Spotlight On: Kasey Cox for Women’s History Month
Tell us a little about yourself!
Kasey Cox is the Director of Theatre and Dance and Assistant Professor of Theatre and Communications at Missouri Baptist University. She is a 2010 graduate of Missouri Baptist University with a bachelor’s degree in musical theatre and a 2014 graduate of Fontbonne University with her Master of Arts in Theatre. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Directing from the University of Idaho, expecting to graduate in spring 2024. Some of Kasey's favorite roles include Sally (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown), Woman 1 (Songs for a New World), Rosie (Bye Bye Birdie), and Jo (Little Women: The Musical). While having directed everything from Shakespearean tragedies to Broadway-style musicals to classic plays, she specializes in dark comedies and fresh spins on classic works. Her directorial thumbprint is best described as collaborative work that best highlights the strengths of each person on her team. Her favorite directing credits include The Crucible, Macbeth, Big Fish, and Little Shop of Horrors.
What does Women’s History Month mean to you?
For me, Women's History Month has always been a time of both reflection and dreaming. The older I get the more grateful I feel for the women before me who saw a future for women that gave them a voice and so many more choices. Now that I am a mother and also mentor many female students, I also think a lot about how the choices I make will affect them in their future. This month provides the opportunity to look back in order to look forward.
Who are some female artists (dance or non-dance) you find inspirational and why?
I work with a staff of almost exclusively women in the theatre department at Missouri Baptist University. Watching them grow in their art, overcome obstacles, and think creatively about how we can build our program inspires me every day. Greta Gerwig is a director that intrigues and inspires me because she is able to tell feminist stories in a way that it compelling and complex, but also because it is evident from interviews and footage from set that she leads with joy and unbridled excitement. I love the idea that women no longer have to be stoic or emotionless to be taken seriously or to create amazing art.“Representation can only go so far without proper support and infrastructure to care for Black artists or any artist of a marginalized identity. While the dance community can improve on supporting not just Black artists, but all artists, I am excited to see how dance evolves and how artists of all disciplines in St. Louis push for a more vibrant, connected, and equitable arts community.”
Favorite female-owned business(es) in St. Louis?:
STL Rhythm Collaborative, Girl Conductor, St. Louis Academy of Dance, and a myriad of theatre women who ARE their business and are creating beautiful art in the gig economy (Katie Orr, Isabelle Scheibe, Lindsey Peters, just to name a few!)
“Keep telling your stories unashamedly, unabashedly, loudly. Stories are the most valuable currency we have. I am fully convinced that women artists bringing their whole, complex selves into the space can change the world.”
Ways to connect with Kasey:
Instagram: @kasealaine @mbutheatre
http://kaseyacox.com