A Letter from Managing Director

Dear Friend of BTE,

While the end of our 46th season and Elizabeth Dowd’s retirement marks the end of an era, it is also the beginning of the next phase of BTE’s remarkable story in Bloomsburg, PA. We have some changes in the works and as a valued supporter and member of the BTE community, we are sharing this letter to give you a “behind the scenes” understanding of these changes.  

We imagine you are aware that BTE, like many theatres across the country, has been deeply affected by the global Covid pandemic. We have watched numerous well-established and respected institutions falter and even close. We have personally seen significant reductions in ticket sales and attendance at our programs, labor and material costs have skyrocketed, and we have lost several long-term employees. 

In an effort to ensure the viability of BTE’s legacy as an artistic staple of our community, we are embarking on a new chapter with a clear goal of celebrating our 50th Anniversary Season starting in the fall of 2027.

We are keenly aware that in order to achieve our goal, we need to evolve and adapt to the changing times and circumstances. That which has served us well in the past cannot necessarily sustain us in the same way going forward. 

The Ensemble and our Board of Trustees have been thoughtful and strategic about what will come next. For the past six months, we have been working with Rooted Evolution, a consultancy that guides organizations through critical moments of change and discovery. We have looked holistically at our programmatic, financial, and staffing structures with these primary questions in mind:  

  • How do we retain the core identity of BTE while evolving to meet the realities of these times? 

  • How do we “right-size” the scale of our work to realistically align with our staffing and budgetary capacity? 

  • What is the compelling creative vision we imagine for BTE’s future as we approach our 50th Anniversary Season?  

At the heart of this process is BTE’s steadfast commitment to Bloomsburg and our surrounding communities. Our mission is to provide ensemble-driven professional theatre and arts education to rural Pennsylvania. We rely on the support, participation, and engagement of our local communities to flourish. Our dedication to continue serving everyone in our community fuels our drive to succeed, especially during these challenging times. 

Here’s a look at the changes ahead in Season 47:

FOUR MAINSTAGE SHOWS

Historically, BTE has produced five to six major productions each year. This season, we have determined that four is the “right size” for our current capacity. Our lineup begins with a fresh, comedic adaptation of A Christmas Carol devised by BTE’s Resident Acting Company, under the inspired pen and direction of Amy Rene Byrne. As winter nights grow longer, we invite you into the suspenseful world of Stephen King’s Misery by William Goldman, a psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. As spring rolls in, prepare to be enchanted by the timeless and magical tale of The Little Prince by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar, adapted from the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry; a story sure to touch the heart in all of us. As the days grow longer and warmer, beat the heat and join us for Sideways Stories from Wayside School by John Olive, adapted from the Louis Sachar novels; a play sure to delight young audiences and their families.

FALL PLAY READINGS

While the mainstage season does not start until the Christmas show, we could not deprive our audiences of theatre this fall! We are presenting Playtastings: an exciting series of staged play readings at venues around our community. Join us to hear titles that are in consideration for future BTE seasons– your feedback is welcome. For more information check out www.bte.org/playtastings.

PRESENTED & SPECIAL EVENTS

In addition to our mainstay community fundraising efforts, Treefest and Raise the Region, and seasonal performances from BTE Improv, we have several new events on the docket this Spring and Summer. In May, we’ll present A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, a one-woman musical that follows the original Country Pop Legend’s climb to stardom.  In June, former Ensemble member David Moreland will return with The Great and Powerful Dave!, a magic show for the whole family.  In August, we’ll host BTE Bash, a new fundraising event with live music and more.

BTE’S NEW RESIDENT ACTING COMPANY MEMBER

We are excited to announce that Resident Acting Company Candidate Kimie Muroya has become the newest full member of the Resident Acting Company! Kimie won your hearts with her remarkable talent in previous roles, including standout performances in Witch, Sanctuary City, and Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson– Apt. 2B. In addition to her inspiring work onstage, she has excelled in the classroom, sharing her knowledge and expertise with community youth. As a resident member of our Artistic Team, she will continue to contribute her exceptional skills to our organization, working alongside Aaron White and Amy Rene Byrne and the rest of the artistic team to bring this season’s plays to life. We are excited to see the creativity and passion she will bring in her new role.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Growth takes care and time. To create the space needed for planning and visioning, we will not be hosting Fall Theatre School or High School Theatre Workshop Day this season. We will return with a full pallet of educational offerings in the winter including Winter Workshops and the premiere of a new Theatre in the Classroom (TIC) show in the spring. TIC will tell the story of Frederick Douglass with the talented cast of Discovering Frederick Douglass: The Remarkable Life of a National Leader. We look forward to High School Theatre Workshop Day’s triumphant return in 2025!

NEW TICKETING SYSTEM

We are excited to announce that we are upgrading our ticketing system to a new platform, which will enable audiences to manage their tickets and subscriptions more efficiently online. Rest assured, support from our Box Office agents will still be available. Due to this transition, our Season 47 Box Office will open later than usual, on October 1st. Stay tuned for more details on the new Box Office hours and ticketing procedures, which we will share at the end of this month.

ON THE HORIZON: BTE 50 FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

In order for BTE to survive and thrive towards our 50th Anniversary Season and beyond, we need to exponentially increase financial resources. With our Board of Trustees, a newly contracted development consultant, and a two-person in-house Communications and Development team, we will be fundraising at full force over the next four years to bring financial abundance to BTE.  

We are entering a new era with a belief in abundance and creative possibilities. We hope you will join us in shaping our future and I look forward to connecting with you personally in the upcoming months to respond to any questions and feedback you may have for us.

Sincerely,

Jon White-Spunner, Managing Director