In recognition of the tradition of blending fine academic scholarship with hands-on training for its students, Five Towns College of Dix Hills has been awarded the 2008 Theatre Museum Award for Excellence in Theatre Arts Education. The award was presented on October 21 at Manhattan’s The Players Club, marking a milestone for the college’s theatre program.
The theatre division at Five Towns College offers innovative training in theatre, musical theatre and film to students pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Only 45 minutes away from Broadway, New York City’s theatre hub, students are encouraged to work and gain experience while they complete their coursework, which includes auditioning before graduation. “The students need to understand the craft itself,” Jared Hershkowitz, Division Chair of Theatre, said. In fact, faculty members in the Theatre department are all multi-degreed, working professionals who bring their first-hand field experience to the classroom.
The Five Towns College Theatre Division was developed to allow students to balance scholarship with artistry and performance. In order to learn the practical applications of their coursework, students are required to work four hours per week on crew in areas such as scenic instruction, set design, props and theatre management. “This is very different from what most colleges do,” Hershkowitz added, “We want [the students] to know as much as they can at the undergraduate level.”
The larger community of about 1,200 undergraduates and graduates at Five Towns College is made up of students specializing in the areas of music, mass communication, business, education, film and video, and audio recording, as well as theatre and the performing arts. The theatre division offers opportunities for majors and non-majors to gain experience on stage or behind the scenes. “We’re all working together,” Hershkowitz said. “It’s a really charming, delightful community.”
