By: Audrey Lutz
In the theater, often amidst a whole lot of chaos, you will find Ms. McCluskey. That’s where I spoke to her the other day to see how she was doing with getting ready to start the year. We sat in the theater where she was wearing her Lovett Theater shirt. Ms. McCluskey has been working at the Lovett school for going on 13 years. Her job title is “assistant director of the fine arts and theater manager (+ props designer).” Though the first performance isn’t until later this fall, she has been running around all week trying to get everything in order for the new and returning students.
Before returning, she and some friends went on a cruise to Greece as well as Turkey. She seemed enthralled when telling me about her trips. When she was sailing the Mediterranean, she was catching up on episodes of “The Great British Baking Show.” She also loves English comedy. “Their humor is my humor,” she says.
I asked her if she had any fears heading into the new year and she said no. Staying positive is a must for Mrs. McCluskey. Staying organized is another must. According to her, she’s pretty fanatical about it. She has been organizing the costume closet and preparing for the shows to come. When it comes to being able to color code, prepare, and make new filing systems, she is the person to go to. One thing that she doesn’t have to plan is what shows the school will produce. (“Fortunately,” she says.) Even though she isn’t involved in choosing the show she is always an open ear.
As the stage manager and props designer, she works with a 3-person team (herself, Mr. Patterson, and Mr. Forlines). They all help teach Design and Production, which is a class you can start taking in the 8th grade. Still, her primary role is working on the productions and helping backstage. She is very excited about this year’s student participation, with lots more people to help work on shows. She’s always hoping for good productions and strong student involvement.
As for working backstage, she practically lives there. Ironically, she says that if she is doing her job right during a production nobody would ever know she was there. It takes a lot of time and effort to make it all seem effortless, and for the people on stage to get all the glory.
Back in high school, she actually was a performer, until her senior year when she was put into the stage manager position and just completely fell in love with it. In college, she worked both on and off stage until she decided she wanted a career in stage managing. She never imagined she’d work in a school, but when she looks back on her past it makes sense to her that she ended up where she is.
She and another teacher here at Lovett were working on a project outside of school and he mentioned that she should come work at the school. Fast-forward 2 years, and she was working at Lovett in the theater. Fast-forward another 13 years and here you have Mrs. McCluskey, the one and only. A loveable teacher to all. The amount of work she puts into the school theater is most definitely overlooked and she deserves a huge standing ovation of her own.
The next step in Ms. McCluskey’s life is to continue working on the preparation for the upcoming productions; not to mention helping students in the classroom with whatever they need.
Finally, as the conversation dies down, I thank her for her time and leave the theater to Ms. McClucksey, who undoubtedly would go back to setting things up for others to get the glory.
