Born and raised in Chicago, Ms. Strus’ hard edges were forged in the town’s Ukrainian Village, and honed in stage work in some of the most prestigious theaters of her native city and around the globe. She recently moved to Los Angeles after appearing in Henry IV: Parts 1 and 2 at The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre in Stratford, England.
After the RSC gig, she spent months traveling throughout Eastern Europe, spending most of her time in Ukraine, the country from which her parents emigrated. She sampled life and conducted interviews there long enough to be inspired for her next project, on Chernobyl, alcoholism, whores and hope, though not necessarily in that order.
This Spring she shot the pilots I’m with Stupid for NBC directed by Linwood Boomer (creator of Malcolm in the Middle) and Playing Chicken for FOX with Norbert Leo Butz and Bill Burr. She also won the LA WEEKLY THEATER AWARD for BEST SOLO PERFORMANCE for her one-woman show, it ain’t no fairy tale.
Ms. Strus is a member of The Neo-Futurists, as well as being a shameless name-dropper (see above). Fellow ensemble member Greg Kotis is Tony award-winning playwright of Urinetown! the Musical. She has written and performed in Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind (Chicago’s longest running show) in New York, San Francisco, Sibiu, Romania and at the HBO sponsored U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado.
She has appeared in many Steppenwolf Theatre productions including Hysteria directed by John Malkovich (Oops. Dropped another.) Our Town, Whispering City, and her commissioned, critically acclaimed solo show, it ain’t no fairy tale. (Now in its 2.0 version with bonus divorce material!)
Her first solo show Too Busy To Be Famous performed to sold-out houses at The Second City’s Donny’s Skybox Theatre in Chicago and at PSNBC at HERE in New York. Other Chicago credits include Loves Labours Lost, Merry Wives of Windsor, Henry IV: Parts 1 and 2 (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Pirate’s Lullaby, Big Love (Goodman Theatre), SLAVS!, Go Away. Go Away, (European Repertory Theatre). Regionally, her credits include work at the Humana Festival at Actor’s Theatre of Louisville and Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).
Her film credits include 50 First Dates, Miss Congeniality 2, Stir of Echoes, Soul Survivors, The Secret (Best Supporting Actress – Ijijic Film Festival – Mexico), Design, (Official Sundance Entry) and the upcoming Moonpie with Michael MacDonald and Stephanie Weir.
Television credits include guest star appearances on Crossing Jordan, Early Edition and Cupid and she recently finished two seasons as Dr. Xavier on Nickelodeon’s Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide.
Lusia was named one of the city’s Top 10 Actors by the Chicago Tribune and was among the Elite 8 Actresses named by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Ms. Strus is the recipient of the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Principal Actress for her work in Go Away. Go Away, and was honored with the 2005 Young Women Achievers Award presented by the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America. Both of these (particularly the latter) have made her mother very happy because she likes dusting trophies.