Smiles and laughter come naturally to Gena Buhler. She’s settled in well to our Denver team and is ready to hit the ground running. As our head of new business development in North America, she’s already been working closely with our business, sales, and client services teams to better understand our markets, services, and how we use our skills and experience to bring a project (and its community!) to life.
She’ll be using that knowledge to help us build relationships with new clients, understand their dreams, and bring that vision to reality. She’ll also be a key member of our strategic planning team, offering timely and expert advice on project needs, feasibility, and visioning, as well as guidance on artistic programming, operations, and other areas of business and revenue planning as needed.
As someone who loves adventures, Gena is excited about starting a new chapter in her story and joining our team. She says, “I’m delighted to be able to engage with this amazingly talented, smart, and creative group of people who come to work every day excited and full of energy. I’m looking forward to helping Theatre Projects realize our full potential, while being able to collaborate and offer support to my colleagues and friends across North America. Even amid the greater impacts of 2020 to our industry, I’m excited to embark on this new adventure and the challenges ahead.”
Gena joined us in July from the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, Colorado. As the executive and artistic director there, she’d been responsible for producing and growing the Aspen Laugh Festival and the Aspen Mountain Film Festival, launching several community-based programming efforts, and managing Phase III and Phase IV of Wheeler’s historic renovation project. Before that she was the theatre director at Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek (Vail) in Colorado and worked in New York as an agent for The Road Company and a booking manager for IMG Artists.
Her love of the arts is closely matched to her zest for life and love of adventure. We asked her a few questions so you can get to know her better. If you want to chat with her in person, feel free to reach out to her at [email protected]!
Q: What do you love most about Colorado?
A: There is so much to love about living in Colorado, but if I had to pick just one thing it would be how dog-friendly we are as a state. I love being able to take our dog Kona with us on adventures, to a patio to meet up with friends, or just to the office each day.
Q: What do you do to relax?
A: Self-care is a big project for me and making sure I have spare time is really important because my list of places to go and adventures to have is vast (well, pre-pandemic at least!) I do like to be pampered, so I am always looking for recommendations for the best massage in town. At home, I’m also a dedicated Peloton rider, and I watch and listen to a lot of different comics (because laughter is the best medicine!) When it’s good weather outside, you’ll find me enjoying the great outdoors—I’m an avid hiker, paddle boarder, and snowboarder.
Q: Of all your adventures to date, which one was your favorite?
A: The Scottish Highlands. In 2018 my partner and I hiked the 100 miles of the West Highland Way, and we fell in love with the region. Great food (and gin…), amazing people, and so much space to explore! Plus being able to be disconnected from technology and hike for 100 miles in all sorts of crazy weather with the one I love made for a very special experience that I will never forget.
