A Brief History

For more than 35 years, former Executive Producer Al "Tank" Passuello was the driving force behind scores of Hofstra theatrical presentations. A member of Hofstra University's Class of '63, Al's nickname derives from his days as center and defensive tackle for Hofstra's football team – a time when his glory on the field was matched by his outstanding performances on the Hofstra stage in productions that ranged from musical comedy to Shakespeare.

After graduation, Tank maintained his strong association with Hofstra theater through his alumni activities. Most notably, he helped found The Gray Wig, Hofstra's Alumni Repertory Theater Company. In 1966, Tank along with Ed Dennehy, class of '68, encouraged Hofstra graduates to join forces with Hofstra students and create a new theater company which, at the time, was unnamed. As co-owner of Bill's Meadowbrook Inn, a popular local pub at that time, Tank provided a basement space for Waiting for Godot, the first production by the tiny theater group that has grown into the enormously successful resident theater company you see today.

Hofstra USA Productions came into existence in 1991, taking its name from a new space on campus, appropriately named Hofstra USA. The name remains, but since then the company has expanded to include co-productions with the Hofstra Cultural Center and various academic departments, and currently makes use of all theater facilities on campus.

Past productions include: The Boys in the Band, Breaker Morant (premiere), Cabaret, Driving Miss Daisy (starring Broadway veteran Joan Roberts – the original Laurey in Oklahoma!), Mystery of Irma Vep (written by Hofstra alumnus Charles Ludlam), 1776, Educating Rita, The Elephant Man, A Salute To Tony, Endgame, Finian's Rainbow, I Hate Hamlet, Me and Jezebel, Barrymore (Long Island premiere), Man of LaMancha, Deathtrap, Master Class (Long Island premiere starring Tony Award nominee and Hofstra alumna Lorraine Serabian), Big River, Of Mice and Men, Never Too Late (directed and starring legendary entertainer Eddie Bracken), The Most Happy Fella, Prelude to a Kiss, The Price, Fiddler on the Roof, The Sound of Music, Sylvia, The Tenth Man, The Front Page, La Cage Aux Folles, I Do!, I Do!, and the world premiere of the original musicals, The Witch of Wall Street and Fair Liberty's Call.

In late 2003, Al Tank Passuello retired from his position as executive director of Hofstra USA Productions, handing over the reigns to director, actor, producer, and Hofstra alumnus, Bob Spiotto. Under this new direction, Hofstra USA Productions proudly celebrated its 39th year in the summer of 2005, and featured the world premiere of Lo Bianco's La Guardia starring Tony Lo Bianco, Annie Get Your Gun, and the East Coast premiere of The Cat's Meow by Steve Peros. The summer of 2006 included productions of Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh!, Grease, and Amadeus, in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

And now, for 2007, we proudly announce the new name of the company, Hofstra Entertainment. This broader scope will allow for the continuation of presentations that both educate and entertain.

So, on with the shows!