Karla Burns Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

“Show Boat,” has died. She was 66.Burns’ sister, Donna Burns Revels, confirmed her June 4 passing in Wichita, Kansas, following a series of strokes, according to The New York Times.

Karla Burns (1954–2021), Tony-nominated singer and actressJohn Paragon (1954–2021), played Jambi the Genie on “Pee-wee’s Playhouse”Henry “Nacho” Laun (2021), reality star on “Wahlburgers”Ernie Lively (1947–2021), “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” actor and Blake Lively’s fatherBobby Unser Jr.

Karla Burns, an actress and singer whose acclaimed performance as Queenie in the musical Show Boat earned an Olivier Award and a Tony Award nomination, died June 4 in Wichita, Kansas, following a series of strokes. She was 66.

Karla Burns was a singer and actress who became the first Black person to win England’s prestigious Laurence Olivier Award, for her performance in “Show Boat.”Among Burns’ most notable roles was Queenie in “Show Boat,” in which she debuted in 1982 with the Houston Grand Opera. After premiering in Houston, the show traveled to venues including Broadway’s Gershwin Theatre and the London Palladium.