About Us

Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble (BTE) was founded in 1978 by recent graduates of Northwestern University, who relocated to Bloomsburg for two years of master classes with legendary acting teacher Alvina Krause (1893-1981).

Under Krause's inspiration, we established a resident ensemble of actors, directors, writers, and teachers who are empowered to articulate the theatre's mission and determine its artistic programming. Our goal was for a theatre that would, in Krause's words, be "as important to its community as schools and churches."

Nationally, BTE is a leader in the ensemble theatre movement as a co-founder of the Network of Ensemble Theaters. Since 1995, NET has grown into an over 160-member organization to promote ensemble theatre practice, and generate interest in ensemble as a sustainable model for community-based work. Through NET, we toured Letters to the Editor in California in 1998.

For a company based in a small town, BTE is surprisingly international. In 1991, the US State Department selected us to tour The Voice of the Prairie and Along the Susquehanna to five African nations. Two years later, African actors and musicians collaborated with us on a TIC show Under African Skies.

In 2016 Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble was presented the Outstanding Theatre Award by the National Theatre Conference.

Since its founding in 1978, BTE has welcomed and nurtured many new influences to complement the original dream. The successes we have yet to create and risks we have yet to dare are our sustenance.

The Ensemble in 2002. Jerry Matheny, Elizabeth Dowd, James Goode, Gerard Stropnicky, Daniel Roth, Laurie McCants, Tom Byn, Andrew Hubatsek.

Photo by Gordon Wenzel