It is no secret that Fordham Lincoln Center has seen much talent grace its stages. From May 4-5, the Fordham Theatre program will host its annual Senior Showcase to reflect on the work of some of this year’s graduating actors. The show will take place on both dates at 6 p.m. in Pope Auditorium.

The 2015 Senior Showcase is an annual event headed by Fordham Theatre. This year’s show will consist of 17 students who will discuss their plans post graduation, as well as give an in-depth look into the students’ time at Fordham and how it has prepared them for a career acting beyond the university.

Tommy Dorfman, FCLC ’15, is one of this year’s students who will be featured in the Senior Showcase. Graduating with a BA in acting, Dorfman has already achieved much success with roles in multiple short films such as “In My Skin” (2013), directed by Alejandro Rodriguez, and “Foreign Exchange” (2009), directed by Ken Feinberg. When asked to reflect on his experiences at FCLC, Dorfman stated that studying acting at Fordham has prepared him through “great training and support for individual as well as group success.”
The theater program, through its rigorous training process and handson learning experience, has enabled students such as Dorfman to have experiences that will last a lifetime. What is Dorfman’s most memorable experience as an acting student at FCLC? “[It] would have to be having Phylicia Rashād as a guest in my acting class last semester with Kenny Leon. She’s full of wisdom and had such great direction for us, and I’m eternally grateful for that opportunity,” he said. Dorfman plans on producing a web series post-graduation, as well as auditioning for actor work.

Another student who will be a part of this year’s Senior Showcase is Emily Thornton, FCLC ’15. During her time as a student in the playwriting program at FCLC, Thornton has been involved in numerous productions. She has taken the role of director in various Fordham shows, and has acted in outside shows by prestigious companies such as the Looking Glass Theatre Company.

In terms of post-graduation plans, Thornton is keeping busy with numerous projects. “I will be traveling to London with my old high school to meet up with their theater trip. I will then be headed to Portage, Wis. to teach at Zona Gale Youth Theatre. I will be teaching two classes. One is entitled ‘Performance
into Meaning,’ which I will be coteaching with nationally renowned theatre artist Xan Johnson. I will also be teaching a movement and vocal technique using my Fordham training with Grace Zandarski, Dawn Saito and Andrea Haring.” she said.

Thornton also noted that her time as part of the theater program has been a wonderful experience, much in part because of the guidance she has received from her professors and mentors during her time here.
“What I want to do in my life is work with teenagers who are incarcerated and in rehabilitation programs. I want to teach them theater [and] do plays with them. I want to show these kids that there are outlets other than drugs, crime and violence. My ultimate goal is to open an alternative therapy halfway house, employing art therapists of all subcategories. My professors and mentors in the theater program and beyond have been so supportive and helpful in helping me craft this career path,” Thornton said. “As a department, we have open and frank discussions about issues that come up in the world around us. We are constantly encouraged and taught to use our art to change things [to] shake things up. As far as my technical training goes, I will be able to use everything I’ve learned to teach the teens I will come to work with. I also plan to continue performing as much as possible; I feel prepared to conquer the real world.”

Although graduation is sure to be a pivotal moment in the lives of those who are leaving, the preparation and guidance that seniors such as Dorfman and Thornton have received has prepared them for the real world, and more importantly, for their careers in the arts.