J. Alex Cordaro

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J. Alex Cordaro

Adjunct Professor, Ira Brind School of Theater Arts
Acting program faculty

BFA, The University of the Arts

Contact Info

School of Theater

Terra Hall 6TH

J. Alex Cordaro is a Philadelphia-based Fight Director and Educator with over 30 years of training, practice, and experience creating stage violence. Since 2018 he has been the Stage Combat Instructor and Fight Director for the University of the Arts, offering five semesters of training for the Brind School. Previously, he has taught at Arcadia University, Rowan University, The North Carolina School of the Arts, Temple University, and The University of Delaware. Alex is also a core instructor for the annual Philadelphia Stage Combat Workshop which is going into its 25th year.

As a Designer, Alex has Fight Directed over one hundred professional productions with Equity and AGMA, including six World Premieres and numerous Philadelphia and U.S. Premieres. In addition, his choreography has been sailing across Europe for the past twelve years with twenty-six different casts in Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s productions of Saturday Night Fever! and Columbus…The Musical!! Alex has directed numerous fights for Philadelphia area dance companies, regional colleges, and Young Company Tours.

Alex is a Certified Fight Director, Certified Teacher, and Theatrical Firearms Instructor with the Society of American Fight Directors. He is a three-time Barrymore Award Nominee for Outstanding Movement/ Choreography, and he was featured on the Discovery Channel’s “Project Discovery” series: Careers in the Arts; Fight Director.

Awards & Accolades:

Cordaro's work has been recognized with:

  • a Barrymore Award nomination for Outstanding Choreography for Theater Exile's Smoke (2016);
  • a Barrymore Award nomination for Outstanding Choreography for Lantern Theater Company's Henry IV Pt I (2010);
  • and a Barrymore Award nomination for Outstanding Choreography for Wilma Theater's Big Love (2003).