Dalhousie Stage Design and Technical Theatre grad profile, Kathleen Burke

From science to stage

While completing her BSc in Biology at Dalhousie, Kathleen Burke really enjoyed her time working on student-led Dalhousie Theatre Society (DTS) extracurricular stage productions.

“By the time I graduated, I knew I didn’t love lab work, and I wasn’t excited by the idea of doing a master’s degree just to stay in the field,” says Kathleen. “If I was going to do another degree, I wanted it to be in something I was truly passionate about.”

That decision led her to Dalhousie’s technical theatre and stage design program, where hands‑on learning, mentorship with industry professionals, and collaborative problem‑solving are baked into the curriculum.

Kathleen Burke as DalTheatre's 2026 The Odyssey lighting board operator. (photo contributed by Naomi Dansi)

Building confidence

From her very first year, Kathleen found herself immersed in course assignments which support the the Fountain School’s stage productions. One of her more joyful early memories is working on DalTheatre’s Euripidaristophanize, as part of the student carpentry and paint crew. She was tasked with building set pieces resembling the ruins of Ancient Greece.

“I had a huge bucket of concrete patching compound, and I had so much fun piling it on and shaping it to look like crumbling stone,” remembers Kathleen.

Experiential learning defines the Fountain School’s approach and shapes its curriculum. Technical theatre students don’t just study set design, they literally build it, learning through repetition, trial and error, and collaboration.

“I’ve been on a lot of scenic carpentry crews, and fabric always felt like my nemesis.” says Kathleen. For a week’s worth of crew call hours, Kathleen climbed ladders on the Sir James Dunn Theatre stage to iron out frustratingly wrinkled fabric wall panels on the emerging set of Three Sisters.

In her final semester Kathleen was named Head of Carpentry for DalTheatre’s Macbeth.  Every wall in the set’s circus tent-inspired design was to be made of fabric. Yes, fabric. Instead of avoiding the challenge, faculty encouraged her to keep experimenting and to learn from failure.

“I was terrified,” says Kathleen. “But doing it over and over again let me get a feel for how fabric behaves. Of all the sets I’ve worked on, that’s definitely the one I’m most proud of.”

DalTheatre's 2026 Macbeth's dustbowl circus tent inspired set, with Kathleen as head of carpentry. Ensemble members of Macbeth. Directed by Matthew Walker, Set Design by Sean Mulchay, Costume Design by Catherine MacCaughan, Lighting Design by Grace Watson (Kate Hayter Photography)

Crafting her craft through collaboration

Kathleen credits the Fountain School’s strong culture of feedback and collaboration, and being treated like a developing professional, with her ability to grow, and strengthen her varied skills. Structured check‑ins with instructors each semester, along with end‑of‑term production postmortems involving faculty and senior students, created space for conversations and setting goals for the next term.

“It lets you know how you’re doing, and it gives us a say in what crews we’ll work on in future shows.”

Across her degree, Kathleen has acquired a broad practical skill set, learning everything from furniture joinery, upholstery and rigging to basic welding, lighting design, and calling shows. “Not only do I feel ready to work in professional theatre,” says Kathleen. “but it's also really boosted my confidence and made me feel more capable overall.”

Carpentry crew member Kathleen Burke modifying DalTheatre's 2025 Everybody's catwalk. (photo contributed by Mia Larche)

Passion turned profession

Post graduation, Burke has already been hired to put those skills to work. This summer, she’s head of props at Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre, joining a production team staffed with several other Fountain School alumni.

As she begins her career in props and scenic carpentry, Kathleen suggests new students give unfamiliar paths a chance.

“Be open to trying different things,” she says. “I came in to the Fountain School wanting to be a stage manager and now I'm graduating having focused on props and carpentry!”