Mary Catherine Burke is the Artistic Director of Cape Fear Regional Theatre in North Carolina. CFRT is a 300 seat theatre that produces 3 plays, 3 musicals, a holiday show and a host of other live performance and educational offerings. It has a 1.6 million dollar budget, a million dollar endowment and a healthy reserve fund. It is known for its diverse offerings, in addition to its military outreach. In the past three years, CFRT has premiered 2 Mainstage shows and 2 Children’s shows.

She is a director and artistic leader with an emphasis on new work.  Select new musicals include: The National Tour of NICK JR. MOVE TO THE MUSIC, currently touring the country. MUSIC CITY at Cape Fear Regional Theatre, CHICK FLICK at Millbrook Playhouse, AUSTENTATIOUS and THE ROAD TO RUIN at The New York Musical Theatre Festival, HELP WANTED: PIRATES at Magnet Theatre, THE GAME BOY at Vital Theatre Company.  

New Plays include: DIRT by Robert Schneider-nominated NY Innovative Award, OUT OF THE WATER by Brooke Berman at Studio Tisch, HOUSE OF BASEBALL by Paul Boocock at The Flea-nominated for 2 NY Innovative Awards, DIVING NORMAL at The Fringe- winner Best Ensemble Award, published, ON ISLAND by Michael Domitrovitch at 59e59th. 

She has also directed: SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, TRUMBO, SANTALAND DIARIES and CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG AND THE NIGHTTIME at CFRT. ISAAC’S EYE, FICTION, and TIME STANDS STILL at Amphibian Stage Productions in TX, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE at Mile Square Theatre in NJ, and LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at ReVision in NJ.  In addition to guest directing at Rutgers, Fordham, Columbia, Lee Strasberg, AADA, NYU and The University of Scranton.

Her work has been hailed as “the next off-Broadway hit” by the NY Times, “extraordinary” by The NJ Star Ledger and “Incisive” by the Dallas Morning News.

Mary Kate has also served as the Director of Programming at The New York Musical Theatre Festival from 2013-2015, the Artistic Director of Millbrook Playhouse from 2009-2011 and the Producing Associate of Vital Theatre company from 2008-2009 where she oversaw the off-Broadway transfer of Pinkalicious, The Musical to New World Stages.

She has assistant directed on Broadway, off-Broadway and regionally.  Drama League Fall Fellow.  Member SDC.