Farmingdale High School's Theatre 2 class had a fantastic experience participating in the Hofstra Shakespeare Festival. The festival allowed the students to showcase their acting abilities on Hofstra's replica Globe stage. Apart from performing, the students attended Shakespearean voice and improv workshops and viewed a condensed version of Hamlet called "The Play is the Thing." The event's highlight was the award ceremony, where Junior Maddy Jimenez and Sophomore Olivia Renyak received the best performer awards for their outstanding portrayal of Katherine and Baptista, respectively. The students were thrilled when Senior L. Libretto won the best costume design award. The chairperson commended the design as one of the best student designs he had seen in ten years of competition. These winners will be awarded a scholarship to Hofstra.
On Friday, November 3rd, theatre program students attended Stage the Change's 10th Anniversary conference, dedicated to Farmingdale Arts students following the tragic bus accident earlier this year. The meeting allowed all students to participate in arts and social awareness-based workshops and hear from Tony Award-winning performer Ali Stroker. The event was a success, and senior Angelina Pascutto even had the chance to feature in a scene on the Tilles Center Stage with three students from other districts. Farmingdale has been involved with Stage the Change since its inception, and the students were pleased to be a part of its 10th-anniversary celebration.
Farmingdale High School teacher Glen Beck is so proud of all his students and is grateful for the opportunity to have them perform at such prestigious events. "Theater is not just about performing on stage, but it is also about building confidence, developing creativity, and fostering a sense of community among students." He encourages his students to take risks, explore their emotions, and collaborate to create something extraordinary.