Texas Performing Arts’ Bob Bursey on Bringing Broadway to Austin and Building the Next Generation of Arts Audiences
The Tony Award–winning Executive Director is elevating UT Austin’s performing arts program to national prominence
When Bob Bursey arrived in Austin in 2020, he was already an accomplished arts leader, having just won a Tony Award as a producer on Broadway. After two decades in New York, the chance to return to his wife’s home state — and to lead one of the country’s most dynamic university-based arts organizations — was too compelling to pass up.
“I’m married to a Texan,” Bursey shares. “And so that thing that people say is true about Texans always coming back to Texas. That was part of it — and also the incredible opportunity that existed here.”
That opportunity, specifically, was heading up Texas Performing Arts (TPA), a multifaceted cultural institution based at the University of Texas at Austin. While TPA had a strong legacy, Bursey saw untapped potential.
“There was a feeling that there was more opportunity — that it could be more for the university, for the city and for our country,” says Bursey. “We’re one of the top-ranked public universities in the world, and I want everyone to feel like there’s something here for them — to be inspired by, to learn from or to just enjoy.”
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Connecting students to the arts
One of Bursey’s core passions is connecting professional arts experiences with student learning. Through TPA, one of the largest student employers on campus, students from any field can gain real-world skills by working in roles from backstage to the box office.
“We’re one of the largest performing arts centers in the country in terms of the number of performances, the number of people that attend and the size of the budget,” says Bursey. “But what makes us different from other freestanding performing arts centers is our connection to the university. We’re in touch with 52,000 of our state’s best and brightest students every day.”
Educational expansion
Beyond UT Austin students, TPA has also placed a strong emphasis on educational outreach to local elementary, middle and high schools. The Heller Awards for Young Artists, a major program celebrating high school musical theater talent, will operate under TPA’s umbrella in 2026.
Additionally, In 2023, the organization launched a new initiative: a special daytime school performance of a Broadway show, made possible by newly secured funding. The first of these featured “Peter Pan” and filled the theater with 3,000 students — many experiencing the magic of Broadway for the first time. Students traveled from as far as 100 miles away, underscoring the reach and impact of this special experience. Building on this success, TPA expanded its K–12 programs in the 2024–25 season to serve 16,000 students across Central Texas.
“It is so important to me that future generations of Austinites and Texans are able to have their first artistic experiences here,” says Bursey.
Curating Broadway for Austin
With over 200 performances annually, TPA’s programming reflects Austin’s diverse tastes. Bursey and his team curate three core series: Broadway in Austin, featuring large-scale national tours; Texas Welcomes, a mix of comedy, concerts and family shows; and an internationally curated Performing Arts Season with experimental theater, global dance and classical music.
Austin has become a top destination for Broadway tours, now presenting 10 shows annually — up from six before Bursey’s arrival — often outpacing Dallas and Houston. This growth is fueled by Austin’s rising profile, enthusiastic audiences and a ticket subscriber base of over 15,000, which gives producers confidence in local support.
As a Tony voter and Broadway League member, Bursey travels frequently to New York, seeing every show in a given season — 42 last year alone — and uses that insight to curate a season that resonates with Austin audiences.
“A big part of my job is advocacy for Austin,” he says. “This is an amazing city, and it deserves to be part of the first national tour of a Tony Award-winning musical — or the next big Disney show going on the road.”
Bursey looks for compelling stories, strong music (especially important in the Live Music Capital of the World) and shows that speak to Austin’s younger, adventurous demographic. Local ties, like “The Outsiders” featuring music by Austin’s Jamestown Revival, are a plus.
“We always look for balance within the season,” says Bursey. “To have new musicals alongside classics, to have things that are really sophisticated for cultured, adult audiences and things that are also great for families. Put all of that together into a balanced package, and that is where the magic is.”
A stage for innovation
More than 400,000 people attend TPA events annually, and Bursey sees it as a civic duty to present programming that reflects the region’s full diversity. The season features international stars like Lang Lang, national groups such as Mark Morris Dance Group and local favorites like Carrie Rodriguez and the Miró Quartet, alongside partnerships with groups like Texas Book Festival, Fusebox and KUT. Bursey envisions the center as an incubator for new work, offering artists space, resources and student collaborators to experiment and create. Pilot projects have already welcomed test audiences to provide feedback on works-in-progress, deepening the connection between artists and community.
“I want this to be a place where new work is developed — where artists are supported not just to perform, but to experiment and create,” he says.
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