Director and actor Gerard Stropnicky is one of the founding members of the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble (BTE), one of the oldest resident ensemble theaters in the U.S. Founded in 1978, BTE’s work celebrates and confronts the joys and difficulties of life in rural Pennsylvania. Stropnicky attended Northwestern University and Catholic University. He has acted in over 100 BTE roles and has directed 31 of its productions. He also works with other communities to create shows using local stories in places such as Harlan, Kentucky, and Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia.