Professional Directions: A Conversation with Antuan Byers

Join the Department of Performing and Media Arts for Professional Directions: Setting Your Own Stage: The Choreography of Organizing a Life in the Arts with Antuan Byers, Founder/Director of Black Dance Change Makers and Vice President of Dancers at the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) on Thursday, Oct. 30, from 5:30 PM on Zoom. The event will be hosted by PMA Assistant Professor of the Practice Danielle Russo and is free and open to the public.

PMA Professor Austin Bunn’s Film “Kill Your Darlings” Screens at Metrograph

On October 5, NYC art house cinema Metrograph held a screening and Q&A for the 2013 film Kill Your Darlings, which was co-written by PMA Professor Austin Bunn. The Q&A featured director John Krokidas, actors Daniel Radcliffe, Dane Dehaan, and Ben Foster, and producer Christine Vachon, and was moderated by filmmaker Ira Sachs. Bunn, who was in attendance, spoke to us about the original idea for his screenplay and the experience of seeing the film 12 years later.

You’re a PMA Major/Minor: What’s Next?!

To be a PMA Major/Minor in 2025 is to enter a creative world where you receive training and opportunities that equip you to become responsible, ethical creative professionals. But one of the many problems with entering in the media industries of film, television, and theater lies with the lack of clear pathways to careers and gainful employment. In this series we call “What’s Next?!”, PMA faculty Dr. Kristen Warner will lead workshop sessions that begin to help answer that question. The focus of each session will address a range of topics from internships and graduate programs (MFAs, critical studies MA/PhD) to the dreaded art of writing cover letters/personal statements.

PMA Ph.D. Alum Jayme Kilburn ‘23 Discusses New Essay About Theatre and Community Organizing

PMA Ph.D. Alum Jayme Kilburn ‘23 has written a new essay called “Reshaping a Rural College Theatre Program” about theatre making and community organizing for HowlRound Theatre Commons. Kilburn is Assistant Professor of Theatre at Union Commonwealth University, Kentucky.

PMAPS Colloquium with Dr. Ola Mohammed

Join the Department of Performing and Media Arts for PMAPS Colloquium: The Black Nowhere: Sonic Architectures of Dispossession by Dr. Ola Mohammed, Assistant Professor at York University, on Friday, November 7, from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm, in the Film Forum, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. This event is free and open to the public.

PMA Professor Bruce Levitt Featured in The Little Patuxent Review

PMA Professor Bruce Levitt and Multidisciplinary Visual Artist Isaac I. Scott were featured in an interview called The Social Mirror: An Interview with Bruce Levitt and Isaac Scott in Little Patuxent Review. The interview was conducted by Ann Bracken for the review’s Summer 2025 edition, Issue 38, entitled “Exploring Literature and the Arts.”

Remembering Prof. Debra Castillo, champion of Latinx students, community

Professor Debra Castillo, Stephen H. Weiss presidential fellow and Emerson Hinchliff professor of Hispanic Studies in the College of Arts & Sciences, died Oct. 5 at the age of 72.

PMA Podcast Episode 70 with Sam Buggeln, Director of I WANT A COUNTRY

In this episode, Christopher Christensen met with Samuel Buggeln to discuss his upcoming production of 'I Want a Country' written by Andreas Flourakis. In their conversation, they explored his role as visiting lecturer and director at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts and his role as artistic and executive director at the Cherry Arts located in downtown Ithaca. He offered insight into his ongoing work as director of the production, his collaboration with students and faculty at Cornell, and examined the core question presented by the play: when does a nation stop being a home?

The American Pavilion's Worldwide Student Program Information Sessions

If you're interested in a career in the international motion picture, event management, business, marketing, journalism, or hospitality fields, consider complementing your school curriculum with hands-on experience, direct access to industry professionals, and unparalleled networking opportunities at the world-renowned Cannes International Film Festival.

PMA/LSP Associate Professor Karen Jaime to Speak at Digital Humanities Colloquium Series

PMA/LSP Associate Professor Karen Jaime will give a talk called "Digital Poetics: HIDVL and Queer Nuyorican Performance" at Cornell’s Digital Humanities Colloquium Series. The talk will be on October 24, from 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm, in Olin 703 (lunch will be served).

Cornell ‘Swifties’ bond over musical superstar

The Cornell Swift Club will ring in a new Taylor Swift era with a late-night album release party for “The Life of a Showgirl.”

I Want a Country

Join PMA for a production of I Want a Country, a play by Andreas Flourakis, translated by Eleni Drivas, and directed by Samuel Buggeln, Artistic and Executive Director of The Cherry Arts. The show will take place in the Flex Theatre, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, on Friday, October 24, at 7:30 pm; Saturday, October 25, at 7:30 pm; Friday, October 31, at 7:30 pm; and Saturday, November 1, at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm.

Is a Hum a Warning?

Join the Department of Performing and Media Arts for Is a Hum a Warning? a performance-lecture and Q&A by accomplished choreographer Roya Carreras Fereshtehnejad on Wednesday, October 15, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm, in the Class of '56 Dance Studio Theatre (SB 10), Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. As a certified instructor in the American Ballet Theatre Method, Roya will also teach an open level ballet class on Thursday, October 16, 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm, in Studio 320, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. This event is free and open to the public; all dancing bodies welcome and embraced. 

PMA Department Chair Samantha Noelle Sheppard Quoted in Washington Times Article

PMA Department Chair and Associate Professor Samantha Noelle Sheppard was quoted in an article from The Washington Times called “A football horror film? ‘Him’ brings gridiron violence to big screen.”

Music Oct. 2-5: Homecoming concerts and historical keyboards

Cornell orchestras, vocal ensembles and the Center for Historical Keyboards plan performances.

PMA 1183 Guest Performer and Speaker: DJ Rhettmatic

Join PMA for PMA 1183 Guest Performer and Speaker: DJ Rhettmatic, presented by PMA 1183 FWS: Hip-Hop’s Global Vibrations (NYC, LA, Southeast Asia). This event will take place on Zoom on Wednesday, November 19, from 8:40am - 9:55am. Join on Zoom: https://bit.ly/pmal183

PMA 1183 Guest Speaker: Scholar/Musician Aaron Joseph

Join the Department of Performing and Media Arts for PMA 1183 Guest Speaker: Scholar/Musician Aaron Joseph on Wednesday November 5, 8:40am-9:55am, Hybrid: Eisner Pavillion Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts and on Zoom. This event is presented by PMA 1183 FWS: Hip-Hop’s Global Vibrations (NYC, LA, Southeast Asia), and is free and open to the public.

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.