BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble’s 45th Season begins this September 15th with the eerie Lucas Hnath play ‘The Thin Place.’ Since its inception as an ensemble theatre in 1978, BTE has produced exciting shows and immersive educational programming for our community and the surrounding area. Season 45 brings with it new faces, a world premiere, and shows for all ages!
BTE’s first show, ‘The Thin Place,’ brings audiences into New York City, where Hilda, whose grandmother tried to train her to read minds as a child, is desperate to get in touch with the other side. She finds comfort in Linda, a mentalist who claims to know ‘the thin place’ that separates the living and the dead. Eerie and unsettling, audiences will be questioning what is real and what is imagined by the end. The play runs from September 15th
to October 9th. Performances are on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm. Special Pay What You Decide nights are scheduled for September 15th, 16th, and 17th at 7:30pm. Reserve your seat for free and choose your own price after the show!
A family tradition returns to our stage with ‘A Christmas Carol.’ BTE’s newest Resident Acting Company member Aaron White has adapted the beloved classic with new eyes to create a brand new production filled with spectacle, wonder, and music! Good for all ages, this show begins November 25th and runs until just after Christmas, with bonus performances December 26th – 28th. For a full performance schedule, please visit our
website at www.bte.org.
Another holiday tradition, our annual Food Preview, will be the 2pm performance on November 25th. No advance tickets or reservations are necessary, just bring a few canned goods or non-perishable items for donation to the Bloomsburg Food Cupboard and see ‘A Christmas Carol’ for free! Come early, as the line often extends around the block!
Starting off the new year is ‘White Rabbit Red Rabbit’ by Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour. For three nights only, one of our professional actors will take to the stage having never before seen the script. The stage manager hands them the sealed envelope, and off they go! ‘White Rabbit Red Rabbit’ is a high wire act that an actor only performs once, teetering perilously between comedy and high-stakes drama. This show will be performed January 12th, 13th, and 14th at 7:30pm, with a new performer each night.
A world premiere lands on BTE’s stage with a new adaptation of Luigi Pirandello’s classic ‘Six Characters in Search of an Author.’ Bloomsburg University Associate Professor of Theatre and Dance David A. Miller has reworked this absurdist work specifically for this co-production with Bloomsburg Players, intertwining the story of the six characters who have lost their author, with the Resident Acting Company itself. Performances begin February 23rd and run to March 12th, with Pay What You Decide nights for the first three performances.
April brings a fresh comedy in the form of Bess Wohl’s ‘Grand Horizons.’ When Nancy and Bill, married for decades, calmly decide to divorce while having dinner, their shocked families descend to talk them out of it. Funny and heartwarming, this show runs from April 27th to May 21st, with Pay What You Decide nights for the first three performances.
As a special treat to our audiences who love musicals, BTE is hosting ‘Showstoppers: A Broadway Revue’ June 1st through 4th. This presented event will bring glitz and glamour to the Alvina Krause Theatre stage, with professional vocalists belting out beloved songs from Webber to Sondheim and more! This event is included for our monthly subscribers. Season Ticket Package buyers can get their tickets for just $20 each.
Our summer family show ‘Dragons Love Tacos’ is based on the popular children’s book by the same name. Readers of this story know that when hosting a taco party for dragons, be sure to leave out the spicy salsa! The show runs July 6th to the 23rd, and is great for all ages.
Since its creation, BTE’s goal has been to show that theatre is “as important to its community as schools and churches.” (Quote by founding Artistic Director Alvina Krause.) As we begin our Sapphire Season, we carry that vision with us. Our community gives BTE its purpose and inspiration, and in turn BTE strives to be a thriving center of community and cultural engagement through theatre and arts education, and to promote creativity,
inclusion and dignity for everyone.
In order to make theatre accessible to all, we have a number of programs to ensure tickets are affordable for everyone. Through our Pay What You Decide nights and Food Preview matinee, patrons can pay as little as $0 to attend our shows. To support BTE’s continued work, we offer a monthly subscription for $12/month, and discounted Season Ticket Packages. There are individual ticket discounts for seniors, young professionals, and students. Bloomsburg University students pay only $9 with a valid ID, and high school students in IU16 can come for free, thanks to our patrons who sponsor Project Discovery. For details and further information, please visit our website at www.bte.org!
Founded in 1978 as an artist-driven, community-based resident ensemble, BTE creates innovative work with local and national impact. Today, BTE produces a lively mix of classic and contemporary plays and original theatre education programs for all ages. For more information about our shows and programs, please see www.bte.org.