Ten years ago, the BurkTech Players began with a simple but radical commitment: to create a space where neurodivergent artists could collaborate, express themselves, and be fully seen through the performing arts. What started as a small, student-driven initiative has grown into something far more enduring: a community, a creative home, and, as Co-Artistic Director Robyn Conner puts it, “a family… full of joy and light and love, which the world needs right now.”
At the heart of BurkTech’s founding was a mission to “provide a nurturing environment to encourage, extol, and extend collaboration” through the performing arts, recalls founding member Sam Shreffler. That mission has remained steady over the past decade, even as the company has evolved with each new generation of artists.
Early defining moments came not from scale, but from firsts: first performances, first collaborations, first productions. Works like The Philadelphia, Baby Food, and A Lonely Impulse of Delight helped establish a foundation of storytelling that is both playful and deeply human—proof of what is possible.
If those first ten years were about building a foundation, this year’s anniversary showcase, Self-Authored, feels like a culmination.
Created to celebrate the company’s tenth anniversary, Self-Authored centers entirely on original work written by BurkTech’s neurodivergent members. For Conner, the inspiration was clear: “I really wanted to showcase the voices of our company members who are on the spectrum. I wanted them to have an opportunity to share their stories and show how amazing they are.”
The result was a deeply collaborative process. Company members were invited to bring in stories—fully formed or just beginning—and, through a process grounded in listening and mutual support, those stories became scripts, songs, and performances. “We all worked together… it was truly a beautiful collaborative effort,” Conner explains.
What emerged onstage was not just a showcase, but a tapestry of voices; each piece distinct in form, tone, and perspective, yet united by a shared sense of ownership and truth.
Mac invited audiences into the imaginative world of Ranger Rabbit: Showdown at Old West Texas, a pilot episode for his original animated series. Shreffler turned inward with From Heart to Home: An Arts Ambassador Story, an autobiographical monodrama tracing his journey as a neurodivergent artist and advocate.
Spencer’s Homecoming Glee celebrated a deeply personal milestone through music, while Abby’s Prairie Princess offered an origin story rooted in identity and self-discovery within a Western frame. And just as vital was Morgan, whose constant encouragement and enthusiasm became an essential part of the creative process; reminding us that support, too, is a form of artistry.
At its core, Self-Authored is about more than performance. It’s about ownership. It’s about creating a space where artists are not only included, but centered; where their stories are not interpreted for them, but told by them. “Authenticity and representation matter,” Conner says. “That is the future of the BurkTech Players.”
That future is rooted in a culture that prioritizes care as much as craft. Rehearsal rooms at BurkTech are built on trust, empathy, and an understanding that every artist’s process looks different. Risk-taking doesn’t mean pushing everyone to the same edge; it means meeting artists where they are. For some, that means stepping fully into the spotlight; for others, it means gradually opening up over time. “We respect that and honor that,” Conner says.
And when it comes to supporting first-time creators, the philosophy is simple and repeated with intention: “Listen, listen, and listen.” It’s a practice that ensures each piece remains rooted in the voice of its creator. “Ultimately, it’s not your show,” Conner adds. “Listen to the people who are telling the story.”
That ethos extends beyond the stage. Over the past decade, BurkTech has become a space where people feel safe to take creative ownership because they are met without judgment. “Your talents are celebrated regardless of skill or training,” Conner says. “By opening up our hearts and our minds, we are able to bring out the best in everyone.”
As BurkTech looks toward its next ten years, the vision expands beyond campus. Conner imagines a fully realized theatre space for adults with disabilities in the Lubbock community, one that offers workshops, outreach, and a place to gather, create, and belong.
There is also a desire to continue developing original work that speaks directly to the community it serves—stories rooted in West Texas, shaped by the voices of the people who live there. Inspired by companies like DreamStreet Theatre, the goal is to create work that feels both personal and place-based.
And yet, even as the company dreams bigger, its proudest achievements remain deeply human. For Conner, pride comes not from productions or milestones, but from something simpler: “the love and support we have for each other.”
That, more than anything, may be the true legacy of the BurkTech Players’ first decade—not just the work they’ve created, but the space they’ve built: a space where artists are heard, where stories are owned, and where, for ten years and counting, people have come together to make something meaningful—and to belong.