Burns performed in regional theatre at Papermill Plyhouse, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, and Northern Stage, among other places, for the first six years of her career.
From July 2010 to June 2011 Burns starred as Elphaba[REF] in the first national tour of Wicked ( Irene nomination for Best Performance), opposite Chandra Lee Schwartz and later Amanda Jane Cooper as Glinda [REF].