“I will speak the word and perform it says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 12:25
Kate Burke is an Associate Professor in the U.Va. Department of Drama. A specialist in speaking voice and the spoken word, she teaches all related courses in the Department and serves as voice coach for the annual season of productions. She is a member of the professional Actors’ Equity Association with acting credits in regional theatres across the U.S. and a Past-President of VASTA, the Voice and Speech Trainers Association, Inc. She is an inaugural member of the University of Virginia Academy of Teaching. Burke is Shakespeare specialist, having studied extensively in the U.K. and abroad with Andrew Wade, former Head of Voice at Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Her ministry, “New Lectio Divina/Scripture from the Heart,” was born after a 5-month sabbatical leave and intensive work on text with diverse groups in 8 countries, when Burke hungered for more text immersion experiences. She is answering a divine call to use knowledge of Shakespeare and a deep response to language to enhance the believer’s message to God’s ear, as well as the actor’s messages to an audience. Burke has worked with the following groups and organizations: the Ray and Ann Spence Network for Congregational Leadership, Theological Horizons/The Bonhoeffer House, Sojourners United Church of Christ, Richmond Hill, Bonair Baptist Church, Effort Baptist Church, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Student Ministry, Valley Cursillo, and St. John’s Catholic Church, Waynesboro. This fall she will be offering a series of workshops at Charlottesville’s Mennonite Church. During the summer of 2013 she will be performing at the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Louisville.