With professors like Jeff Janisheski, who was head of acting at a world renowned drama school, and assistant professor in performance Alexandra Billings-Blankenship, of the Golden Globe winning show “Transparent,” it’s not hard to see why Cal State Long Beach has been recognized for its success in the theatre department.
CSULB has ranked ninth in the top 10 BA theater programs in the country according to “On Stage,” a theatre blog. The site explains how it compiled the list after months of research, based on tuition, curriculum, faculty and career support in order to help students who are interested in theatre decide on colleges.
“It’s no surprise that we were nominated to be in the top 10 of the country. I think we are an undiscovered gem,” said Janisheski, professor and chair of the the theatre arts department. “What makes us so great and so strong as a department is the breadth of what we do and the depth of what we do.”
Competing with other colleges across the nation, CSULB was the only school on the list from California and one of three from the West Coast.
“Our location is a big boost to why we’re so strong,” said Janisheski. “We are in Los Angeles county, not far from LA so we’re going to be attracting some of the top students who want to come to an affordable university and have an affordable education.”
According to Janisheski and Hugh O’Gorman, head of performance, one factor that makes the theatre program excel is the opportunities it gives students that they can’t get anywhere else. Undergraduate students are able to participate in “Theatre Threshold,” a student-run theater company, while being mentored by faculty. This allows students to get an early experience at choosing plays to run, as well as casting actors,managing and producing the plays.
“I think one of the reasons [the school ranked so high] is that we provide a lot of performance opportunities for our students,” said O’Gorman. “Like in any performance space, the more time you get in the field, the more experience you get. We train our students with very specific techniques that are used in the industry and they get to go use those techniques in their jobs.”
A ranking such as this can serve as a proud reminder for faculty and staff who have dedicated their lives to the department, and a moment of reassurance for students wondering if the school they’ve chosen will lead to jobs in their careers.
“It’s a confirmation for them that the path that they’re on here and the school that they’re at is one that is recognized and that across the country, a lot of people know how strong our work is,” said Janisheski.
O’Gorman calls the classification praise for the department and its students.
“The ranking is just an acknowledgement for everyone,” he said. “It’s a feel good moment and it validates the work that they have been doing.”
However, Janisheski also reminds his students and faculty that they can’t rely on recognition and praise in this tough industry.
“I’m elated that we have this recognition and also, I’m neither moved nor changed by this. I keep digging and doing the work and trying to make our school department the best it can be,” he said. “It’s nice to get awards but at the end of the day, they don’t change anything. You still have to dig in everyday, strive to be the best, improve oneself, improve the program and commit yourself to a career that is one of the most rewarding in the world.”