faculty SPOTLIGHT

SUSAN MCCLUSKEY

Susan McCluskey is one of the assistant directors of Fine Arts, as well as theater productions coordinator and facilities manager. She works with the Design and Production classes in the Upper School and Middle School. Her greatest pleasure is working with very talented students—K-12— on theatrical productions throughout the year. Susan graduated magna cum laude from Culver-Stockton College with a Bachelor of Science in Arts Management. The combined business/arts degree has lead her to a variety of different opportunites, from theatrical stage management to administrative support of corporate presidents, set dressing to bookkeeping, properties design to marketing design. Susan is active in Atlanta’s professional theatre arena as a stage manager and props designer, having worked most recently with Atlanta Lyric Theatre and City Springs Theatre.

Brian Patterson

Brian Patterson was born in Orlando, FL, but moved to the North Georgia mountains as an elementary student. He grew up in Hiawassee, GA and is the youngest of two children. After graduation from high school, he attended West Georgia College prior to transferring and graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in Technical Theater. He is the proud father of Piedmont College student Haley, who is currently following in the arts education field. Brian comes to Lovett after many years in theater around the Atlanta area. After graduating from the University of Georgia, he moved to the Atlanta area and began freelancing as well as working full-time as technical director and production coordinator for Theater in the Square in Marietta for 14 years. Following that, he was director of technical services for North Metro Church prior to joining Lovett as Technical Director. He enjoys showing young minds the joy he’s found in a career in theater as well as using those talents in everything from furniture and interior design to building campers.

Wesley Forlines

A native of Columbus, GA, Wesley Forlines became involved with the Springer Opera House’s Theatre Academy program at a young age. After earning a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, he took a project management internship with Electronic Theatre Controls in Madison, WI. Since returning to Georgia, Wesley has worked and designed for theatres around the Atlanta area and joined the Lovett faculty in 2016. In addition to co-teaching Theatre Design and Production classes, he designs lighting and scenery for the dozens of performances Lovett produces each year.

The Upper School Theater Arts Program offers four levels of Theater Arts classes, as well as two levels of instruction in Screenwriting and Motion Picture Production. Acting students explore a rich variety of techniques and skills through exercises, improvisation, scene study, and performance. Each semester, students will study under several guest theater professionals, enriching their overall experience. The Upper School produces several main productions a year, as well as a one-act play and numerous video productions. Screenwriting students learn to construct solid story outlines, bold characters,and believable dialogue in their study of the craft of storytelling.