Faculty Profile for Trad Burns

Biography Section

Biography and Education

Trad A Burns, Lighting Designer

Trad has been designing scenery and lighting professionally since 1989 for theatre, dance, and amusement parks. Recent credits include the world premiere of Carmen, choreographed by Kenneth Tindal; Thrive, Choreographed by Ma Cong; What’s Going On?, choreographed by Val Caniparoli; and Little Shop of Horrors for Great Lake Theatre and Idaho Shakespeare Festival. Upcoming works include world premiers ballets for Penny Saunders, Adam Hougland, Caili Quan, Stephanie Martinez, Ma Cong, and Nicolo Fonte.

Trad has had the privilege of designing world premiere ballets for such notable choreographers as Trey McIntyre, Val Caniparoli, James Kudelka, Edwaard Liang, Annabelle Lopez Ocha, Matthew Neenan, Adam Hougland, Garrett Smith, Jessica Lang, Alejandro Cerrudo, Kirk Peterson, Donald Byrd, Jodie Gates, Gina Patterson, Amy Seiwert, Ma Cong, Andrea Schermoly, Jennifer Archibald, Penny Saunders, Stephanie Martinez, Septime Webre, Devon Carney, Victoria Morgan, Robert Curran, and Sarah Slipper. Over the years, his dance lighting has been seen at American Ballet Theatre, National Ballet of Canada, Atlanta Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Alberta Ballet, Ballet X, The Joffrey Ballet, BalletMet, Louisville Ballet, Tulsa Ballet, Pittsburg Ballet Theatre, Grand Rapids Ballet, Sacramento Ballet, Smuin Ballet, Hubbard Street, and Cincinnati Ballet.

As as theatre designer, Trad’s designs have been see at New York Theatre Workshop (NYC), The Public Theatre (NYC), La Mama ETC (NYC), HERE (NYC), Classic Stage Company (NYC), North Shore Music Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Cleveland Public Theatre, Cain Park, Beck Center for the Arts, Dobama, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Cedar Point, Valleyfair, Knott’s Berry Farm, Kings Island, Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Japan, Disney Sea, Disney Cruise Lines, Carnival Cruise Lines, Universal Studios Florida and Japan, Woodstock Ice Productions and The Family of Charles M. Schulz.

Trad is currently a member of the design faculty for Texas State University’s Department of Theatre, Dance and Film.