Visitor's Guide

Theaters

Hofstra is home to six theaters, which are suited to the hundreds of diverse scholarly and cultural events and performances Hofstra hosts throughout the year. Click here for directions to all theaters. For ticket sales and venue information, visit the Box Office or call 516-463-6644.

Directions to Hofstra's Theaters

John Cranford Adams Playhouse

Hofstra alumnus Francis Ford Coppola directed his first production, a play called The Delicate Touch, on the stage of what is now known as the Toni and Martin Sosnoff Theater at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse. This 1,105-seat theater hosts many of Hofstra’s theatrical, musical, dance, and lecture events, and is rented for external productions, conferences, performing arts companies, lectures, school events, and church groups.

Joan & Donald Schaeffer Black Box Theater

The Department of Drama and Dance’s Joan & Donald Schaeffer Black Box Theater is located on the second floor of the Shapiro Family Hall. This space offers state-of-the-art technology in an intimate setting between the performer and the audience, with maximum seating of 300. Features include a customizable lighting grid and catwalk, as well as a seating plan that can change depending on the desire of the production staff.

The Helene Fortunoff Theater

Inside the Monroe Lecture Center, you will find The Helene Fortunoff Theater, which is home to many Hofstra Cultural Center lectures, readings and events and Music Department recitals and concerts. For information on the Cultural Center, call 516-463-5669 or visit hofstra.edu/culture. For more information on the Music Department, call 516-463-5490 or visit hofstra.edu/music.

Emily and Jerry Spiegel Theater

This 96-seat theater is designed to mimic an off-Broadway showcase house. It’s primarily used for departmental productions initiated by juniors and seniors who mount plays in which they act with or direct other undergraduates. These productions – often monologues – are student generated with modest production support from the department.

Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater

The seating capacity of the Guthart theater is 132. The Hofstra Cultural Center hosts lectures and panels in this space and on occasion musical performances and films. Examples include Great Writers, Great Readings; Issues in Judaism Lecture Series; Italian American Lecture Series; and keynote addresses for symposiums.

Student Center Theater

This space seats 334 people. It is used for small musical band performances, keynote or well-known speakers, panel discussions for events such as our Presidential Conferences, and its projection booth and screen make it perfect for showing films.

Directions to Hofstra's Theaters

For general directions to Hofstra University visit hofstra.edu/directions

  1. Travel on the Long Island Expressway to Exit 38; then onto the Northern State Parkway to exit 31A; then south on the Meadowbrook Parkway to Exit M4; and then west on Hempstead Turnpike (Route 24)

OR

  1. Travel on the Southern State Parkway to Exit 22; then north on the Meadowbrook Parkway to Exit M4; and then west on Hempstead Turnpike (Route 24)

THEN

  • JOHN CRANFORD ADAMS PLAYHOUSE:
     On Hempstead Turnpike, go under the second Unispan (walk-over) and make a U-turn at the next light. Go up 70 feet and take the first right onto the South Campus. Go past 2 stop signs. The building around the corner on the left is the John Cranford Adams Playhouse.
  • JOAN AND DONALD SCHAEFFER BLACK BOX THEATER:                                                           On Hempstead Turnpike, go under the second Unispan (walk-over) and make a U-turn at the next light. Go up 70 feet and take the first right onto the South Campus. Go past the 2nd stop sign. The building on the right is the Black Box Theater, located on the second floor.
  • THE HELENE FORTUNOFF THEATER AT MONROE LECTURE CENTER:
    On Hempstead Turnpike, turn left at the traffic light before the second Unispan (walk-over) onto California Ave. Go past the stop sign (building is the middle one on the left). Go past the three buildings and take the first available left. Drive to the back and park behind the building.
  • EMILY AND JERRY SPIEGEL THEATER:
    On Hempstead Turnpike, turn left at the traffic light before the second Unispan (walk-over) onto California Ave. Before the stop sign, make a right into the parking lot. Theater is the building on the right.
  • LEO A. GUTHART CULTURAL CENTER THEATER:
    The Guthart Cultural Center Theater is located on the first floor of the Axinn Library, the only 10-story building located on Hofstra's South Campus.

    Meadowbrook Parkway to exit M4 West (Hempstead Turnpike). Hofstra is less than a mile to the west. At the third traffic light from the Meadowbrook, turn right onto North Campus. At second stop sign, bear left and park. Walk into the Mack Student Center (building with bell tower) and continue straight ahead. Cross over the Unispan (walk-over) to the base of the Axinn Library. Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater is on the left.
  • LOWENFELD CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION HALL:
    The Lowenfeld Conference and Exhibition Hall is located on the 10th floor of the Axinn Library, the only 10-story building located on Hofstra's South Campus.

    Meadowbrook Parkway to exit M4 West (Hempstead Turnpike). Hofstra is less than a mile to the west. At the third traffic light from the Meadowbrook, turn right onto North Campus. At second stop sign, bear left and park. Walk into the Mack Student Center (building with bell tower) and continue straight ahead. Cross over the Unispan (walk-over) to the base of the Axinn Library. Main entrance to the library is on the right. Take the elevator to the 10th floor.
  • STUDENT CENTER THEATER, SONDRA AND DAVID S. MACK STUDENT CENTER, NORTH CAMPUS:
    On Hempstead Turnpike, turn right at traffic light before second Unispan (walk-over) onto North Campus. At second stop sign, bear left and park. Walk into the Mack Student Center (building with bell tower). Upon entering doors, make an immediate right and follow corridor to the Student Center Theater.

COMING FROM THE WEST ON HEMPSTEAD TURNPIKE

  • JOHN CRANFORD ADAMS PLAYHOUSE:
    Travel through the Village of Hempstead on Hempstead Turnpike. Go under the new bridge (walk-over) and pass the light (Oak Street). Go up 70 feet after the light and take the first right onto the South Campus. Go past 2 stop signs. The building around the corner on the left is the John Cranford Adams Playhouse.
  • JOAN AND DONALD SCHAEFFER BLACK BOX THEATER:  
    Travel through the Village of Hempstead on Hempstead Turnpike. Go under the new bridge (walk-over) and pass the light (Oak Street). Go up 70 feet and take the first right onto the South Campus. Go past the stop sign. The building on the right is the Black Box Theater, located on the second floor.
  • THE HELENE FORTUNOFF THEATRE AT MONROE LECTURE CENTER:
    Travel through the Village of Hempstead on Hempstead Turnpike. Go under the second Unispan (walk-over). At the next light, make a right onto California Ave. Go past the stop sign (building is the middle one on the left). Go past the three buildings and take the first available left. Drive to the back and park behind the building.
  • EMILY AND JERRY SPIEGEL THEATER:
    Travel through the Village of Hempstead on Hempstead Turnpike. Go under the second Unispan (walk-over). At the next light, make a right onto California Ave. Before the stop sign, make a right into the parking lot. Theater is the building on the right. 
  • LEO A. GUTHART CULTURAL CENTER THEATER:
    Travel through the Village of Hempstead on Hempstead Turnpike. Go under the second Unispan (walk-over). At the next light, make a left onto Hofstra’s North Campus. At second stop sign, bear left and park. Walk into the Mack Student Center (building with bell tower) and continue straight ahead. Cross the Unispan (walk-over) to the base of the Axinn Library. Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater is on the left.
  • LOWENFELD CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION HALL:
    The Lowenfeld Conference and Exhibition Hall is located on the 10th floor of the Axinn Library, the only 10-story building located on Hofstra's South Campus.
    Travel through the Village of Hempstead on Hempstead Turnpike. Go under the second Unispan (walk-over). At the next light, make a left onto Hofstra’s North Campus. At second stop sign, bear left and park. Walk into the Mack Student Center (building with bell tower) and continue straight ahead. Cross over Unispan (walk-over) to the base of the Axinn Library. Main entrance to the library is on the right. Take the elevator to the 10th floor.
  • STUDENT CENTER THEATER, SONDRA AND DAVID S. MACK STUDENT CENTER, NORTH CAMPUS:
    On Hempstead Turnpike, turn left at traffic light after Unispan (walk-over) onto North Campus. At second stop sign, bear left and park. Walk into the Mack Student Center (building with bell tower). Upon entering doors, make an immediate right and follow corridor to the Student Center Theater.

THERE ARE NO PARKING RESTRICTIONS EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS.