Victoria Bussert

Biography

Victoria Bussert has directed more than 500 shows on prominent stages across four continents, including 39 seasons at Cleveland’s Great Lakes Theater and 18 at Idaho Shakespeare Festival, acting as resident director for the sister companies. Her national work includes productions at the Manhattan Theatre Club, York Theatre, Goodspeed Opera, Playhouse Square, Portland Stage, Dallas Theater Center, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Anchorage Opera. Her international credits include Friar Tuck in Russia, The Who's Tommy in Brazil, the Danish premiere of Avenue Q(nominated for a 2012 Reumert Award), and the European premieres of Lizzie and [title of show] for Fredericia Teater in Denmark. Bussert made her London directorial debut with the critically acclaimed production of Lizzie. Recent directing projects include the regional premiere of Ride the Cyclone for Beck Center for the Arts, [title of show] for Playhouse Square, Sunday in the Park with George for Idaho Shakespeare/Great Lakes Theater and Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 which won the 2024 Cleveland Critics Award for Best Musical of the Year.  Her many accolades include a 2019 Cleveland Arts Prize for theater and dance, where the jury praised her directing and teaching. Music School Central named her one of the 10 Legendary Music Professors Teaching Today.