Eleanor Holdridge
The College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) has appointed Eleanor Holdridge as the new chair of the Department of Drama effective July 1.
Holdridge comes to Syracuse University from the Catholic University of America, where she served as professor and chair of the Department of Drama at the Rome School of Music, Drama and Art. She succeeds Ralph Zito, who served as drama department chair for the past 15 years and will return to the faculty part-time.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the drama department at Syracuse,” says Holdridge. “The excitement and energy of the students, the rigor and collegiality of the faculty and the opportunities for collaboration among all of the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the community as a whole seem to be what America needs right now: a chance to nurture the burgeoning artists of tomorrow and to change the world.”
“I’m delighted to welcome Professor Holdridge to the college,” says Michael S. Tick, dean of VPA. “The Department of Drama has a distinguished tradition of preparing students for successful careers in theater, film and television. Professor Holdridge’s leadership will not only enhance that legacy but also deepen our dynamic and enduring partnership with Syracuse Stage. I look forward to working with her on the college’s leadership team.”
In addition to her work as an educator and administrator, Holdridge has directed plays for over 30 years. Off-Broadway productions include world premieres of “Selma ’65” (LaMaMa), “Steve & Idi” (Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre) and “Cycling Past the Matterhorn” (Clurman Theatre). Regional world premieres include Ken Ludwig’s “Lend Me A Soprano,” David Grimm’s adaptation of “Cyrano de Bergerac” and Lauren Gunderson’s “The Revolutionists” (Cincinnati Playhouse). She has directed 24 of Shakespeare’s plays, some of them multiple times.
Recently Holdridge directed Ken Ludwig’s “Baskerville” at the Alley Theatre in Houston. Her upcoming directing projects include a workshop of Ludwig’s “Napoleon at Pemberly” at the Alley Theatre and “The Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” at the Olney Theatre in summer 2026. She holds an M.F.A. from Yale School of Drama.
“I look forward to shaping the curricula to meet the strategic plan of the college, to investigate and forge an exciting new chapter in the Tepper Semester and all of the away and abroad programs, and to help the department gain even more national significance than it currently enjoys,” says Holdridge. “But really, most of all, I look forward to collaborating with the incredible Syracuse students and faculty and seeing what brave new future they will bring about.”
About the Department of Drama
Ranked among the 25 best drama schools by the Hollywood Reporter, the Department of Drama offers conservatory-style training in a university setting shared with a resident, professional theater (Syracuse Stage), presenting an unparalleled combination of teaching professionals and diverse performance and production opportunities. The department offers four conservatory-style bachelor of fine arts (B.F.A.) degree programs in acting, musical theater, stage management and theater design and technology, as well as a bachelor of science (B.S.) degree program in drama that features a theater management track. Undergraduates put classroom theory into practice through productions and various special opportunities, including Wednesday Lab, study abroad, the New York City-based Tepper Semester, the Sorkin in L.A. Learning Practicum, numerous community engagement initiatives and the opportunity to participate in workshops or discussions with such visiting artists as Taye Diggs ’93, Aaron Sorkin ’83, Vanessa Williams '85, Frank Langella ’59, David Henry Hwang, Tim Miller, Tony Kushner and more.