Adria Dawn, Department of Drama/Department of Film and Media Arts, and David Tarleton, Department of Film and Media Arts
Adria Dawn, instructor of acting in the Department of Drama and film in the Department of Film and Media Arts, and David Tarleton, professor of film and chair of the Department of Film and Media Arts, had their social change film “Spiral,” made with the help of Syracuse University students and alumni, premiere at the Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles in October. It has been picked up by four educational distributors including Clickview, Clarivate, Infobase and McInytre Media. It will be distributed in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Australia.
Boryana Rossa, Department of Film and Media Arts
Boryana Rossa, professor, is participating in the international exhibition “Empowerment: Art and Feminisms,” which is currently touring India. Originally presented at Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg in 2023 and curated by Andreas Beitin, Katharina Koch and Uta Ruhkamp, the exhibition offered a “comprehensive global overview of art and feminisms of the twenty-first century, featuring roughly 100 artistic positions from about 50 countries across all continents.” It has travelled to Pune, New Delhi and Colombo, with additional venues planned in other cities.
Kyra Stahr, Setnor School of Music
Kyra Stahr, assistant teaching professor of conducting, was selected as one of six American conducting fellows for the International Conductors Exchange Program. Stahr will be hosted in Portugal in June 2026 as part of the exchange program.
Rebecca Ruige Xu, Department of Film and Media Arts
Rebecca Ruige Xu, professor of computer art and animation, was invited to participate in a two-person exhibition at the Lycoming College Art Gallery in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. “Dwelling in Becoming” invited audiences to reflect on the transitional space between what is and what is yet to come, exploring how emerging technologies like AI are reshaping human experience, creativity and connection.
Anne Laver, Setnor School of Music
Anne Laver, associate professor of applied music and performance (organ), was invited to give a solo organ recital at Washington National Cathedral. The performance, “Heroes and Saints,” featured music by Bach, Franck, Laurin, Hampton, Chee, Haywood and Natalie Draper, associate professor of music composition in the Setnor School of Music.
Kelly Gallagher, Department of Film and Media Arts
Kelly Gallagher, associate professor of film, created colorful collage animation for “The Inquisitor,” a feature documentary directed by Angela Tucker that premiered at Tribeca Film Festival. Gallagher also created an animation, “Shifting,” that was screened onto Denver’s historic Daniels & Fisher clocktower building throughout the month of July (pictured). She was commissioned by Night Lights Denver and Denver Month of Video to make the video projection.
Alex Jainchill, Department of Drama
Alex Jainchill, professor of practice of theater design and technology, was invited to serve as lighting designer for Williamstown Theatre Festival’s production of “Not About Nightingales” by Tennessee Williams. Drama alumna Bianca Mercado-Boller ‘16 (pictured at right with Jainchill) was the production stage manager for the production.
Natalie Draper, Setnor School of Music
Natalie Draper, associate professor of music composition, theory and history in the Setnor School of Music, has her work "Three Miniature Processes" for solo marimba included on percussionist Mark DeMull’s album, "Last Dance.” Her work "Vignettes for Marie Curie" for choir, string quintet, and piano (setting text by Marie Curie and Christina Rosetti) was premiered by the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay (conducted by Matthew Abernathy).
Alec Barbour, Department of Drama
Alec Barbour, instructor of acting in the Department of Drama, will have his stage adaptation of “Dracula” published by Next Stage Press.
Boryana Rossa, Department of Film and Media Arts
Boryana Rossa, professor of art video, is participating in the traveling exhibition “Empowerment: Art and Feminisms,” co-produced by Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg and Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai. Presented initially at Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg in 2022-23, “Empowerment” offers a comprehensive global overview of art and feminisms in the 21st century. In 2025, “Empowerment” will travel to New Delhi; Mumbai, India; Colombo, Sri Lanka; and Kolkata, India.
London Ladd, School of Art
London Ladd, assistant teaching professor of illustration in the School of Art, illustrated “When I Hear Spirituals” (Holiday House). Throughout the book, a girl connects with heritage, history and a higher power through the lyrics of 12 beloved spirituals and four seminal events in African American history.
Timothy Norton, Setnor School of Music
Timothy Norton, instructor of applied music and performance (jazz bass), will be releasing a second album, “The Wrenning Hour.”
Andrew Zhou, Setnor School of Music
Andrew Zhou, assistant teaching professor of composition, who, with Ryan McCullough, is the piano duo HereNowHear, released a double album on False Azure Records featuring Karlheinz Stockhausen’s iconic “Mantra” for two pianos, percussion, and ring modulators. The album also includes contemporary companion works commissioned for the duo and miniatures (including one written by Zhou) inspired by Beethoven’s “Rage Over a Lost Penny.”
Soudabeh Moradian, Department of Film and Media Arts
Soudabeh Moradian, assistant professor of film, premiered “The Mermaid,” a feature film that employed VPA students, alumni and faculty across disciplines alongside professionals from the film industry. The film earned the ReFrame Stamp 2024, a mark of distinction to recognize standout gender-balanced films and TV projects by the Sundance Institute and Women in Film (WIF).
Alex Jainchill, Department of Drama
Alex Jainchill, professor of practice of theater design and technology, was the lighting designer of the world premiere of “Shit. Meet. Fan.” at the Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space in New York City.
David Tarleton, Department of Film and Media Arts, and Adria Dawn, Department of Film and Media Arts and Department of Drama
David Tarleton, professor and chair of the Department of Film and Media Arts, and Adria Dawn, instructor in the Department of Film and Media Arts and Department of Drama, were directors of the Kid Culture segment in season 1, episode 4, “Air,” of the Apple TV+ series “Yo Gabba Gabbaland!” The segment tells the story of Bailey, a young girl living in Chicago. The series is a reimagining of the previous award-winning kids’ show “Yo Gabba Gabba!”
London Ladd, School of Art
London Ladd, assistant teaching professor of illustration, recently celebrated the release of two picture books, “My Hair is a Book” (Harper Collins) and “A Voice of Hope: The Myrlie Evers-Williams Story” (Philomel Books).
Sam Van Aken, School of Art
Sam Van Aken, associate professor of studio arts, had his work “The Tree of 40 Fruit” included in Amy Stewart’s new book “The Tree Collectors” (Penguin Random House), which was reviewed by The New York Times (subscription required).
Izmir Ickbal, Department of Drama
Izmir Ickbal, assistant professor of theater design and technology, was selected as the set designer for the New York City premiere of “The Divining: Ceremonies from in the name of the m/other tree,” a co-production of The Apollo and The National Black Theatre that ran in September. The production used movement, poetry, percussion and visual art to encourage audience members to understand that their connection to the natural world is critical to their liberation.
Marianne Solivan, Setnor School of Music
Marianne Solivan, assistant professor of applied music and performance (jazz voice) was selected to work with Amherst College Press on “Re-Entry,” her latest album as a leader with her working band featuring music from a wide range of jazz and Latin repertoire.
Margie Hughto, School of Art
Margie Hughto, professor of studio arts, exhibited work in “Process” with Beth Bischoff and Darcy Gerbarg at the Louise and Bernard Palitz Gallery at Syracuse University’s Lubin House. The artists each challenged conventional ways in which an artist’s process can be understood. By resisting traditional notions of artmaking in their own ways, their works asked viewers to be more expansive in imagining how art can be made.
David Lowenstein, Department of Drama
David Lowenstein, professor of practice of musical theater, was invited to play Miss Agatha Trunchbull in Music Theater Wichita’s production of “Matilda,” directed by former drama faculty member Brian J. Marcum. A review noted, “Veteran David Lowenstein as Miss Trunchbull channels comic genius Peter Sellers at his most manic, squeaking and roaring in a fury that is both precise and overbearing, a bullhorn with physical prowess to match his razor-sharp verbal gifts.”
