HCCC ‘Teacher as Artist: The Art of Collecting’ Exhibition Pays Homage to Playbill® and to One Man’s Life in the Theatre

January 31, 2020

January 31, 2020, Jersey City, NJ – Playbill® acquaints theatre audiences with the actors, designers, and producers of productions before the curtains rise. The Hudson County Community College (HCCC) Department of Cultural Affairs invites the community to explore and enjoy the 250-issue Playbill collection of Assistant Professor Joseph Gallo in the “Teacher as Artist: The Art of Collecting” exhibition, opening Tuesday, February 4, 2020.

The exhibition, which has been curated by HCCC Department of Cultural Affairs Director Michelle Vitale, may be viewed in the College’s Benjamin J. Dineen, III and Dennis C. Hull Gallery on the sixth floor of the Gabert Library at 71 Sip Avenue in Jersey City. A selection of Playbills for productions of August Wilson plays will be also displayed at the HCCC North Hudson Campus Library, 4800 Kennedy Boulevard in Union City, NJ. There is no charge for admission.

 

Joseph Gallo

 

The collection represents Broadway and Off-Broadway shows that Professor Gallo has attended, including 122 alone from Lincoln Center Theater, and a Playbill from his own play My Italy Story. The compilation exemplifies his base of knowledge and appreciation for the theatre, with each Playbill® signifying a unique theatre experience.

Joseph Gallo is a tenured Assistant Professor at Hudson County Community College, where he founded and developed the College’s Theatre Arts program, and serves as Coordinator of Theatre & Film. Since the program’s inception in 2012, more than 1,200 students have taken field trips to see plays, musicals and dance productions on Broadway, off-Broadway, and in Hoboken.

A recipient of the Kennedy Center Prize for Innovative Teaching in Theatre, Professor Gallo received his Master of Fine Arts degree in Playwriting from Ohio University. He works professionally as an actor, producer, director, and playwright-in-residence at Mile Square Theatre in Hoboken.

Professor Gallo will conduct a special guided tour of the collection on Monday, February 24, 2020 at 2 p.m. in the Dineen Hull Gallery. A reception with light refreshments will be held on Friday, March 6, 2020 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Dineen Hull Gallery Atrium.

The HCCC Department of Cultural Affairs welcomes Hudson County community members, organizations, businesses, and school groups to enjoy special programs at the College. Groups of 6 to 30 visitors are invited to a FREE 45-minute tour of the current exhibition in the Dineen Hull Gallery. Tours may be scheduled by contacting Director Michelle Vitale at mvitale@hccc.com or 201-360-4182.

The HCCC Dineen Hull Gallery is open Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Additional information on offerings is available at Cultural Affairs.