Kent Burnham and Tracy Liz Miller
Co-Founding Producing Artistic Directors
Kent is currently the Director of Theatre Arts at The Frederick Gunn School and Co-Producing Artistic Director of Connecticut Theatre Exchange (CTX). Previous artistic leadership positions include Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education for Southwest Shakespeare Company from 2015 to 2017. His Southwest Shakespeare directing credits include Wittenberg, The Merchant of Venice (Best Director-Broadwayworld), Pride@Prejudice and the touring productionsof Romeo and Juliet, A Midwinter Night’s Dream, and Twelfth Night. Phoenix directing credits include Doubt (Best Play Nom), Arsenic and Old Lace, as well as Circle Mirror Transformation (Kennedy Center Regional Selection), Tribes, Love’s Labour’s Lost, The Tempest, and Twelfth Night.
Regional directing credits include Sharon Playhouse, Shaker Bridge Theatre, Chenango River Theatre, Theatre at Monmouth, Primary Stages Detention Series, Planet Connections, Boomerang Theatre, Hale Theatre, and Mesa Encore Theatre.
Regional theatre acting credits include Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Ford’s Theatre, Arvada Center, Capital Rep, Penobscot Theatre, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Oldcastle Theatre, Saratoga Shakespeare, Chester Theatre, Denver Civic, Sierra Rep, Seacoast Rep, Shaker Bridge, Depot Theatre, and Western Stage. As a professor of acting, directing, and Shakespeare, he has taught at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Grand Canyon University, Nassau Community College, Mesa Community College, and SUNY-Albany.
TV credits include: Law and Order, As the World Turns, One Life to Live, All My Children, Melrose Place, and General Hospital. Film credits: Discord, Long Lost Love.
He has a BA in Theatre from Hofstra University in New York and anMFA from The Shakespeare Theatre Company /Academy for Classical Acting in DC.
Tracy is a Washington, CT based theatre-maker residing with her family of humans and cats. Former Director of Theatre Arts at Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Chandler, Arizona. Co-Founding Producing Artistic Director of The Bridge Initiative: Women in Theatre, www.bridgeinit.org. Co-Founding Producing Artistic Director of Connecticut Theatre Exchange. Current: Full-time faculty at University of Rhode Island Department of Theatre. Selected professional directing credits: Upcoming: Almost, Maine at The Warner Theater. The Moors by Jen Silverman at Bridge Street Theatre, Gidion’s Knot by Johnna Adams at Stray Cat Theatre/Tempe Center for the Arts, Much Ado About Nothing at Southwest Shakespeare Company, The 12 Dates of Christmas by Ginna Hoben at Class 6 Theatre, Titus Andronicus at Improbable Fiction Theatre Company in NYC, several new play readings and workshops. Associate Member Society of Directors and Choreographers. Academic directing: A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare, Into the Woods by Sondheim and Lapine, Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson at URI, A Love Story at Western Connecticut State University, Men on Boats by Jaclyn Backhaus at Arizona State University, Fiddler on the Roof, Good Night Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet, Eurydice, A Christmas Carol, Mother Hicks, Man of La Mancha, Almost, Maine at Chandler-Gilbert Community College. Acting: Upcoming: Bonnie in Come From Away at Sharon Playhouse. Most recently: Mrs. Greene in The Prom at Sharon Playhouse. Bianca in a staged reading of The Taming at Sharon Playhouse. Selected professional acting credits: Sarah Weddington in ROE at WAM Theatre, Alonsa in The Tempest at Saratoga Shakespeare Company, Titania/Hippolyta in Midsummer at Southwest Shakespeare Company, Dora in The Swan at Chester Theatre Company, Molly in Dusk Rings a Bell at Shaker Bridge Theatre, Julius Caesar in Julius Caesar at Tennessee Shakespeare Company, Tekla in The Creditors at Miscreant Theatre Co in NYC, various new play development workshops. Member AEA/SAG/AFTRA/SDC/ATHE. MFA Acting from Alabama Shakespeare Festival/University of Alabama. BFA in Music Theatre Performance from Western Michigan University. www.tracylizmiller.com
Choosing the Artistic Life. Being theatre-makers and educators, Tracy and Kent have a deep appreciation for the various stages of artists’ personal and professional journeys. The often risky but incredibly fulfilling lifestyle centered around theatre creation can lead to choices that can often seem daunting. Finding a place that can be both a respite from the everyday stresses as well as a boon for creativity is not only a balm to the soul but a tremendously powerful tool for change.
Parent/Caretaker Advocacy. Connecticut Theatre Exchange is honored to be partnering with PAAL, Parent-Artist Advocacy League from our inception. The vision is to include all artists in whatever stages of their lives, including caretakers of other family members, allowing for their artistic lives to continue while they maintain the deep familial human connections within their chosen family structure. We welcome an ongoing dialogue about each artist’s unique familial situation and hope to work towards honoring their needs. For more information on PAAL, please see their website https://paaltheatre.com. For questions about arrangements for your time at CTX, please email Tracy at tracylizmiller@gmail.com.
Intersectional Inclusion. We aim to give experiences to those that may have experienced systemic oppression as challenges to their success. And we envision a learning environment for all, with a diverse offering of programming from a diverse offering of voices. CTX exists on the fully-accessible campus of The Frederick Gunn School in Washington, Connecticut.
Life-Long Learning. We believe in personal and professional growth and welcome all ages and all stages of careers over the age of 18 for participation at a CTX residency. Special offerings for artists under the age of 18, such as the CTX Shakespeare Camp for ages 12-16, are offered as well.
A Special Place Away. Connecticut Theatre Exchange, and the artists we invite to come, aim to be excellent stewards of the buildings and grounds of The Frederick Gunn School and strive to exist harmoniously with those that live and work on the beautiful campus in Washington, CT. Our vision is to become an exciting infusion into the community of Northwest Connecticut and to develop lasting relationships with the residents and businesses that reside alongside CTX.
CONNECTICUT THEATRE EXCHANGE is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit corporation in the state of Connecticut.
Board of Directors
Elected February 11, 2024, for a period of two years
- Wheeler Gum, President
- Sarah Leathers, Secretary
- Corena Chase, Treasurer
- Emily Kent
- Jamie Spannhake
- Marla Truini
- Matthew Woodhall
Artistic Advisory Board
CTX is actively seeking artists from diverse backgrounds and experiences to help guide our organization. Please connect with us if you are interested.
- Kimiye Corwin
- Andrus Nichols
- Erik Lochtefeld
- Liz Duffy Adams
- Chris Coffey
- Jason Paul Tate
- Aaron Munoz