curriculum vitea

* Joseph Furnari, Ed.D. *

EDUCATION:

Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY
Doctor of Education, Art and Art Education focusing on Drama, May 2007

Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ
Master of Arts, Theatre (Directing/Management), May 1984

Rutgers University (NCAS), Newark, NJ
Bachelor of Arts, Speech and Theatre Arts and Business Administration, January 1982

SUMMARY OF EXPERTISE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2008 Surdna Foundation Arts Teachers Fellow

This fellowship provides the resources for outstanding arts teachers to design individualized courses of study that will provide both immersion in their own creative work and the opportunity to interact with other professional artists in their fields. The fellowship was used to study at the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre in Blue Lake, CA in the summer of 2008.

Director / Actor

Numerous years of experience as a professional director and actor working in New Orleans, New York City, regional theatre and educational theatre.
Directing highlights include: Enter Your Sleep – World Premiere – The Elm Theatre, Gayland – World Premiere – New Orleans Fringe Festival – 2014, Out of Time (playwright) - World Premiere – 2001 FringeNYC, Minha Rosa - World Premiere – 1999 FringeNYC, Life Happens - World Premiere, Ghost on Fire (Michael Weller) - New York Premiere.
Acting highlights include: @JerseyArnie42 – solo play (writer and actor), Rocky Pioggi - The Iceman Cometh (Terry Schreiber, dir.), Sam Byck - Assassins, Touchstone - As You Like It, Rolly Moore in Escape From Happiness, Serge B. Samovar (Groucho Marx) - A Day in Hollywood/ A Night In The Ukraine.
Devised numerous theatre pieces working with both professional artists and students.

Theatre Arts Education

Numerous years of experience as a teaching artist and classroom teacher of acting, directing, musical theatre, playwriting, improvisation, creative dramatics, physical theatre, Commedia, and clowning.
Additionally, 11 years teaching law and computer animation.

Teacher Mentor/Coach

Coach student teachers in all areas of teaching, including: curriculum design and implementation, assessment, and classroom management.
Plan and present professional development sessions for theatre arts teachers throughout New York City, in conjunction with other facilitators and Director of Theatre Programs, in curriculum development and implement, assessment for learning, and other areas of theatre arts.

Curriculum Development

Developed and implemented a four-year sequential theatre arts curriculum with courses in theatre, dance, and music with other theatre arts faculty. Additionally, this program combines theatre arts with the academic disciplines in conjunction with professional theatre organizations.
Wrote and implemented curricula for courses in all areas of the Theatre Arts; also Law and Computer Animation.
Co-Chair of committee that developed and is implementing a 12th year Theatre Comprehensive Exit Exam for New York City Department of Education.

Arts Administration

Numerous years of experience in accounting and production management including budgeting, financial analysis and control, developing master planning schedules, fundraising and staff supervision.
Produced over 25 professional theatre productions.
Co-founder of three performing arts ensembles established to create opportunities for artists in theatre, music, and dance to develop and present original works.
General Manager of a LORT D theatre in full charge of all financial operations and administrative management including personnel, front-of-house and facilities maintenance. With Artistic Director, negotiated all production and artistic contracts.

Educational Research

Dissertation research combined a theoretical inquiry into the nature of dramatic experiences with an ethnographic case study involving a group of high school students to examine the ways in which adolescents develop in and through these experiences.
Study of imaginary play, particularly the significance of enhancing external manifestations during mid-childhood and adolescence.
Examination of the development of a collaborative model for arts integrated- projected-based learning. The process begins with and centers on an aesthetic exploration of one or more art forms in which each teacher works with the students from the perspective of his or her discipline. Students bring what they garner from these varying explorations into their arts classes where they craft theatre, dance and/or music pieces.

TEACHING CERTIFICATION:

New York State Certification - Theatre, Speech, Business and Distributive Education
New York City License - Performing Arts (Drama), Speech, Accounting & Business Practice
New Jersey Certification - Speech Arts & Drama, Business Education (Accounting)

PUBLICATIONS:

Author. Crawling With Monsters: Running With Hope. Incite/Insight. AATE. November 2011, Volume 3, Issue 4.
Author. What’s the Point? Dramatic Experiences and the Learning Self in the Making, VDM Verlag, 2009.
Author. Director’s Rights, The Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Journal of NYSBA, Winter 2000, Volume 11, No. 2.

PRESENTATIONS:

Presenter. Midday Live: A Collaborative Model for Arts Integration. New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Arts Education – to what end? March 2008.
Co-Presenter. The Collaborative Process in Writing Doctoral Dissertation. National Art Education Association (NAEA) National Convention, New York, NY, March 2007.
Presenter. What’s the Point?: Adolescent Adventures in the Exploration of Self – Identity Through Drama. Graduate Research in Art Education Conference – Teachers College, Columbia University, November 2006.
Presenter. What’s the Point?: Adolescent Experiences in the Exploration of Self. American Alliance of Theatre and Education (AATE) National Conference, July 2006.
Presenter. Development Through Drama: Exploring the Nature of a Dramatic Experience. Performing the World 3, October 2005.
Presenter. Development Through Drama: Exploring the Nature of a Dramatic Experience. American Alliance of Theatre and Education (AATE) National Conference, July 2005.
Presenter. The Importance of Imaginary Play and Drama in the Artistic Development of Children. 5th International Drama Education Association (IDEA) World Congress, Ottawa, Canada, July 2004.
Presenter. Imaginary Play and the Process of Making Art. National Art Education Association (NAEA) National Convention, Denver, CO, April 2004.

AWARDS:

Big Easy Award Nomination – Best Director of a Comedy – The Adventures of Buttboy And Tigger – The Elm Theatre, 2013
Surdna Foundation Arts Teachers Fellow, 2008
Vivian Matalon Directorial Grant, 1995

Inducted into the Essex Catholic High School Hall of Fame - Performing Arts, 1989
AVY Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for A Day In Hollywood/A Night In The Ukraine, 1986