NYFA
Faculty Directory

Faculty Directory

Alex Simmons

Alex Simmons is an award-winning freelance writer, writing coach/teacher, and creative arts consultant. He’s written for Disney Books, Penguin-Random House, and Marvel/DC/Archie Comics. Simmons is the creator of the acclaimed adventure book series Blackjack. He’s also developed scripts for plays, teleplays, documentaries, interactive live shows, and animation projects. Simmons has taught creative arts masterclasses for students and educators in the US, West Indies, Africa, and Europe. He’s taught screenwriting at the New York Film Academy. Simmons has been a guest speaker, served on numerous arts and education panels, delivered lectures on children’s entertainment mediums, and on empowering young people through the arts. He founded the annual family event, Kids Comic Con, and three comic arts exhibits, which have traveled abroad.

Gerald Slota

GERALD SLOTA is a fine artist and photographer who has been widely exhibited across the US and abroad. He has had solo shows at the George Eastman House in Rochester, NY, and Langhans Galerie in Prague, Czech Republic, as well as been shown at Recontres D’ Arles in Arles, France. Slota has had multiple solo exhibits at Ricco/Maresca Gallery in NYC and is represented by the Robert Berman Gallery in Los Angeles. His images have appeared in numerous publications including The New York Times Magazine, Vice, The New Yorker, New York Magazine, Harper’s, and Scientific America, as well as in BOMB, Artforum, ARTNEWS, Art in America, and Aperture. He has lectured at many institutions such as the International Center for Photography (ICP). Gerald Slota has garnered many awards including a Polaroid 20”x24” Grant, a MacDowell Artist Residency, and a Mid-Atlantic Fellowship Grant in 2001, 2009 and 2021.

Alison Solomon

ALISON SOLOMON is an American Choreographer for theatre, television, and film. Recent credits include: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Global Tour, 2nd National Tour), When Elvis Met the Beatles (World Premiere), Strike Up the Band (Carnegie Hall), A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Riverside Theatre), Natasha, Pierre… (NYFA), Grease (Bucks County Playhouse), Sweeney Todd (Signature Theatre), Sunday in the Park with George (Pasadena Playhouse), Into the Woods (Guthrie Theatre), Fiddler on the Roof (Philadelphia Orchestra), Straight White Men (Westport Country Playhouse), and Swing! (ONU). Alison has choreographed ad
spots featuring some of the USA’s top dancers such as Lauren Froderman (“SYTYCD”), Gillian Murphy (American Ballet Theatre), and Ashley Bouder (New York City Ballet) and was part of the team that choreographed the NFL Super Bowl LII Dirty Dancing
commercial that went viral, featuring Odell Beckham Jr. and Eli Manning with the NY Giants. In addition to her career as a choreographer, Alison spent over a decade both performing on Broadway as well as working as one of the most sought-after associate
choreographers and currently runs a training program for up and coming associate directors and choreographers. Some associate credits include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Broadway, Australia, and National Touring companies), Gigi, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, I Married an Angel, Sweet Charity with Sutton Foster, Bandstand, The Honeymooners, and In the Heights. As a performer, she was part of the closing company of Finding Neverland, where she was a swing and Assistant Dance Captain. She has graced the stages of Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, and the Kennedy Center and she made her
television debut on the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire”, directed by Martin Scorsese.

Dave Solomon

DAVE SOLOMON is an award-winning New York-based writer and director working in both theatre and film. Recent stage credits include directing the first national tour of TOOTSIE THE MUSICAL and PUMP UP THE VOLUME (MTFest London). He also directed a unique cinematic-theatrical hybrid production of Adam Gwon’s ORDINARY DAYS for Pittsburgh Playhouse, that he co-conceived with Emmy-winning designer Jason Ardizzone-West (“Jesus Christ Superstar Live”). He wrote and directed the award-winning short film PHOTO OP (starring Randy Harrison) and his upcoming film BRENDA & BILLY AND THE POTHOS PLANT (starring Santino Fontana and Sarah Stiles) will have its world premiere in Summer 2023. Solomon also assisted Bill Condon on the films MR. HOLMES and DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and served as Condon’s Associate Director on the revised production of SIDE SHOW on Broadway, at La Jolla Playhouse and the Kennedy Center. Solomon has also been an Associate Director to Joe Mantello and Scott Ellis, and has worked on fourteen Broadway productions including TOOTSIE, MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, 9 TO 5, PAL JOEY SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (2008), THE RITZ, CURTAINS, MARIO CANTONE’S LAUGH WHORE and ASSASSINS. He was an Associate Producer and Assistant Director on “A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE” and his play, MARGARET AND CRAIG, premiered at NY Stage and Film and was also seen as part of The New Group New Works starring Mario Cantone and Marin Ireland. Additional stage credits include THE DODGERS (Hudson Theatre, LA), THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG (Le Petit, NOLA), MARRYING MEG (NYMF) and SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR (with John Bolton and Eve Plumb). He has been a resident artist at SPACE on Ryder Farm and is a graduate of Vassar College.

Samantha Soule

Samantha Soule is a filmmaker and actress. She directed Midday Black Midnight Blue, Birdwatching starring Amanda Seyfried, Taffeta, Shed, and Telling Time. As an actress, she can currently be seen in Outer Banks, Godless, Tales Of The City, Queen’s Gambit, and Martin Scorcese’s The Irishman on Netflix and City On A Hill for Showtime. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School.

Micah Spayer

Micah is an award-winning filmmaker and actor who grew up in the theater and hails from Central Illinois. His work spans regional theatre, national tours, television, film, and commercials. As a director, he uses a teaching-centered approach to help actors rebuild their imagination and grow into powerful, insightful performers. He composes music for film and his ongoing solowork. In addition to film, Micah has a BFA in Musical Theatre from Western Illinois University (2009), loves flatbread pizza and collecting and repairing typewriters. His most honorable performance to date is the role of Father to his brilliant daughter.

Liz Stanton

Liz Stanton teaches Acting (Meisner), Voice & Movement, and Improvisation at the New York Film Academy. As an actor, singer, sound designer, composer, director, and teacher, she is a multifaceted theatre artist. She is the Theatrical Development Producer for Convergences Theatre Collective. She has performed in numerous professional productions in New York City, regionally and internationally (England and India). Her opera, based on The Bacchae, was featured as a work in development at the EstroGenius Festival. She has created award-winning devised theatre pieces, composes music for theatrical sound designs, and teaches physically embodied acting and voice. Liz received her MFA in Theatre: Contemporary Performance from Naropa University. One of her most recent projects is The Woman Who Was Me – a play for one woman. The show was nominated for five Innovative Theatre Awards, including for Outstanding Solo Performer.

Micah Stathis

Stathis was a Production Manager for Manhattan Neighborhood Network for over four years. He quickly expanded his skills as a freelance Cinematographer and Director. He has experience directing a wide variety of television and film shoots, commercials, music videos, narrative films, documentary films, and live events.

Tomás Stiegwardt

Tomás Stiegwardt is an award-winning filmmaker, author, visual artist, and AI researcher. A creative catalyst and cultural essayist, he explores the intersection of storytelling, technology, and consciousness. With over 70 essays on AI and cinema published at Peliplat—where he also serves as a film critic and international jury member—his work bridges visual arts, philosophy, and education. A professor, speaker, and international exhibitor, he has received over 30 awards for his short films, taught at NYFA and Columbia College Chicago, and is currently based in New York, developing projects across traditional and Web3 platforms.

Matthew Stern

Matthew Stern is an award winning NYC-based music director and pianist. Off Broadway: Smile (AMT Theater), Skyscraper (Urban Stages). Other credits: Come From Away (Engeman); Cats, Lightning Thief, Little Mermaid, Twas the Night Before Christmas, Cinderella, Pippin, Grease, Seussical, Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Christmas in the Movies (Casa Mañana); Wizard of Oz (North Shore Music Theatre); Evita (Shakespeare Theatre Company); Sing Street, Merrily We Roll Along (Huntington Theater); Drowsy Chaperone, Gentleman’s Guide, Pacific Overtures (Lyric Stage Company of Boston); Prom (Tantrum Theater); Burnt Part Boys, Rock of Ages (Mountain Theatre Company); Reefer Madness (Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater); Little Women, All is Calm, She Loves Me, Altar Boyz, Mame (Greater Boston Stage Company); Fun Home, Allegiance, Bridges of Madison County, Scottsboro Boys, Violet, Big Fish (SpeakEasy Stage Company). In addition to NYFA, Matt has served on the faculties of Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Boston University, and Emerson College, and spent over a decade music directing at French Woods Festival. He has an MFA in Musical Theater Studies from Boston University.

Evan Swanson

Evan Swanson is an NYC based pianist/music director specializing in musical theater, pop, jazz and church music. Since moving to the city in 2019, Evan has developed ongoing relationships with KeyboardTEK, Lisa Rock Entertainment, Grace Lutheran Church, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, LaGuardia High School, and many school’s theater programs around the city. He also works for The Outsiders on Broadway as a K1 sub and rehearsal pianist.

Jennifer Swiderski

Jennifer Swiderski is a Broadway actress, director and choreographer, educator, coach, advocate, and proud mom — though not always in that order, and rarely all on the same day.

As a performer, she has appeared on Broadway, at Lincoln Center, and on National Tours in both leading and featured roles. Her career has taken her to stages around the world, earning her a few awards, plenty of playbills, and a lifetime of stories.

Her curiosity and love of collaboration naturally led her into teaching and directing alongside performing. Today, when she’s not directing and choreographing in New York and regionally, Jennifer can be found coaching Broadway actors (and the ones about to
be) or teaching the next generation of performers at New York Film Academy and other leading conservatories.

Her extensive stage experience also earned her the honor of serving as a Tony Award voter for more than a decade. Jennifer is known for creating spaces that are supportive, collaborative, and joy-filled — empowering artists to stretch past their own expectations
while appreciating the wonderment of shared empathy.

John Tona

John Tona is a photographer and artist based in New York City. He uses photographic portraiture to investigate human nature and consciousness. His work employs strategies ranging from social-documentary, tableau, and reinterpretations of the portrait.

His most recent and ongoing project, (A)typical Typology, depicts pairs of people from each country of the world without cultural elements such as clothing, makeup, or other man-made products, leaving only the individual as the unique identifier. As a result, the lines of race and culture are de-emphasized, leaving us to consider the subjects more simply, as members of the human race.

In addition to publications in the Wall Street Journal and Forbes, his work has been exhibited at Art Space Artion, The Canson Gallery, and the Jeonju International Photo Festival in Seoul, South Korea as well as Art Basel in Miami Florida and Photoville in Brooklyn New York.

John is a graduate of the one-year photography conservatory at the New York Film Academy.

Hernán Toro

A visionary Director of Photography with over three decades of experience crafting powerful, emotionally resonant visuals for film, television, and commercial productions. Born in the colorful city of Caracas, trained in London, and based in New York since 1995, Hernán Toro’s work bridges the cinematic traditions of Latin America, Europe, and Hollywood.

With over 20 feature films, 850+ commercials, and numerous award- winning feature films, shorts, documentaries, and music videos to his credit, Toro brings precision, passion, and a painter’s eye to every frame. His unique voice as a visual artist has been recognized internationally, from the streets of Caracas to the screens of Cannes. In addition to his film work, Hernán is an accomplished still photographer and mentor, committed to educating the next generation of cinematographers at the New York Film Academy. He is currently serving as President of the Society of Venezuelan Cinematography (SVC).

By Gregg Brilliant

Maxine Trump

Maxine Trump has directed both short and long-form documentaries for TV networks including TNT, Sundance Channel, BBC and Discovery. She worked for the BBC in London for seven years as a development executive for scripted comedy before emigrating to the U.S., working as a TV commercial director and producer for eight years. She won BDA awards for her work on numerous commercial and branded entertainment projects for clients such as AMC, National Geographic, PBS, BBC America, Animal Planet, Comedy Central, American Cancer Society, L’Oreal and Oreos. Trump is on the selection committee for DOC NYC and Nantucket Film Festival; a Manhattan chapter leader of the non-profit film group Filmshop; and the author of the documentary guide “A Documentary Roadmap” (Focal Press 2017). Her film “Musicwood” was a New York Times Critics’ Pick, and “To Kid Or Not To Kid” is due for release in 2018. She lives in Brooklyn and continues to direct her own feature documentaries as well as producing and editing for feature documentary clients. MFA, London Metropolitan University.

Charley Tucker

As a teaching artist, Mr. Tucker has worked at New York University (co-teacher with Phylicia Rashad), American Globe Theatre (Shakespeare First Folio Technique), University of Texas/ Austin, Muhlenberg College, Penn State University and New York Film Academy where he is currently teaching Scene Study and the Meisner Technique.
HEDDA GABBLER (American Globe), UNCLE TOM’S CABIN (The Drama Dept.- Workshop Co.), MISALLIANCE (Pennsylvania Center Stage), DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS (American Stage), SIX DEGREES OF SEPERATION (Florida Studio Theatre), and AMERICAN BUFFALO (Asolo Conservatory Theatre- guest artist). Film and T.V.: CURDLED (Miramax), AMY SCHUMMER SHOW (Comedy Central), TENNESSEE (Lee Daniels Entertainment), and several television and radio commercials. Currently Mr. Tucker has 2 films in production.

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