J. Theresa Bush (she/they) USA Local 829 & Associate Professor of Costume Design & Technology at University of Southern Mississippi. They received an MFA in Theatre from Virginia Commonwealth University & a BA in Theatre and English from Sewanee: University of the South. Associate Costume Design credits include A Wonderful World at Studio 54, Flying Over Sunset in the Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center, Head of Passes at Berkeley Rep, Familiar at Yale Rep & Bull Durham at the Alliance.
Theresa's has designed costumes with Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Florida Studio Theatre, Maine State Music Theatre, the Historic Saenger Theatres of New Orleans and Mississippi, The Warehouse Theatre, Southern Arena Theatre, Virginia Rep, New Stage Theatre, & the Actor's Guild of Lexington. Academic designs for University of Southern Mississippi and Sewanee: University of the South. Theresa served as Costume Shop Manager for the Williamstown Theatre Festival 2012 season producing Far From Heaven & The Elephant Man, Playwright’s Horizons. They created costumes for Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Virginia Rep & Lexington Children’s Theatre. They served as Dolly Parton’s alterations specialist 2007-08.
Awards include the 2020 Mississippi IHL Excellence in Diversity Award, Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Award, KCACTF Faculty Excellence, and USM Honor’s College Recognition of Superior Mentorship. Theresa is an Association of College and University Educators certified Faculty Fellow and recipient of the Lucas Endowment Faculty Research Award.
Theresa is Affiliate Faculty with Theatrical Intimacy Education & Fellow of TIE’s Educator Advocate Program C’22. Their professional and academic work incorporates consent-based, trauma-conscious practices.
Interests include urban cycling, faith and justice, the written word, and cats.