Denise Burse (Dot) is a native Atlantan, now living, and working in New York City. Ms. Burse is
a graduate of Spelman College, and Atlanta University. She had a long and prosperous career
honing her craft in Atlanta, at the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Children’s Theatre, Jomandi, and
Just Us Theatre, before setting off for the bright lights in the big city of New York. One of her
first jobs after moving to New York, was at The Billie Holiday Theatre in Brooklyn, where she
recently returned to do “The Old Settler” with Pauletta Washington, written by John Henry
Redwood in the newly renovated facility housed in The Restoration Plaza. Ms. Burse is a recent
recipient of an Emmy Award for her ensemble performance in “San Junipero” an episode on
the hit Netflix series, “Black Mirror,” written by the creator of the series Charlie Brooker.
Some of her other fin and television credits include “Greenleaf”, “Anesthesia” “Peace, Love,
and Misunderstanding,” starring Jane Fonda. “Preaching to the Choir,” “Funny Valentine,” with
Alfre Woodard, Loretta Devine, and CCH Pounder. Ms. Burse has worked on Law and Order,
Law and Order Criminal Intent, and Law and Order SVU. She can still be seen as Claretha
Jenkins (the noisy neighbor) on reruns of Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne”
Denise has worked on the Broadway stage, in Lincoln Center’s “An American Daughter” by
Wendy Wasserstein. Off Broadway, in The Cherry Lane production of “Harriet’s Return.”
American Place Theatre’s Rabbit Foot by the late Leslie Lee, (received a Theatre World Award),
and an (Audelco Nomination). Off Off Broadway New Federal Theatre’s “Robert Johnson
Tricked the Devil” (received an Audelco Award) Ohio Theatre’s “Angela’s Mixtape.” “Flyin’
West” by Pearl Cleage at the Kennedy Center with the late Ruby Dee. Ms Burse, played Rose
in the True Colors Theatre’s inaugural production of “Fences” by August Wilson. Her theatre
career has covered many of the regional theaters across the country. Most recently in the
2016/2017 season at Seattle Repertory Theatre, as Lena in Kimber Lee’s “Brownsville Song…b
side for Trey” (Gregory Award nomination), and as Lena Younger in Lorraine Hansberry’s “A
Raisin in the Sun.”
It’s good to be back home, back at True Colors and back working with Kenny.