Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE), the professional Equity theater company in residence at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC), announced its 2024-2025 three-play season today. The season opens with Paul Slade Smith’s hilarious political satire, “The Outsider” directed by Kurt Naebig (Sept. 5-Oct.6). It will be followed by Connie Canaday Howard’s staging of “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley,” the second in a trilogy of plays by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon based on the beloved characters from “Pride and Prejudice” (Nov. 14-Dec. 15). Guest director Steve Scott returns to direct his tenth work for BTE and the final play in the season, “Native Gardens” by Karen Zacarias (Jan. 30-March 2).
“At BTE we’ve always sought to give stories life, as we explore new ideas and provocative issues through the production of quality theater. This year we are continuing that exiting journey,” says Managing Artistic Director Connie Canaday Howard. “However, we also know newscasts and life challenges seem to be making a harder hit our personal constitutions these days,” says incoming Interim Managing Artistic Director Amelia Barrett. “With that in mind we created a season of plays still dealing with important ideas and issues prompting some thoughtful reflection, while giving our audiences a chance to take a break from daily life and return reenergized and renewed.”
BTE’s 2024-2025 three-play season is as follows:
“The Outsider”
By Paul Slade Smith
Directed by Kurt Naebig+*
Sept. 5 – Oct. 6
Preview: Thursday, Sept. 5, Press Opening Friday, Sept. 6
Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursday - Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday
The Outsider is a timely and hilarious comedy that skewers politics and celebrates democracy. Ned Newley is the worst candidate to ever run for office…he has no political instincts and a fear of public speaking. While Ned seems destined to fail, his political consultant sees things differently. “Paul Slade Smith has managed to write a play about politics that’s not only genuinely and consistently funny but has something eloquent to say about the meaning of leadership” (San Diego Union Tribune).
“The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley”
By Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon
Directed by Connie Canaday Howard+
Nov. 14 – Dec. 15
Preview: Thursday, Nov 14; Press Opening Friday, Nov. 15
Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursday - Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday (No show Nov. 28; Added matinee Nov. 30)
Tickets: $44
As the events of Miss Bennet unfold upstairs at Pemberley, during the same celebration the servants below find themselves in the midst of a different holiday scandal. An unwelcome visitor has arrived in the middle of the night disrupting holiday preparations – George Wickham, Lydia’s incorrigible husband and Mr. Darcy’s sworn enemy. “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley” is the follow up to BTE’s 2023 smash hit production of "Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” and the second in the trilogy.
“Native Gardens”
By Karen Zacarias
Directed by Steve Scott
Jan. 30 – March 2
Preview: Thursday, Jan. 30; Press Opening: Friday, Jan. 31
Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursday - Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday
Tickets: $44
Pablo, a high-powered lawyer, and his very pregnant wife, doctoral candidate Tania, have purchased their first home, which is next door to community stalwarts Virginia and Frank. Soon a disagreement over a long-standing fence line derails Pablo and Tania’s plans for the American Dream with an all-out war of taste, class, privilege and entitlement. The hilarious results guarantee no one comes out smelling like a rose in this smash-hit comedy. “Witty and fun, ‘Native Gardens’ is a must-see event” (Picture This Post).
Tickets
BTE’s 2024-2025 Season performances will take place in the Playhouse Theatre of the McAninch Arts Center located at 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of College of DuPage. Subscriptions are now on sale. Those subscribing by June 5 save 25% off single show ticket prices. Subscribers after that date receive 20% off single show ticket prices. A Season Flex-Pass is also available redeemable for each production during BTE’s 2024-2025 Season. Subscriber benefits include free ticket exchanges, invitations to subscriber nights, a subscription to the SuBTExt newsletter, 10% discount at the MAC Gift Shop and two complimentary tickets to a COD student performance. Single show tickets go on sale July 24.
About Buffalo Theatre Ensemble
The mission of Buffalo Theatre Ensemble 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. Since 1986 BTE has staged more than 120 productions.
The Ensemble members are Aly Renee Amidei, Robert Jordan Bailey*, Amelia Barrett* (Incoming Interim Managing Artistic Director), Bryan Burke* (Business Manager), Robyn Coffin, Rebecca Cox, Lisa Dawn, Nick DuFloth, Jon Gantt, Connie Canaday Howard* (Managing Artistic Director), Christopher Kriz^, Michael W. Moon, Kurt Naebig*, Laura Leonardo Ownby, Galen G. Ramsey*, William “Sandy” Smillie, Kelli Walker and Norm Woodel. For more information about BTE, visit www.btechicago.com.
*Denotes member of Actors’ Equity; ^Denotes member of United Scenic Artists
Buffalo Theatre Ensemble is partially supported and funded by generous grants from Arts DuPage, Choose DuPage, College of DuPage Foundation, The Norm Woodel Inspiration Fund, the DuPage Foundation, Benevity, Illinois Arts Council Agency and the generous support of the College of DuPage Trustees and the McAninch Arts Center Staff.
About The MAC
McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage is located 25 miles west of Chicago near I-88 and I-355. It houses three indoor performance spaces (the 780-seat proscenium Belushi Performance Hall; the 186-seat soft-thrust Playhouse Theatre; and the versatile black box Studio Theatre), the outdoor Lakeside Pavilion, plus the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and classrooms for the college’s academic programming. The MAC has presented theater, music, dance and visual art to more than 1.5 million people since its opening in 1986 and typically welcomes more than 100,000 patrons from the greater Chicago area to more than 230 performances each season. For more information visit www.AtTheMAC.org.