In what is shaping up to be a big year for The Players as it crests the midway point of its 93rd Season, the nonprofit community theatre has announced the hiring of Steven H. Butler as its new Artistic Director. Butler has roots in the area, growing up in Sarasota and graduating from Sarasota High. Butler joins The Players from Gainesville, Florida, where he most notably served as Executive Director of Florida Theatre Conference, Inc. (FTC), and as Executive/Artistic Director and co-founder of The Actor’s Warehouse, Inc. (AW). His work with FTC saw him refine and develop the organization’s mission and objectives while interfacing with state, regional and national organizations to ensure FTC adopted best practices in community engagement, access and inclusion. At AW, Butler guided the nonprofit’s creation and relocation from an unassuming storefront to a historic church built in 1928 and then through the pandemic. On the artistic side of Butler’s résumé, he brings a wealth of directorial and acting credits around the state, including The Players where he assumed roles in various productions such as Irma la Douce, Carousel, Cabaret, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. As a director, Butler helped produce renowned productions for AW, including Steel Magnolias, Black Nativity, and Satchmo at the Waldorf. Butler begins his role as Artistic Director on February 27, 2023 and will work on carrying out the rest of the critically acclaimed 93rd Season for The Players while planning for the 94th Season. In addition, Butler’s experience with relocating AW to a new location will serve The Players well as it explores new spaces for a more permanent home.