The Department of Performing and Media Arts and PMA Studios presents:

Milkshake Kiss 

Kiplinger Theatre, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts
430 College Avenue
Friday, May 2, 5:00 p.m.

Milkshake Kiss is the first film developed by PMA Studios. This exciting new collaboration brings together students, faculty, staff and guest artists to write, produce and direct a professional movie. The screening will be followed by talkback sessions with the cast and crew. 

Milkshake Kiss is a fantasy drama film about Charlie, a man drained by a difficult day, who went into a mysterious diner and drinks a magical milkshake. Suddenly, he finds himself face-to-face with people he thought he had forgotten. Through these unexpected encounters, Charlie begins to realize what truly matters in his life. But as the lines between memory and reality blur, one question remains: can he ever leave the diner? 

1611: PMA Studios is a production company, class and event. Led by three industry professionals - Jeffrey Palmer (Producer, Director, Documentarian), Doorim Kim (Independent Filmmaker), and Carolyn Michelle Smith (Actor) - students developed, cast, and shot a short film written by one of their peers. Throughout the experience, special guests illuminated the inside of the studio system, sharing expertise from production to photography to post-production. 

At PMA Studios, students focused on one aspect of production while gaining knowledge of the entire filmmaking process. The program successfully brought together aspiring filmmakers across all specialties: Actors, Directors, Assistant Directors, Producers, Directors of Photography, Grip and Lighting, Sound, Set Design, Production Assistants, and Writers.

The vision of the Department of Performing and Media Arts is to nurture and mentor artists, performers, writers, and thinkers through the process of event programming. We recognize that all people should see their stories represented, and envision their stories as valuable. We commit ourselves to creating spaces that actively seek to break down systems of oppression based on race, gender, sexuality, class, ability, and place of origin and empower all to be involved. We seek to stimulate thoughtful discussion and enact social change within our productions and our audiences. It is our goal to make our events accessible to the wider Cornell and Ithaca community, to strengthen bonds and engage inquiry, dialogue, and impact around social and cultural expression. 

In the 2024-2025 academic year we will help realize a wide range of students’ creative projects, from original plays, to solo performances, to readings, to choreographies, to acting, directorial, and curatorial projects. We are particularly happy that in addition to supporting live performances, we are now also supporting the production of student films. Enjoy the shows!

Charlie: Bixby Piccolo Hill
Marge: Hannah Irvine 
Ian: Hugo Keil 
Frank: Owen Reynolds 
Evelyn: Ruby Baek
Roy: Osama Awadalla
Lena: Kaila (Kai) Davis 
Experanza: Katia Torres
Don: Amere Sloan 
Jane: Praise Makinde
Mom: Veronika Makoviak
Camille: Audrey Pinard

Executive Producer Dr. Samantha N. Sheppard 
Producer Andrew Lee Deppen 
Producer Jeffrey Palmer 
Producer Doorim Kim 
Producer Carolyn Michelle Smith 

Director Justin Lee 
Supervising Producer/ 2nd AD Cristina Pines 
Creative Producer/ Dir Asst Zoe Buddie 
Line Producer Serena Kielley 
1st Assistant Director Jake Walter 
Key 2nd AD Marcus Wright 
2nd 2nd AD Giacomo Cuomo 
First Team/ Props Ava Hesslau 
Set PA/ SFX Samantha Miculinich 
Set PA/ SFX Emily Lee 
Add'l Set PA Alexa Alfonsi 

Script Supervisor Carlin Reyen 

Director of Photography (A) Shamus Li 
Director of Photography (B) Katherine Xu 

1st AC Jessie Jia 
2nd AC Jean Hyun Kim 
3rd AC Annette Murray 
SteadiCam Operator Gareth Manwaring 

Key Grip (A) Katherine Xu 
Best Boy Grip (A) Mia Sofia Orengo 
Key Grip (B) Shamus Li 
Best Boy Grip (B) Annette Murray 
Grip/ Electric Swing Leah Ingalls 
Production Equipment Supervisor Randy Hendrickson 

Gaffer Orion Tian 
Best Boy Electric Rebeccah Durandis 
Dimmer Board Op Rebeccah Durandis 

Sound Mixer Ben Mehler 
Boom Operator Gabriela Barelli 
Sound 2 Warren Cross 

Editor Adowyn Ernste 
Asst. Editor Warren Cross 

Production Designer Nick Embree 
Set Decorator Tim Ostrander 
Set Dressing/ Standby Construction Samantha Miculinich 
Set Dressing/ Standby Construction Emily Lee 
Key Carpenter/ Scenic Gang Boss Savannah Relos 
Technical Director Fritz Bernstein 

Prop Master Tim Ostrander 
Asst Prop Ava Hesslau 

Costume Designer Sarah Bernstein 
Wardrobe Supervisor Lisa Boquist 
Assistant Costume Designer Bryn Elliott 
Set Costumer Avery Wang 
Set Costumer Venicia Lamy 
Set Costumer Alex de Smidt 

Hair and Makeup Department Head Sarah Bernstein 
HMU Assistant Bryn Elliott 
HMU Assistant Serena Kielley 

Key Craft Service Andrew Deppen 
Caterer: Juicy’s Shanty 

Scene Shop Work Study Students (Scenic Painting, Set Dressing, Carpentry) 
Bailey Hecht 
Kate Turk 
Julia Zhang (independent Study) 
Benjamin Okoronkwo 
Max Fanning 

PMA 1610 Production Technology Laboratory: Carpentry, Scenic Artistry, Paint, Set Dressing 
Giacomo Cuomo 
Ellie Dawson 
Sofia Doblosky 
Noelle Elkinton 
Molly Hudson 
Ziyan Jiang 
Jack McManus 
Alex Miloszewski 
Ethan Ordower 
Owen Reynolds 
Jesse Szewczyk –Buff 
Yameng (Trish) Zhang 

Theatrical Lighting Work Study Students 
Ethan Ordower 
Bixby Piccolo-Hill 

Props/ Paint Work Study Student/ Assistant Props & Paint Sevara Khojamuratova 

Costumes Shop Staff (Work Study Students) 
Avery Wang 
Alex De Smidt 
Ana Mocklar 
Julianna Cross 
Venicia Lamy 

Add’l SPFX Jasminique Harris