LAURIE McCANTS co-founded the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble (BTE) in 1978, where she co-created HARD COAL, OUR SHADOWS (with Egypt’s Wamda), and SUSQUEHANNA: MIGHTY, MUDDY, CROOKED RIVER OF THE LONG REACH. In 2010, she was named a national “Actor of Distinguished Achievement” through a Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship, funded by the William & Eva Fox Foundation and administered by Theatre Communications Group. She served as President of the Board of the national Network of Ensemble Theaters. She recently directed the world premiere of GUNPOWDER JOE, Anthony Clarvoe’s play about Joseph Priestley. She has performed her solo show, INDUSTRIOUS ANGELS, at the Ko Festival of Performance in Amherst, Massachusetts and at BTE, and hopes to tour it in the future.