YOUR GUIDE TO THE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING Madison Theatre at Molloy University serves double duty

BY ANNABEL HOFMANN

The Madison Theatre at Molloy University provides an important combination of high-quality entertainment along with a hands-on learning experience for fine arts students at the school.

The theater was started in 2011 “to bring in arts and education to the community as well as the students and on the campus,” said Kathleen Marino, general manager of The Madison Theatre. “And since then we’ve tried to bring a variety of acts to the campus and the South Shore of Long Island.”

Because of the theater’s affiliation with the university, students get insider access to the shows and acts that come to perform.

“We are able to spotlight the Molloy students, and we get to give them a capacity where they can work with Broadway professionals while they’re going through school,” she said.

“Their goal is to be on Broadway, so we get to help them get there.”

The theater’s artistic director, Angelo Fraboni, has been there since The Madison’s founding. Before coming to Molloy, he had an illustrious Broadway career himself, including playing every male cat in the famous musical “Cats.”

“He actually is one of my favorite parts of working here because he makes the world a very small place,” Marino said. “He knows everybody.”

These connections enable The Madison Theatre to host names that wouldn’t be possible without Fraboni.

“It’s really cool because his friends come to play here,” she said. “He brings big, huge Broadway names all the time, and that’s great because it gives the local community a chance to see all these big names like Kelli O’Hara, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Judy Kuhn.”

His extensive experience and countless connections are invaluable to the theater students at Molloy.

“He knows everything about theater. It’s incredible. His breadth of knowledge on theater is indescribable,” Marino said. “[Fraboni] interacts with the students all the time. He’s great. He’s definitely a mentor for a lot of students.”

The Madison Theatre at Molloy University puts on a variety of profes- sional and student plays, musicals, dances, concerts, comedy and more.

“What we try to bring is like a lot of different cultures’ shows here,” she said. “Every year we try to do something that is definitely a different demographic to bring new people here – to bring everyone’s culture here.”

This variety includes Asian acrobatics, Cuban music, flamenco dancing and more.

“We try to appeal to everyone,” Marino said.

One upcoming show she is particularly excited about is called “Coco in Concert,” which will be on Oct. 6.

“It’s the movie ‘Coco,’ and there’s going to be a be a live flamenco band here,” she said. “They’re going play the score of the movie while the movie plays – so the whole movie will play, but it’s going to be to live music, and I think that’s going to be really cool.”

Because of the venue’s smaller size, with just a 575-seating capacity, each show feels more intimate and personal. Marino also emphasized that you do not need to go to Manhattan to experience excellent entertainment.

“I think the best thing about [the theater] is we’re bringing really highclass, high-quality entertainment for a fraction of the cost, for everyone to see,” she said.

The theater, located at 1000 Hempstead Ave. in Rockville Centre, runs shows beginning in January and carrying on through the middle of May. More information about the venue and ticket availability can be found online at madisontheatreny.org

The unconditional love and undying patience moms exhibit as they raise their children is worthy of more than just a single day of appreciation in May. Moms do a lot for their families, and though that's something to celebrate every day, Mother's Day merits upping the ante in regard to showing Mom how much she's loved and appreciated.

This year, families can work together to ensure this Mother's Day is a day for Mom to relax and bask in all the extra attention she deserves.

· Serve breakfast in bed. Mom might be on breakfast detail on hectic weekday mornings, but Mother's Day marks the perfect time for spouses and kids to take over those responsibilities. This year, keep the cereal in the pantry and go the extra mile by preparing a homemade breakfast and serving it to Mom in bed. Present the meal with a small bouquet of flowers and some reading material and then let Mom eat in peace and quiet if she so prefers.

· Turn the en suite into a spa. Nothing complements a relaxing breakfast in bed better than a subsequent dip in Mom's own private spa. Transform the en suite or another bathroom into Mom's personal soaking space. Clean the bathtub, light some candles around the tub and bathroom, turn on some relaxing music, dim the lights, and then invite Mom in to soak in a freshly drawn hot bubble bath.

· Keep Mom out of the kitchen. Keep the relaxing vibe going by making sure Mom doesn't have to lift a finger in the kitchen. Make sure all the dishes are washed before Mom comes downstairs for the day and let her know you've already ordered lunch from a local restaurant. Even if Mom loves to cook, a day off from kitchen detail can make Mother's Day that much more relaxing.

· Book some time in the great outdoors. If the weather allows, visit a nearby park as a family and go for a walk. Nature has its own way of helping people relax, so some time outdoors in the spring air can keep the peaceful vibe going into the afternoon. If the family includes young children, choose a park with a playground so Mom can relax and watch the kids play from a nearby bench.

· Book a dinner reservation. It might require some advance booking, as Mother's Day reservations can be hard to come by, but a night at Mom's favorite restaurant can be the perfect conclusion to a relaxing day. If Mom's more of a homebody, whip up a homemade meal and let Mom relax with a glass of wine as you prepare a feast.

Mother's Day is the perfect time to plan a day of relaxation for mothers who do so much for their families throughout the year. Some simple planning can ensure Mom gets the R&R she deserves.