The Madison Theatre tunes up

Long Island’s south shore has a new cultural arts destination. It’s the just-completed state-of-the-art Madison Theatre, located on the campus of Molloy College in Rockville Centre.

The centerpiece of the college’s new Public Square building – now home to the Molloy College Art Gallery along with the student center, gathering spaces, meeting rooms, and offices – the Madison Theatre signifies Molloy College’s emergence as a vibrant artistic center for the region.

“The Public Square is a place where the community will come to interact,” said Molloy College President Dr. Drew Bogner. “The theatre has been designed along that concept.”

The theatre will serve a dual mission as a both a teaching space and as an entertainment venue for the community. “The arts are a powerful tool to communicate and share our humanity,” Dr. Bogner explained. “We wanted a place to do just that as we strive to be an incubator for creative development for the artistic community while educating and inspiring young performers, writers and technicians for careers within the entertainment industry.”

The 550-seat facility has been constructed to be multi-functional. It was created using the talents of leading designers in theatrical lighting, sound and projection to give it a multi-media capability that will amplify artistic expression. “We intend to make this a destination place for the artistic community and our local and Long Island communities,” said Angelo Fraboni, the theatre’s artistic director.

“Versatility is very important to us,” he told the Herald during a pre-opening tour of the theatre. “We want to be able to be innovative, to present the classics in a modern way, along with cutting edge performances. Everything we do will enhance the college’s visibility. We want people to see Molloy differently – that it is much more than just a nursing college.”