Hello Beautiful People,
Our newest series has been in the works for quite some time now, and I’m elated that the time has finally come to introduce to our SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT Series! The SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT Series will profile different high schools, parochial schools, colleges, and universities that have a growing arts programs (theatre, dance, music, visual arts, and arts education training programs.)
First up, well, it’s my alma mater – Binghamton University.
Binghamton University is not known for its theatre program – it is thrust into the educational spotlight as a research university, (and it is home to brilliant researchers.) BUT, the education programming that once can receive in the arts at SUNY Bing, is somewhat of a well-kept secret.
It’s been almost a decade since I left Johnson City, and I can safely say that, even till this day, I pull from the wealth of knowledge that my time in the theatre department gave me.
T H E N U T S & B O L T S O F T H E B.A. D E G R E E 
Don’t be fooled by the BA title kids. Or that it’s a SUNY school. In order to obtain a BA in theatre from Binghamton University, you’re going to have to put in a tremendous amount of work. There are more course and time requirements for succesful completion of this degree than in many other majors, (44 credit hours in theatre curriculum + 12 liberal arts courses)
T H E F A N C Y W E B S I T E T E X T:
The Binghamton University Theatre Department offers courses and practical experience to undergraduate students in many areas of theatre and performance studies. Majors concentrate in one of the following three areas: Acting/Directing, Dance, or Design and Technical Theatre. The department also offers instruction in theatre history, criticism, dramatic literature and performance theory. Binghamton University offers a combined Theatre BA/MPA degree program, more information here.
Theatre majors take a minimum of 44 credit hours from the theatre curriculum and an additional 12 credit hours of specified liberal arts courses. The theatre major includes a core curriculum of six courses to introduce beginning students to the theatre.
T H E A T E R M A J O R C O R E C O U R S E S:
Technical Production
Theatre History
Theory and Criticism of Drama
Performance and Modern Culture
and one of the following:
Actor Training
Ballet I
Beginning African Dance
Jazz I
Modern I
In addition, students must take an upper level design or technology course to be chosen from:
Stage Lighting I
Costume Technology
Sound
Theatre Production Technology
Stage Design Workshop
The remaining credits come from hands-on experiences (practica) in the shops, on stage and backstage, and from the emphasis that you chose, (ACTING/DIRECTING, DANCE, DESIGN/TECHNICAL)
Here’s what’s not in the course catalog…
An in-depth look at the professors. For these folks, well, they may be artists, but they’re also true teachers at the core. The complete, brilliant, beautiful attention that you get from these leaders who are guiding you through the rocky terrain of discovering what it means to be an artist is something that will stick with you for a lifetime.
While they’re all great in their own individual ways – there are certain professors who will forever be stuck with me, Tom Kremer, and Don Boros.
Tom was my Meisner professor. AND I HATED THE CLASS AT FIRST. I used to go home and cry to my parents about how hard it was. How I wanted to quit. How it was just sheer torture and I couldn’t get it and I didn’t want to get it and it was just…terrible.
Tom knew that it was difficult, and encouraged us not to give up. Something in his words kept me coming back – and I stuck with it.
It ended up being one of my favorite classes, and favorite techniques, one that I teach, and use when I am directing. It ended up being the class where I met one of my very best friends, Helen, and our friendship has continued long after we left Binghamton.
While I was at Binghamton, Tom directed a production of A Raisin in the Sun – and he allowed me to the assistant Stage Manager, and experience I will always treasure. Working on that show taught me more about storytelling, collaboration, ensemble, than any textbook.
Part of the BA in Theatre at Binghamton University requires students to take a course in Theatre History. When I was there, it was taught by Dr. Don Boros. It was always in the morning, somewhere around 8:30am – a horrifying thought for us theatre folks.
It was hard.
Like, really hard.
And early, (I am not, nor will I ever be, a morning person.)
But Professor Boros was one of the most energetic and engaging professors I have ever had – it was impossible to doze off, for his energy and passion for theatre history was palpable. Infectious. He demanded a great deal from his students, always setting the bar high but never out of reach – a philosophy I have adopted in my own teachings.
When perusing the Binghamton University website, I saw that Professor Boros is now Associate Professor Emeritus. And while it’s disappointing that future students of the program will not get to experience his teachings, I hope Professor Boros is enjoying retirement.
I have no doubt that the department added exceptional people to fill his role.
More information can be found about Binghamton’s Theatre Program, and Harpur College of Arts and Sciences here.
Do you have a recommendation for the SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT Series? Tweet me your suggestions @MeganMinutillo, or email me at megan@thewriteteachers.com.
Till next time!
Live, Love, Learn,