 Terri Schuester is portrayed by actress Jessalyn Gilsig . Prior to her casting in Glee , Gilsig was an established actress in both the television and film industry , but had little theatrical experience . In casting Glee , series creator Ryan Murphy sought actors who could identify with the rush of starring in theatrical roles . For the first two seasons of Glee , Gilsig was billed as a contract player for the show . However , it was reported that Gilsig has been bumped down to a recurring character for the show 's third season , set to air in September 2011 . 
