Karla Arnetta Burns

24 Dec 1954 in Wichita, Kansas - 4 Jun 2021 in Wichita, Kansas 
 

Karla was born in Wichita, Kansas to Catherine Leonell Scott Burns and Ira Willie Lee, Burns. She is survived by her sister, Donna Burns-Revels, a step-sister, Wilzetta M. Bell and step-brother, Billy L. Burns both of Missouri. Karla attended Dunbar Elementary, Roosevelt Jr. High and graduated from Wichita West High School. She entered Wichita State University and graduated with a double degree in Music and Theatre.

She performed in many productions in Wichita with Wichita Community Theatre, The Crown Players, The Marple Theatre, Wichita Music Theatre and The Crown Uptown Dinner Theatre. She also performed several operas while at the university. For ten years she was a member of the night club act, “The Small Frye Co..” While still in Kansas she flew to New York City to audition for the chorus in the musical ‘Show Boat’ and instead landed the principal role of Queenie. She toured the United States with this production, which eventually ended up on a Broadway stage. In 1984 she earned a Tony nomination for that role as Best Supporting Actress in a musical. A few years later she toured England in the same musical and won England’s highest acting award, the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a musical, becoming the first black person, African American, or otherwise to receive this award. Her numerous roles in the United States, Europe and Africa include: ‘Show Boat’, ‘A Raisin in the Sun’, ‘A, My Name is Alice’, ‘Forty Carats’, ‘A Comedy of Errors’, ‘Hi Hat Hattie’, ‘The Music Man’, ‘Rain’, ‘Sweet Charity’, ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’, ‘Hello Dolly’, ‘Porgy and Bess’, ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’ and ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’.

After residing in New York City for many years, Karla returned to Wichita to help care for her mother. While back in town, she wore many theatrical hats, She performed with Roxy’s Downtown, The Forum Theatre, Gridiron, Laughing Feet and was music director at Mosley Street Melodramas for many productions. She gave private voice lessons to countless fortunate students. She shared her voice with her home church, St. Matthew CME and many, many other area churches. 

Karla is preceded in death by her parents. She leaves to cherish her memory her sister Donna Burns-Revels and host of family and friends and fans.
Karla is truly a treasure from Kansas. She, like Dorothy Gale in the Wizard of Oz, left Kansas in a tornado of talent and landed in the colorful world of New York City and got there by travelling down her own yellow brick road. Along the way she picked up more brains, heart and courage than anyone could imagine. After a whirlwind of adventure, she clicked her heels together and came back to Kansas, because, “after all, there’s no place like home.” Welcome home dear Karla.

In Lieu of Flowers donations may be given to the Karla Burns Memorial, ℅ WSU Foundation, 1845 Fairmount, Campus Box 2, Wichita, Kansas 67260-0002

https://www.thejacksonmortuary.com/obituary/karla-burns