BTE Opens 2024 with "The Outgoing Tide" Feb. 1 - March 3

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE), the professional, equity theater company in residence at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC), presents “The Outgoing Tide,” directed by guest director Steve Scott, Thursday, Feb. 1 through Sunday, March 3. There will be a preview performance Thursday, Feb. 1. Press opening is Friday, Feb. 2. Please note: This play features adult language and situations.

Chesapeake Bay. Gunner has a plan to safeguard the family’s future. Stunned, his wife and son have other plans. Weaving both surprising humor and powerful emotion, this highly relatable story will bring a tear to the eye as it poses thoughtful questions about personal choice, and what it means to truly love someone. “Graham zeroes in on recognizable truths,” says the Chicago Tribune; and The New York Times says, “Its poignant conclusion will have resonance for many in the audience.”

The three person cast features BTE Ensemble members Bryan Burke (Gunner), Connie Canaday Howard (Peg) and Nick DuFloth (Jack).

Beginning his career as a playwright at the Philadelphia Festival Theatre for New Plays (PFT) in 1984 with “Burkie,” Graham became playwright-in-residence at PFT, and later, PFT Artistic Director for two years. Graham was the first American playwright to be invited to the Galway Arts Festival for two years in a row. Additional honors and awards include grants from the Pew Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, recipient of the Princess Grace Foundation Statuette and the Rosenthal Prize for “Coyote on A Fence,” two Barrymore Awards for “Something Intangible” and “Any Given Monday,” and Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Award for Northlight Theatre’s world premiere production of “The Outgoing Tide.”

Scott returns for his ninth production at BTE, where he most recently directed “Andy Warhol’s Tomato.” For more than 30 years he served as Producer at the Goodman Theatre where he is currently an artistic associate and board member. His directing credits include “The Santaland Diaries,” “Ah, Wilderness,” “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” “Blind Date,” the world premiere of Tom Mula’s “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol” and six editions of “A Christmas Carol.” Scott has also directed at a wide variety of professional companies in Chicago. For his work as a director, Scott has received six Jeff nominations, an After Dark Award, and numerous Broadway World Nominations. He received the 2017 Special Jeff Award for his contributions to the Chicago theater community and the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award from the League of Chicago Theatres.

The rest of the design team includes Jacqueline and Richard Penrod (Scenic Design), Aly Greaves Amidei (Costume Design), Christopher Kriz (Original Music and Sound Design), Garrett Bell (Lighting Design) and Rachel Lambert (Properties Design). Stage Manager is Amy Creuziger; Assistant Stage Manager is Riley Skalski.

BTE presents "The Outgoing Tide” by Bruce Graham, directed by Steve Scott at the McAninch Arts Center, located at 425 Fawell Blvd. There will be a preview performance at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1; press opening is 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 2. The play will run through Sunday, March 3. Performances are 8 p.m. Thursday – Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $44.

There will be an ASL performance at 8 p.m., Feb. 22.

For tickets or more information visit AtTheMAC.org or call 630.942.4000. The Box Office is open noon-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and two hours prior to performance.