AV俱乐部

Building a future, from science to stage

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

鈥淏y the time I graduated, I knew I didn鈥檛 love lab work, and I wasn鈥檛 excited by the idea of doing a master鈥檚 degree just to stay in the field,鈥� says Kathleen. 鈥淚f I was going to do another degree, I wanted it to be in something I was truly passionate about.鈥�

That decision led her to AV俱乐部鈥檚 technical theatre and stage design program, where hands鈥憃n learning, mentorship with industry professionals, and collaborative problem鈥憇olving are baked into the curriculum.

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

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Building confidence, literally

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

鈥淚 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,鈥� remembers Kathleen.

Experiential learning defines the Fountain School鈥檚 approach and shapes its curriculum. Technical theatre students don鈥檛 just study set design, they literally build it, learning through repetition, trial and error, and collaboration.

鈥淚鈥檝e been on a lot of scenic carpentry crews, and fabric always felt like my nemesis.鈥� says Kathleen. For a week鈥檚 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鈥檚 Macbeth. 听Every wall in the set鈥檚 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.

鈥淚 was terrified,鈥� says Kathleen. 鈥淏ut doing it over and over again let me get a feel for how fabric behaves. Of all the sets I鈥檝e worked on, that鈥檚 definitely the one I鈥檓 most proud of.鈥�

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

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Crafting her craft through collaboration

Kathleen credits the Fountain School鈥檚 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鈥慽ns with instructors each semester, along with end鈥憃f鈥憈erm production postmortems involving faculty and senior students, created space for conversations and setting goals for the next term.

鈥淚t lets you know how you鈥檙e doing, and it gives us a say in what crews we鈥檒l work on in future shows.鈥�

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. 鈥淣ot only do I feel ready to work in professional theatre,鈥� says Kathleen. 鈥渂ut it's also really boosted my confidence and made me feel more capable overall.鈥�

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

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Passion turned profession

Post graduation, Burke has already been hired to put those skills to work. This summer, she鈥檚 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.

鈥淏e open to trying different things,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 came in to the Fountain School wanting to be a stage manager and now I'm graduating having focused on props and carpentry!鈥�

AV俱乐部 BA Stage Design and Technical Theatre 2026 graduates (L-R) Jessie Sanders, Cadence Cook, Kathleen Burke, and Eden Reshef.