Barbara Butts

Barbara Butts serves as an Associate Professor of Instruction in the Department of Theatre within the School of Communication at Northwestern University. With seventeen years of professional experience as a stage and production manager, she brings industry expertise from prominent regional theatres including Goodman Theatre, Missouri Repertory Theatre, Asolo Theatre, Children’s Theatre Company, and Lookingglass Theatre.

Her academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Arts in Technical Theatre with a concentration in stage management from Mars Hill College.

Professor Butts' pedagogical focus centers on Stage Management and Production Management, reflected in courses such as Introduction to Stage Management, Advanced Stage Management, and Production Management. Her professional collaborations span work with acclaimed directors including Robert Falls, Lloyd Richards, and Mary Zimmerman, alongside designers such as Santo Loquasto and Tom Lynch.

A member of the Actor’s Equity Association, she integrates real-world theatre production experience into her teaching, emphasizing practical leadership and technical execution within performance environments.