Christine McBurney
Actor|Director|Coach|Writer
SAG-AFTRA * AEA * SDC
NYC * CLE * MTL
Director
“...emotionally astute...gripping...stellar...inventive...stalwart direction...”
Regis County Invitational Track Meet by Sarah Groustra, NYC | Moon in the Mirror Cleveland State University |
---|---|
Moon in the Mirror NYC | Death of an Unvirtuous Woman Cleveland Public Theatre |
Playwrights Local Cleveland, OH | Rubber City Theatre Akron, OH |
Shaker Heights High School | |
Directors Lab West Los Angeles | Directors Lab North Toronto, Canada |
Shakespeare's Globe London, England | Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab 2019 |
Shakespeare Workshop The Juilliard School |
Click Image for Directing CV
A DOLL’S HOUSE - CLEVELAND CRITICS' CIRCLE AWARD FOR SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT
"...a standout production...not to be missed...brought to rousing life by the Mamai Theatre Company... under the emotionally astute direction of Christine McBurney.
~Andrea Simakis, Cleveland Plain Dealer
"A smart and stirring turn under Christine McBurney’s fast-paced and quietly gripping direction. An iconic piece of theater not to be missed."
A Doll's House
Mamaí Theatre Company
Playhouse Square, 2017
Photos: Bob Perkoski
Moon in the Mirror
Cleveland Contemporary Players
Cleveland 2020 & NYC 2021
Telemann's Funeral Cantata
Apollo's Fire, 2019
“...inventive..."
Romeo and Juliet
Rubber City Theatre, 2019
Photos: Hazen Tobar
The Woman Hater by Frances Burney (US Premiere)
Cleveland, OH 2016
Photos: Bob Perkoski
“Under Christine McBurney’s stalwart direction, all this makes absolute sense and unfolds with remarkable dexterity, speed and humor. In fact, 'The Woman Hater' is thoroughly entertaining.”
“Stellar staging... beautifully directed by Christine McBurney with particular attention given to the thread of frivolity that weaves its way through the script.”
“That this union [of Mamet and Wilde] is such a lustful, satisfying one — especially under the kinetic, knowing direction of Mamaí Theatre Company’s Christine McBurney.”
~Andrea Simakis, Cleveland Plain Dealer
The Critique of the School for Wives
Baldwin Wallace University, 2019
Photo: Tom Shirilla
Recent Directing
Death of an Unvirtuous Woman by Suzanne Ondrus, Cleveland Public Theatre
Twelfth Night by Shakespeare, Guest Director, Ashland University
This is not Ramona's Fault by Mara Layne, Playwrights Local
Entanglement, by Les Hunter, Playwrights Local/Radio on the Lake
Tribunal, by Mark Milo Kessler, Playwrights Local
BrainWorks, (AD) Nine Network Public Media (St. Louis); Seth Gordon, Director
The Nether, (AD) Dobama Theatre, Shannon Sindelar, Director
Shaker Heights Theatre Arts Department Directing -- Visit Educator Page
Small but mighty Mamai Theatre Co. suspends operations.~ Crain's Cleveland Business
Mamai Theatre Company bows out of Cleveland arts scene -- for now. ~Cleveland Plain Dealer
Bernadette Clemens,
Executive Artistic Director
Christine McBurney,
Co-Artistic Director
Production Photos on FB
Mamaí & the Co-Founders
Mamaí Theatre Company was co-founded in 2010 by Bernadette Clemens, Wendy Kriss, Christine McBurney, and Derdriu Ring; and established as a 501(c)3 in 2012. Our mission is to create intelligent, relevant classical theatre that offers an artistic home for Cleveland theatre artists and equal opportunity for women in the professional theatre community. Mamaí (pronounced MAH-may) is the Gaelic word for "mother". Four working mothers, theatre artists, colleagues, and friends arrived at a place where it was time to create their own opportunities. "Don't wait to create" became our motto. From 2010-2012 we completed a financial planning phase for sustainability and exploratory artistic projects hosted at venues such as Cleveland Public Theatre and Playhouse Square.
We engaged public as well as invited audiences as well as area professional theatre artists before emerging with our inaugural 2013 season in Cleveland Heights, during which The Plain Dealer noted that Mamaí "has made a howling entrance onto the city's artistic scene." Our award-winning 2014-2016 seasons in Historic Tremont and downtown Cleveland were supported by growing audiences, critical acclaim, as well as public and private grants. Mamaí's four completed seasons have garnered resounding support from the community. The company contractually employed 70 women and 17 union actors belonging to Actors' Equity Association among its greater numbers of theatre artists and technicians hired since 2013, and ushered economic activity into venues' neighborhoods by engaging over 2,000 audience members annually through artistic and educational programming. Mamaí celebrated its 5th season by moving to Playhouse Square.
September 2017
Mamaí Suspends Operations
Mamaí Theatre Company has announced that it is suspending all operations indefinitely as of December 31, 2017 while it investigates new avenues of sustainability. The company values the many partners and patrons who have contributed to Mamaí’s success, but the company’s operations have grown past the capacity of the current staffing model. Board president David Schiopota notes, “Despite numerous accolades and significant investment from many within the Cleveland theatre community, Mamaí Theatre leadership has struggled to find an administrative solution that can sustain the long-term health of the company. Even with a resoundingly successful debut at Playhouse Square this year, building an artistic company of this caliber is an enormous effort.”
Executive Artistic Director Bernadette Clemens acknowledges the impact of this news on artists and audiences who have witnessed the company’s rapid growth. Speaking of the company’s accomplishments, Clemens notes: “Each year, Mamaí’s grant funding doubled, tripled or quadrupled in total dollars. We saw a balanced budget that grew on average over 40% per year. Our budget in our 5th season was over 400% of our inaugural budget. To me, that says that the women who co-founded Mamaí, the people who led Mamaí, and the community that backed Mamaí’s mission, have something to say. It is something critical, and it was heard. People are still listening.”
Co-Artistic Director Christine McBurney adds, “It has been a dream to fill a neglected niche by providing intelligent, relevant, classical theatre to this community and beyond, with plays that we wanted to see in Cleveland, told by Cleveland artists -- women’s stories from the classical canon, written by the world’s master playwrights.”
Mamaí leadership remains avidly engaged in exploring opportunities to ensure a legacy for the organization and its mission. Thank you to the 7,000 community members who came to our programming in Mamaí’s five-year history. Thank you to more than 100 artists and technicians who have worked with Mamaí and brought their skill to Northeast Ohio stages in plays uniquely produced by Mamaí. Thank you to partner organizations who collaborated in Mamaí’s success. Thank you to the public and private granting entities which have supported intelligent, relevant classical theatre and equal opportunity for women in professional theatre in Northeast Ohio.
What our Patrons say...
'Mamai is a first-class company, on the level with Stratford and Shaw festivals (though tinier!) Thank you, ladies, for the compelling artistry you have shared with us! You are much deserving of a sabbatical and time to figure out administrative solutions. But I do not believe that Cleveland should let this company die. And I don't believe we will!'
~Jeannette Sorrell, Artistic Director – Apollo's Fire
'I have seen Arcadia 3 other times: the original in London, in Ashland Oregon at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and at the Shaw Festival in Niagara on the Lake. ..this production was their equal. Thank You!'
~LaBrynda Linka
“Thank you for doing something so courageous and so exciting. I really don't know where to begin with this email. I'm never lost for words (ask anyone), and hardly ever use superlatives. Medea is one of the most incredible productions I have ever seen. The direction and the work by the actors is so magnificent. Let me just say...Thank you!”
~Leslie Varnick, premiere Northeast Ohio vocal coach
Press
2017
A DOLL’S HOUSE
Cleveland Plain Dealer Year in Review 2017 A DOLL'S HOUSE is a standout on Northeast Ohio stages
Cleveland Scene's The Best of Cleveland Theater in 2017: A DOLL'S HOUSE
2017 Cleveland Critics Circle Awards for Mamaí Theatre Company
A DOLL'S HOUSE is #1 of the Top Ten Most Memorable Theatre Moments in Cleveland Theatre, 2017
"...a standout production...not to be missed...brought to rousing life by the Mamai Theatre Company...under the emotionally astute direction of Christine McBurney. Cleveland Plain Dealer
"A smart and stirring turn under Christine McBurney’s fast-paced and quietly gripping direction. An iconic piece of theater not to be missed." Cleveland Jewish News
"A stellar production by Mamai." Cleveland Scene
"An excellent production...great theater." ~Cool Cleveland
http://wclv.ideastream.org/wclv/mamai-theatre-presents-a-dolls-house
THE TESTAMENT OF MARY
http://www.news-herald.com/article/20170707/FEATURES/170709600
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2017/07/the_testament_of_mary_at_mamai.html
http://www.ideastream.org/wclv/mamai-theatre-presents-the-testament-of-mary
2017
Mamaí moves to Playhouse Square
THE WOMAN HATER
Mamaí Resurrects Lost Lampoon 'The Woman Hater'
http://wclv.ideastream.org/wclv/mamai-theatre-company-presents-the-woman-hater-christine-mcburney
LADY WINDERMERE’S FAN
http://wclv.ideastream.org/programs/sound-of-applause/mama%C3%AD-theatre-lady-windermeres-fan
TOP GIRLS
http://wclv.ideastream.org/wclv/mamai-theatre-presents-top-girls-jaime-bouvier
2015
DEATH AND THE MAIDEN
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2015/07/a_stellar_cast_and_tennessee_w.html
http://wclv.ideastream.org/wclv/mamai-theatre-company-christine-mcburney
http://wclv.ideastream.org/wclv/mamai-theatre-company-christine-mcburney
THREE SISTERS
http://wclv.ideastream.org/wclv/mama%C3%AD-theatre-company-bernadette-clemens
http://www.axs.com/mama-theatre-company-s-production-of-anton-chekhov-s-three-sisters-soa-56696
2014 CRITICS AWARDS
CLEVELAND CRITIC CIRCLE AWARDS
http://clevelandtheaterreviews.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-cleveland-critics-circle-awards2014.html
CJN ABELMAN AWARDS
SCENE THEATRE AWARDS
http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/scenes-theater-awards-for-most-of-2014/Content?oid=4467469
BEST THEATRE OF 2014
http://www.ideastream.org/programs/sound-of-applause/best-theater-2014
10 MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS IN CLEVELAND THEATER, 2014 EDITION
http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/features/article_12ed0368-8484-11e4-8218-0bf609699ab0.html#.VI8oE6mhXoA.facebook
Local Playwright Eric Coble's STRANDED ON EARTH
‘Stranded on Earth’ a convoluted mystery worth unraveling
'Arcadia': Mamai Theatre takes on Tom Stoppard's time-shifting masterpiece (review)
Challenging ‘Arcadia’ given a stellar staging
Complex and Compelling: Arcadia by Tom Stoppard Gives Your Brain a Vigorous Workout at Mamai Theatre
Arcadia, Cleveland Public Theatre and Inlet Dance Theatre at Cain Park
Mamaí Theater Company’s production of ‘Woman and Scarecrow’ lives
Dance of Death: A Dying Woman is the Focus of the Powerful, Splendidly Performed Woman and Scarecrow
Mamaí Theatre’s ‘Woman and Scarecrow’ offers more than meets the eye
10 Most Memorable Moments in Cleveland Theater, 2014 Edition
Best Actress in a Non-Musical: Derdriu Ring, STRANDED ON EARTH, Theater Ninjas/Mamaí Theatre Company
Superior Achievement: WOMAN AND SCARECROW, Mamai Theatre Company
Superior Achievement: Pandora Robertson, WOMAN AND SCARECROW, Mamaí Theater Company
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2014/11/derdriu_ring_and_bernadette_cl.html
http://www.axs.com/mama-theater-company-s-production-of-woman-and-scarecrow-lives-26431
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2014/07/arcadia_mamai_theatre_takes_on.html
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2014/06/actress_derdriu_ring_is_the_wh.html#incart_river
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2013/12/local_playwright_eric_coble_ta.html#incart_river
Local Playwright Eric Coble's STRANDED ON EARTH
2013
The Plain Dealer 2013 Entertainment Year in Review: MEDEA
Mamaí is a 2013 Cleveland Critics Circle Award Winner
The Plain Dealer Fall Theatre Preview
Heights Observer: Mamai's First Season, A Hit
Plain Dealer Review: BOSTON MARRIAGE
The Plain Dealer Arts Listings: BOSTON MARRIAGE
Heights Observer: Behind the Scenes of Boston Marriage
WCPN's "The Sound of Applause" with Mamai' Co-Artistic Directors
The Plain Dealer Review: MEDEA
The Plain Dealer Arts Listing: MEDEA
Busy Actress' Next Dream Role Might be Behind the Scenes
A Look at Small Theaters Grabbing the Spotlight
The Plain Dealer 2013 Entertainment Year in Review: MEDEA
Mamaí is a 2013 Cleveland Critics Circle Award Winner
The Plain Dealer Fall Theatre Preview
Heights Observer: Mamai's First Season, A Hit
Plain Dealer Review: BOSTON MARRIAGE
The Plain Dealer Arts Listings: BOSTON MARRIAGE
Heights Observer: Behind the Scenes of Boston Marriage
WCPN's "The Sound of Applause" with Mamai' Co-Artistic Directors
The Plain Dealer Review: MEDEA
The Plain Dealer Arts Listing: MEDEA
Busy Actress' Next Dream Role Might be Behind the Scenes
A Look at Small Theaters Grabbing the Spotlight