Written by Heather Khamis

New beginnings are aplenty this fall term at BSC, and, for Dr. Lusie Cuskey, hers starts in the Birmingham-Southern Department of Theatre.

Born in West Virginia and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, a career in theatre was not always on Cuskey’s mind. It was not until an eighth grade lecture series on theatre inspired an interest which continued into high school, and eventually led to her major in college. Since then, Cuskey has had various opportunities to travel across the country for acting, directing, and graduate school, where she completed her master’s in Oregon and her Ph.D. in Kansas. When asked to describe some of her firsts and more defining moments in theatre, Dr. Cuskey gave us a peek into her career.

Cuskey first describes her time as an actor in “The Laramie Project” during high school – she says the experience taught her more about being queer and the intolerance faced by the LGBTQ community. As an actor, Cuskey also mentions one of her favorite performances in “She Kills Monsters” for its introduction to various types of stage combat as well as her ability to take on a role other than a motherly figure. However, as a director, Cuskey points to “A Man of No Importance” as one of her favorites. A musical full of an abundance of movement, intimacy, choreography, and combat to play with, Cuskey notes that this production was a fantastic training ground for her as a director.

However, while her career was blooming, Cuskey found herself wanting more. A life in theatre often means a life always on the move with little time to stay stable in one place – or, as Cuskey reminisced, very little time to grow good tomatoes. Inspired by her desire to continue to teach theatre to students, as well as her interest in the rich and diverse arts community here in Alabama, Cuskey decided BSC was the place to be.

From being able to get to know everyone in our small campus community to exploring new curricula for students, Cuskey has no shortage of things to be excited for in this upcoming term. She describes a particular interest in E-Term, ideas for classes ranging from students creating their own musical from the ground up, to a class teaching the basic dance, movement, stage combat, and physical training needed in theatre.

But, what Cuskey says she is most looking forward to is something we can all be excited for in the very near future. Described as one of Cuskey’s dream productions to direct, students and professors alike can look out for “Head Over Heels” as BSC’s next musical to debut. The production is scheduled for November 18, 19, 20 at 7:30 p.m. and November 21 at 2:30 p.m in the College Theatre. (Stay tuned for details on tickets and COVID-19 protocols.)

Fun, joyfully queer, and wonderfully campy with learning objectives in combat and dancing, “Head Over Heels” is a jukebox comedy that has been one of Cuskey’s favorites for many years.

“It will be a really fun productive challenge for me,” she says, “and a really fun productive challenge for the company.”

The details of the musical itself will not be spoiled here, but you can rest assured this production will bring delight and laughs aplenty.

Cuskey brings to the table a brilliant elation for theatre, as well as a distinct scholarly mind for queer and feminist history that is sure to inspire.

Welcome to the Hilltop Dr. Cuskey; we give you a standing ovation!