Buffalo Theatre Ensemble Announces Retirement Of Managing Artistic Director

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE), the professional theater company in residence at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC), has announced that long-time Managing Artistic Director Connie Canaday Howard is wrapping up her 24- year tenure on June 30, 2024. 

Having been involved with BTE as an artist, then Associate Artistic Director, then a founding Ensemble member, and finally Managing Artistic Director, for a remarkable 35 years of the company’s 37-year history, Connie is looking forward to continued involvement as a committed Ensemble member.  Under her leadership and in collaboration with the Ensemble, Board of Directors, College of DuPage, and subscribers, students, and members of the community, BTE has become a well-respected nonprofit organization that produces professional theatre and offers the community a place to connect, learn, and explore. We extend our deep gratitude for her hard work and dedication—work that has led BTE to become a strong and vibrant arts organization.

To ensure a seamless transition into the next chapter, BTE Associate Artistic Director
Amelia Barrett will serve as Interim Managing Artistic Director for the 2024-‘25 season.
BTE is currently initiating a search for Interim Associate Artistic Director for the
upcoming season; that search will be open from April 1 to 30 with the position taking
effect July 1, 2024. The job description for Interim Associate Artistic Director can be
found here: btechicago.com

BTE will also be initiating a comprehensive search for a Managing Artistic Director, ideally
identifying a candidate in the late fall or early winter with the position to take effect July
1, 2025.

Both searches will be led by BTE’s Ensemble, in collaboration with BTE’s Board of
Directors, to find individuals who possess a deep love of theater and BTE’s mission, as
well as the leadership and management skills, experience, collaborative commitment,
and vision to lead us into the future. BTE’s mission is to provide a forum in which
artists, scholars, writers, students, and community members explore new ideas and
provocative issues through the production of quality theater for the enjoyment of its
audiences. The company has pursued this mission through a long-term relationship and
residence with the McAninch Arts Center, at the College of DuPage since its founding in
1986.