PMA Ph.D. Candidate Rejoice Abutsa to Moderate Panel About Decolonizing Media Narratives on Africa

PMA Ph.D. Candidate Rejoice Abutsa will moderate a panel called “Decolonizing Media Narratives on Africa” at 3pm on September 17, at the Africana Studies and Research Center. Attendees can also join virtually. The event is part of the Institute for African Development Colloquium Series and will feature Wunpini Mohammed, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication; j. Siguru Wahutu, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and African Studies; and Msia Kibona Clark, Associate Professor in the Department of African Studies, and Director of the Hip-Hop Studies Minor at Howard University.

PMA Department Chair Samantha N. Sheppard to Speak at Silent Film Screening

PMA Department Chair Samantha N. Sheppard will be giving an introduction for a screening and discussion of The Flying Ace (1926) at the Carriage House Theater in Auburn, NY. The event will take place on Wednesday, September 24 at 6:30 PM.

PMA Alum Tatiana Bustos ‘24 Joins Steppenwolf Theatre as Marketing Associate

PMA Alum Tatiana Bustos ‘24 has started a new position as the Marketing Associate at Steppenwolf Theatre. “I have always known that theater administration would be my career path after graduation,” said Bustos. “I am so grateful for the experiences I had in PMA which introduced me to amazing Professors Ellen Gainor and Aoise Stratford, who mentored and guided me through my time at Cornell.

Four-day event celebrates 70 years of Toni Morrison’s Cornell legacy

A four-day event featuring films, panels, workshops, the unveiling of a mural and other activities will celebrate the 70th anniversary of her degree, life and work. “Toni Morrison: Literature and Public Life” will take place Sept. 18-21.

Acting Masterclass: Tanmay Dhanania

During this masterclass, participants will gain insights into performing for international cinema and television, learning essential techniques for preparing camera-ready roles. Dhanania will share his "Actor as Maker" approach, a methodology he has successfully implemented in his professional career and taught across the globe.

Dual-campus visit highlights A.D. White Professors-at-Large lineup

Best-selling writer and technology blogger Cory Doctorow will make the A.D. White Professor-at-Large program’s second dual-campus visit, ending his week at Cornell Tech in New York City. Four other professors will visit Cornell this fall.

DJ Collective Manila Sound

Join PMA for DJ Collective Manila Sound Presented by PMA 1183 FWS: Hip-Hop’s Global Vibrations (NYC, LA, Southeast Asia). This event will take place on Zoom on Wednesday, September 10, from 8:40am - 9:55am. There will be a short DJ turntablist performance, followed by a Q&A session. Join on Zoom: https://bit.ly/pma1183

Chats with the Chair

"Chats with the Chair" invites PMA majors, minors, and those interested in the department to join the chair for food and fellowship.

PMA Alum Jennifer Williams ‘15 Publishes New Book

PMA Alum Jennifer Williams ’15 has written a new book called Archaeology of the Political Unconscious: Theater and Opera in East Berlin: 1967-1977. The book, published by Routledge in 2024, is part of the Advances in Theatre & Performance Studies series. It is based on the dissertation Williams wrote at Cornell, which included research in Berlin’s state archives supported by a Fulbright grant.

PMA Senior Lecturer Theo Black to Speak at Shakespeare and Environmental Justice Symposium

PMA Senior Lecturer Theo Black will be a featured speaker at the Globe4Globe 2025 Symposium on Shakespeare and Environmental Justice. This conference will take place virtually on September 12-13.

A Screening of the Documentary Film, The Janes (2022)

"The Janes" Screening + Talkback with Academy Award-nominated Filmmaker Tia Lessin ’86

Cornell Campus Dance Gathering Fall 2025

Love to dance? Love dance history? Curious about choreography or minoring in Dance at Cornell? Join the Department of Performing and Media Arts for a campus-wide community gathering!

PMA at Sundance 2026: Information Sessions

PMA at Sundance 2026: Information Sessions

Eco-Macbeth: Nature Fights Back

Join PMA for Eco-Macbeth: Nature Fights Back on Friday 8/29, from 1-2:30pm, in the Dance Theater, SB10: featuring Michael Samuel Kaplan – shared breath/air; Thursday 9/11, from 12:20- 2:15pm, in the Dance Theater, SB10: featuring Ingrid Kapteyn – Sleep No More’s witches; and on Saturday 9/13, from 12-2pm, in the Black Box, SB21: featuring Dr. Marino, Tanmay Dhanania, AJ Sage – Embodying non/human Points of View.

2025 Nexus Scholars talk about academic growth, transformation

Ten students who participated in this summer's Nexus Scholars Program share their stories..

PMA Assistant Professor Juan Manuel Aldape Muñoz Featured in Panel Discussion in San Francisco

PMA Assistant Professor Juan Manuel Aldape Muñoz was the moderator and featured as a panelist for the San Francisco performance series “Sorry I Missed Your Show.” Aldape Muñoz moderated a discussion on the performance The Anastasio Project (2014), which is featured in his project.

PMA Ph.D. Candidate Andy Colpitts Publishes Article in MusicTheatreDance Journal

PMA Ph.D. candidate Andy Colpitts has published an article called “On The Road to Hell/Broadway: The Rural to Urban Development of Anaïs Mitchell’s Hadestown" in the inaugural issue of MusicTheatreDance.

PMA Associate Professor Beth F. Milles’ Play “Heading into Night” Acclaimed in New Review

Heading into Night, a play directed and co-devised by PMA Associate Professor Beth F. Milles has received a glowing review during its stop at the Durham Fringe Festival. The project is co-devised and performed by renowned Cirque du Soleil clown Daniel Passer, and is currently on tour in Europe. Several PMA alums are performing with Passer, including Chandler Waggoner ’15 in Durham and Tess Lovell ’25 in Edinburgh. Taylor Bazos ’23, the Assistant Director for the Los Angeles production will produce the play.

Auditions for I WANT A COUNTRY

Join the Department of Performing and Media Arts for upcoming audition! We're casting roles for "I WANT A COUNTRY," a play by Andreas Flourakis, translated by Eleni Drivas. We're pleased to welcome Sam Buggeln, Artistic and Executive Director of the Cherry Arts, as our director for this production. Auditions will be held on Tuesday, September 2, from 5pm to 9am in the Flex Theatre, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. All Cornell students, faculty, and staff are welcome to participate. Secure your audition slot at https://bit.ly/m/PMA-Auditions-IWAC. Performances will take place on October 24, 25, 31, and November 1. We look forward to seeing you at auditions!

PMA Ph.D. Student Isabel Padilla Carlo Publishes Article on Centro’s Blog RicanWritings

PMA Ph.D. Student Isabel Padilla Carlo has published an article called “Rican(actments): Mourning, Kinship, and Existential Waiting in Natalia Lassalle-Morillo’s En Parábola/Conversations on Tragedy (2024)" in Centro’s blog RicanWritings.

PMA Alum Sara Chiang-Pistono ‘21 Produces New Lifetime Movie

PMA Alum Sara Chiang-Pistono '21 is the Associate Producer for a new film called Dateless to Dangerous: My Son's Secret Life, which premiered June 21 on Lifetime and is available to stream on Amazon Prime and Hulu+.

Projects & Participation Kick-off Fall 2025

Find out your role in PMA's vibrant projects and collaborations! Mark your calendar for Projects & Participation Kick-off on Wednesday, August 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kiplinger Theatre, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts.

Festival 24 - Fall 2025

It's that time of the semester again... Festival 24! Festival 24 is a once-per-semester festival where Cornell students write, direct, and perform a compilation of 15-minute plays and films all within 24 hours!

Schwartz Center Open House Tours: Discover Your Creative Home at Cornell!

The Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts is pleased to invite students to explore our facilities during our upcoming Open House Tours on Thursday, August 21, 2025. If you're curious about performing and media arts at Cornell, this is your perfect opportunity to discover the spaces where creativity flourishes.

Assistant Professor of the Practice Danielle Russo Advances Creative Research During Prestigious Kaatsbaan Cultural Park Residency

Assistant Professor of the Practice Danielle Russo Advances Creative Research During Prestigious Kaatsbaan Cultural Park Residency

PMA Professor David Feldshuh Presents Workshop on Leadership Presence

PMA Professor David Feldshuh taught eighty executives from national food and distribution companies in his “Leadership Presence: Enjoying the Performance” workshop. The session was part of a five-day Food Executive Program (FEP) conference that ran from July 13-18, sponsored by the Dyson-eCornell Food Industry Management Program.

PMA Ph.D. Alum Megan Shea ’09 Publishes Book on Performance Studies

PMA Ph.D. Alum Megan Shea ’09 has written a new book called Tragic Resistance: Feminist Agency in Performance. The book, published by Routledge in January, analyzes playwrights, directors, and performers who shatter gender norms to gain agency within the patriarchal institutions restricting them.

‘Significant cultural loss’: Cornell TV expert on Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s death

Professor Samantha Sheppard: “Warner’s legacy is both rooted in his foundational and very funny role within a groundbreaking moment in television history and his commitment to moving beyond the character and show that turned him into a beloved household name."

Your July 2025 reads

This month’s featured titles include a look at the world’s first advice column, self-help for parents, and a scholarly book on Venezuela.

PMA Assistant Professor of the Practice Daniele Russo Selected for Faculty Fellowship

PMA Assistant Professor of the Practice Danielle Russo has been selected for a 2025/2026 Faculty Fellowship in Engaged Learning at Cornell University, on behalf of the David M. Einhorn Center for Community Engagement. Faculty fellows cultivate a learning community of engaged faculty leaders committed to integrating principles and practices of engagement in our research and teaching; supporting aspirations to help heal the world; and advancing community-engaged learning and research with colleagues, partners, and students.

Ph.D. Candidate Jessie Taieun Yoon Publishes Article in Feral Feminisms Journal

PhD candidate Jessie Taieun Yoon has published an article in the journal Feral Feminisms’ special issue on Excess, titled “Quietly Excessive: The Tense Interplay of Aesthetic Excess and Affective Absence in Representations of Asian Diasporic Femininities.” In this article, Yoon proposes what they call ‘quiet excess’ to account for Asian diasporic femininities’ ambivalence.

PMA Assistant Professor Juan Manuel Aldape Muñoz Selected for MilkBar Residency

PMA Assistant Professor Juan Manuel Aldape Muñoz was selected for a residency at The MilkBar, an experimental arts center in Richmond, California. Aldape Muñoz was in residence from June 28 to July 7.

PMA Alum Joshua Bastian Cole-Kurz ‘22 to Join Faculty at Hobart and William Smith

This fall, PMA Alum Joshua Bastian Cole-Kurz ‘22 will be joining Hobart and William Smith Colleges as a Visiting Assistant Professor in Gender, Sexuality, and Intersectional Justice.

A&S honors 13 faculty with endowed professorships

The professorships are made possible because of gifts from alumni, parents and friends.

PMA Ph.D. Student Isabel Padilla Carlo to Publish Anthology Chapter

PMA Ph.D. Student Isabel Padilla Carlo has written a chapter for the forthcoming anthology Porque Estamos Aquí: Puerto Rican Feminisms Against Empire. Her chapter is titled “Léeme la cuerpa: Queer Laziness and the Body Politics of El perreo combativo” and includes a series of interviews with Karla Claudio-Betancourt and DJ Perra Mística. Porque Estamos Aquí is edited by Pabón-Colón Jessica Nydia and will be published in November by the Feminist Press at CUNY.

PMA Associate Professor Beth F. Milles to Collaborate with Playwright Carson Kreitzer

PMA Associate Professor Beth F. Milles’ has been invited to participate in the Tofte Lake Center Residency in Ely, Minnesota in June to collaborate with playwright Carson Kreitzer on a new work entitled "TRASH: A circumnavigation."

PMA Associate Professor Beth F. Milles’ Play Tours Europe

PMA Associate Professor Beth F. Milles’ play Heading into Night will be embarking on a European tour, with performances in Durham, England from July 23-25, Edinburgh, Scotland from August 11-17, and Madrid, Spain on July 30. Milles will participate on behalf of the play in the Walking the Talk for Dementia conference in Santiago de Compostela, Spain on August 25-September 1. The play has also completed interactive workshops with Ithaca's Hospicare and Beechtree Nursing Home, supported by a Cornell Einhorn Grant.

PMA Alum Victoria Pihl Sørensen ‘25 to Join Faculty at University of Colorado

This fall, PMA Alum Victoria Pihl Sørensen ‘25 will be joining the University of Colorado Boulder as Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Media Studies.

PMA Ph.D. Student Isabel Padilla Carlo Receives Cornell’s Caribbean Graduate Research Grant

PMA Ph.D. Student Isabel Padilla Carlo has received a Caribbean Graduate Research Grant through Cornell’s Einaudi Center for International Studies. The Caribbean Graduate Research Grants offer opportunities for graduate students conducting research on Caribbean topics. The Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program offers funding to conduct research that requires students to travel to the Caribbean or to libraries, archives, or other sites outside the Caribbean that hold collections or resources for the study of the Caribbean and its diasporas.

PMA Professor Nick Salvato Appointed Frederic J. Whiton Professor of Liberal Studies

PMA Professor Nick Salvato has been appointed the Frederic J. Whiton Professor of Liberal Studies by the Board of Trustees.

From posters to precedent, humanities scholars showcase their research

Projects spanned topics from Confederate cemeteries to Korean textiles.

PMA Ph.D. Candidate Rejoice Abutsa Wins Gertrude Spencer Prize

Rejoice Abutsa, a Ph.D. candidate in Performing and Media Arts, is the winner of a 2024 Gertrude Spencer Prize for Students and Instructors at Cornell University. She is awarded this prize for her joint work with student Itunu Adejare, called "Igwebuike: The Idea of Sisterhood and Women's Narratives in Nollywood.” The prize recognizes excellence in writing and is awarded by the John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines.

PMA Faculty Members Speak at Smart is Strong Foundation Conference

PMA Professors J. Ellen Gainor, Aoise Stratford, Kristen Warner, and Danielle Russo participated in the Smart is Strong Foundation spring conference on the theme of "Feminism in the Arts & Media," as part of International Women's Day.

Music professor named new director of Milstein Program in Technology & Humanity

Roger Moseley, associate professor of music, will begin in the new role July 1.

Seventeen Receive Awards Recognizing Inclusive Excellence

Awardees were recognized for the significant impacts they have made to advance access, engagement and belonging through their service and leadership.

Outstanding faculty win 2025 teaching and advising awards

Among those being recognized for exceptional teaching and mentorship this year are faculty members Begüm Adalet, Claudia Verhoeven, and Marcelo Aguiar.

Hira Mahmood Wins 2025 Russell Family Teaching Award

Hira Mahmood, a PMA Ph.D. student, has won a 2025 Russell Family Teaching Award in Performing and Media Arts. Mahmood’s research focus includes aesthetics, affect (shame, disgust, embarrassment), psychoanalysis (abjection, desire, language), visual and material cultures, and subjectivity. In Fall 2025, she will be teaching the course PMA 1175: FWS: Hell is a Teenage Girl: Terror and Turmoil of Girlhood in Horror Films.

'When my friends and I put on a show, it is everything to us.'

Tess Lovell is majoring in English and performing and media arts.

'I learned to encourage sensitivity, collaboration and agency'

Davis Ouriel is majoring in performing and media arts & feminist, gender and sexuality studies

Visiting Lecturer Carolyn Michelle Smith's Film “FAMILIAR TOUCH” Opened at the New Directors/New Films Film Festival at Lincoln Center

Visiting Lecturer Carolyn Michelle Smith recently had the U.S. premiere of her film, “Familiar Touch” at the New Directors/New Films Film Festival at Lincoln Center in early April. The film stars Kathleen Chalfant, Carolyn Michelle, H. John Benjamin, Andy McQueen, and London Garcia. It was written and directed by Sarah Friedland.