Mark Cuddy, GeVa Theatre Center's Artistic Director and CEO has announced that Bonnie Butkas will be the theatre's new Director of Development as it enters its 38th Season.
Ms. Butkas is a native of Western New York and graduated from the University of Buffalo with double degrees in Dance Performance and Journalism. From 1998-2001 Ms. Butkas was the Managing Director of Bristol V
Alley Theatre in Naples during four seasons of unprecedented growth. She spent eight years in New York City as Director of External Relations for the
York Theatre Company and Director of Development and Communications for the TADA! Youth Theater. While in New York, Ms. Butkas also did work for Disney Theatricals, Whitney Museum of American Art, NYMF 2007 and Creatively Speaking Film Festival. She was also co-founder of the Lexington Dance Collective.
She returned to the Rochester area in 2009 and, just prior to her appointment at Geva, was the Associate Director of Corporate Relations at RIT. She resides in Bristol with her husband and daughter.
"Bonnie brings a career dedicated to advancing the arts through philanthropy, and has achieved tremendous success wherever she has been," said
Mark Cuddy. "The Geva family warmly welcomes such a dedicated and talented individual, and we feel fortunate to have someone of her ability join our terrific staff. Her energy and enthusiasm is infectious."
Ms. Butkas begins her new position on Monday, July 5 and joins the Development Team of Annual Fund Officer Judith Ricker, Special Events Coordinator Jennifer Galvez Caton and Development Administrator Hope Johnson.
GeVa Theatre CENTER
GeVa Theatre Center is Rochester's leading professional theatre and the most attended regional theatre in New York State. Founded in 1972, Geva attracts over 170,000 patrons annually, including more than 16,000 students. The 552-seat Elaine
P. Wilson Mainstage offers a wide variety of shows, from musicals to American and world classics.
The 180-seat Ron & Donna Fielding Nextstage is home to Geva's own series of cutting-edge drama, comedy and musical theatre; Geva Comedy Improv; Geva's New Play Reading Series and the Hornet's Nest - an innovative play-reading series facilitating community-wide discussion on controversial topics. The Nextstage also hosts visiting companies of both local and international renown.
GeVa Theatre Center offers a wide variety of educational, outreach and literary programs, nurturing audiences and artists alike. For the past fourteen years the organization has been led by Artistic Director
Mark Cuddy.
