Mr. Burgess is a playwright, director, actor, producer, lyricist, composer, and teacher with over thirty years professional experience. His plays and musicals have appeared Off-Broadway and regionally. His teleplays have appeared on PBS and in syndication, and he was a staff writer for the soap opera CAPITOL. He is the author of two screenplays and a book of short stories for children. He has directed, produced, or acted in over fifty plays and musicals. Some of his plays include: THE FREAK; THE DEATH OF DRACULA; PLAY IT AS IT LIES; CLOSETS; DUSKY SALLY; CHEESECAKE PROPOSAL; FELIZ CUMPLEANOS. His musicals include: A COUNTRY CAROL(book/music/lyrics); CONRACKI(book); and BATTLECRY(book/lyrics).

Mr. Burgess is Co-Founder President/CEO of Quill Entertainment Company, a nonprofit educational organization that creates and produces original history musicals for children in grades 3-7 and for families (www.quillentertainment.org) and www.battlecrymusical.com). To date, Quill has entertained and educated over 40,000 teachers, students, and parents. It opened its new Broadway-style musical, BATTLECRY, with music by Paul Bogaev, in Gettysburg, PA in the summer of 2009.

Mr. Burgess was Director of the Walnut Street Theatre School for seven years and has taught playwriting, screenwriting, directing, and acting at The Wilma Theatre, Widener University, The Academy of Vocal Arts, Trinity College, The University of Central Oklahoma, The Tower Hill School, Arcadia University, and Westtown School, among others.

Mr. Burgess is a graduate with honors of the Phillips Exeter Academy, a graduate of Princeton University with a magna cum laude in History, and an MFA graduate in Directing of The Catholic University of America.

Mr. Burgess was born in Greenville, South Carolina. He has two daughters, Loring and Clara, and currently resides in Greenwich, Connecticut, with his wife, Reba Beeson.

Professional organizations: The Dramatists Guild, The Writers Guild of America/East, The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, The Screen Actors Guild, Actors Equity Association, The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, BMI Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop, and Theatre Artists Workshop.