Cusi Cram

Cusi Cram is a playwright, screenwriter, filmmaker, teacher, occasional performer, and a passionate advocate for women in the arts. Cusi is also one of few people who can claim to be of Bolivian and Scottish heritage --her parents met at the U. N. Her writing work for television includes, three Emmy award nominations for her work on WGBH's Arthur. She has written for numerous other animated children's programs. She also wrote for two seasons on the Showtime series, The Big C, starring Laura Linney. Her play, Dusty and the Big Bad World, was optioned by Points West Films (Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt's production company). Cusi's most recent directing work includes an episode of This Thing Film's web series, Like So Many Things. Her film, Wild & Precious, was made in conjunction with AFI's Directing Workshop for women, where it was awarded both The Adrienne Shelly and Nancy Malone awards. The film has played at over 15 festivals around the country and won several awards.

Cusi's plays have been produced by the Public Theater, LAByrinth Theater Company, Primary Stages, New Georges, South Coast Repertory, and the Denver Theater Center, and the Willamstown Theater Festival, amongst many others. Her play, A Lifetime Burning, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Her work as a director and writer has been supported with grants and fellowships from the Ford Foundation, the Herrick Theater Foundation, The Bogliasco Foundation, The Camargo Foundation, and The Stillpoint Fund. Her most recent collaboration, Camp Kappawanna, with music by Lisa Loeb appeared at the Atlantic Theater and was a New York Times' Critics Pick.