J. Theresa Bush (she/they) USA Local 829 & Associate Professor of Costume Design & Technology at University of Southern Mississippi. Research centers social justice in pedagogy & practice. They received an MFA in Theatre from Virginia Commonwealth University & a BA in Theatre and English from Sewanee: University of the South.  

Associate Costume Designer to Toni-Leslie James, credits include A Wonderful World Broadway in New Orleans with Martian Entertainment and the Historic Saenger Theatre, Flying Over Sunset Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center, Head of Passes Berkeley Rep, Familiar Yale Rep & Bull Durham Alliance.

Design: 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. 

Technology: 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 regional houses including Repertory Theatre of St. Louis & Lexington Children’s Theatre. They served as Dolly Parton’s alterations specialist 2007-08.

Awards include the USM’s 2020 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 for digital rendering technology.

Theresa is Affiliate Faculty with Theatrical Intimacy Education & Fellow of TIE’s Educator Advocate Program C’22.

Interests include urban cycling, lap swimming, spirituality, community service, literature, and cats.