The John Cranford Adams Playhouse was constructed with the Globe Theatre in mind and is capable of holding a scale model of The Globe Theatre’s stage. Hofstra’s Shakespeare Festival started in 1950 and bring a different Shakespeare play to life each year.
Hofstra’s music, drama, and dance departments holds numerous performances in the playhouse, including concerts by the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble, the Symphony Orchestra, and the annual fully staged opera put on by the Hofstra Opera Theatre. Hofstra is the only university on Long Island to put on a fully staged production of an opera.
The playhouse holds 1100 people in its audience, 800 in the orchestra seats and 300 in the mezzanine balcony.
Some of the biggest music acts have performed in concerts put on just for Hofstra students, all taking place in the playhouse. These acts include The Gym Class Heroes, Maroon 5, Say Anything, and The Roots.
ABOUT THE BUILDING
John Cranford Adams Playhouse is 40,504 square feet and houses a complete stage with its own box office as well as offices for the drama and dance departments. The structure was designed by Aymar Embury who also did the early alterations in 1961-1963. In 1974 the building was dedicated to Hofstra President John Cranford Adams.