Welcome to Performing and Media Arts!
We are excited to welcome you to Cornell or welcome you back! All of us here in Performing and Media Arts (PMA) look forward to meeting you and helping you find opportunities to make your time in Ithaca more enriching, whether you are a budding performer, a seasoned auteur, an aspiring critic, or just a curious observer. Please use this page as a springboard to the wealth of opportunities available to you in the Schwartz Center!
Meet Associate Professor Samantha Noelle Sheppard, Department Chair
Latest Developments
Meet Associate Professor Jeffrey Palmer as he shares the latest exciting updates about PMA’s film and video production courses.
Transcript of Film Program Video
Meet PMA Dance Faculty Assistant Professor Juan Manuel Aldape Muñoz, and Assistant Professor of the Practice Danielle Russo
Schwartz Center Video Tour
Watch the video tour of the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts, introduced by Katie Kim ’28. This video was created in collaboration with PMA 3571: Documentary Filmmaking.
Opportunities to Participate
Find out how you can become involved in PMA’s live and mediated work at a general information session, Projects & Participation Kick-off, on Wednesday, August 26 at 5:00 p.m. in the Kiplinger Theatre. You’ll meet directors and filmmakers who will describe their project and casting needs. There are many opportunities for behind-the-scenes work, too. PMA faculty will describe opportunities to work in the scenery/props shop, costume shop, electrics, and on backstage or film crews. There’s a place for everyone at PMA!
Start Your PMA Education
Whether you choose to major, minor or enroll in select classes, we provide opportunities for you to explore theatre, film, and dance as distinct art forms, and to combine these disciplines in exciting ways.
The departmental curriculum offers a robust selection of courses, from introductory to advanced levels and from creative and critical perspectives. Visit our Academics page for an overview of all the options, or jump right into the Minor or the Major.
Wondering where to start? We encourage you to consider these as options for your entry into PMA in Fall 2026:
| 1410: Media Production Lab | 1610: Production Technology Lab |
| 2100: Introduction to Performing and Media Arts | 2560: American Cinema |
| 2800: Introduction to Acting | 3226: Global Dance and Decolonizing Movement |
| 3550: Global Cinema and Media Studies | 3533: Screen & Story |
See all PMA courses for the Spring 2026 semester: https://pma.cornell.edu/courses
Read the PMA Undergraduate Guide
Upcoming Productions and Events
PMA Open House
Friday, August 21, 10am - 12pm, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts
Come explore the possibilities in the Schwartz Center, where film, theatre, dance and media studies intersect in exciting ways. Meet the passionate faculty, talented students, and dedicated staff from the Department of Performing and Media Arts.
Everyone is welcome to attend this Open House, so bring your curiosity and enthusiasm. We look forward to seeing you there!
Projects & Participation Kick-off
Wednesday, August 26, 5:30pm, Kiplinger Theatre
Join us for a general information session where you can explore various ways to participate in PMA's live and mediated productions. Meet faculty and student directors who will share insights about their projects and casting requirements.
Festival 24
Saturday, August 29, 7:30pm, Flex Theatre
Festival 24 features an array of plays written, directed, rehearsed, and performed by students in just 24 hours! Free and open to the public. Tickets are not required.
PMA Presents: An Evening with Dominique Thorne
2026 Heermans-McCalmon Distinguished Guest Artist
Thursday, September 10, Time TBD, Kiplinger Theatre
Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
Friday, October 23, 7:30pm
Saturday, October 24, 7:30pm
Friday, October 30, 7:30pm
Saturday, October 31, 2:00pm & 7:30pm
Kiplinger Theatre
See our complete line-up of productions and events for this semester.
Cornell Cinema
Established in 1970 as a university film society, Cornell Cinema is a celebrated and long-standing film exhibition program located on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Each semester, we present a wide variety of films, including Hollywood films, documentaries, silent films, international, art-house, and experimental media work, cult classics, and other repertory titles. We also offer regular opportunities for audiences to discuss films and the relevant social, political, and artistic questions they raise in conversation with filmmakers, scholars, community leaders, and cinema staff.
Student Groups at PMA
Helpful Department Contacts
Director of Undergraduate Studies: David Feldshuh - PMA-DUS@cornell.edu
Undergraduate Field Assistant: Donna Miller - dm246@cornell.edu
