Feature: Rest in Peace, KARLA BURNS Friday, June 4, 2021

Karla Burns, a Tony Award nominee, a Drama Desk Award winner, and a Laurence Olivier Award Winner for Supporting Performance in a Musical for the role of Queenie in Showboat, has died today at age 66.

Karla was the first black person, African American or otherwise, to win the Olivier Award.

A graduate of Wichita West High School, she received her BFA in Theatre Performance and a BA in Music Education from Wichita State University. In 2016 Wichita State conferred on her an honorary Doctorate.

Internationally, Karla worked with the Paris Opera, the Teatro Real in Madrid, The Cairo Opera House, and the Royal Shakespeare Company in London. Stateside, she performed at the Metropolitan Opera as Lily in George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, and in Noa Ain's Trio at Carnegie Hall. Karla also appeared in Comedy of Errors as Nell with Marisa Tomei, and as Mistress Overdone in Measure for Measure with Kevin Kline for NYC's Shakespeare in The Park.

Locally, Karla appeared in countless shows, and was musical director for countless more at The Forum Theatre, Roxy's Downtown, and Mosely Street Melodrama. She also had a full roster of voice students and helped many get a leg up on their careers. Karla was loved and cherished by local performers and audiences alike and will be sorely missed.

Funeral arrangements are forthcoming and will be announced as soon as they are available.