theater (up to 300 seats), the intimate 96‑seat Spiegel Theater, and lecture theaters that support diverse theatrical and academic events. These venues serve both curricular and community functions, offering students professional-grade stage experiences in real-world settings.

The faculty‑driven mission emphasizes creative collaboration, reflection, and ethical engagement. The program is nationally recognized—ranked among top acting schools in New York—and prides itself on preparing students for careers in acting, directing, design, film, television, and arts administration. Alumni find success on stage and screen, leveraging a training that balances performance excellence with academic breadth and professional readiness.