Barta Heiner

Barta Lee Heiner is an actress director and professor of acting She has been head of the BFA acting program at Brigham Young University since 1993 In 1992 BYU honored her with the Maeser Teaching Award for her work and dedication to the school She earned her bachelors degree in speech and drama from BYU She completed her masters degree in acting at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco She also studied at the Lee Strasberg Studio and with Estelle Harmon both in Los Angeles California She has acted professionally with the Denver Centre Theatre and has taught and directed for the National Theatre Conservatory Heiner has performed more than 100 roles and directed more than 40 productions She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints and has performed in films produced by the Church or created for members of the Church She played Mary Whitmer in The Fourth Witness and played supporting roles in The Testaments Of One Fold and One Shepherd 17 Miracles Brigham City The Prodigal and most recently The Cokeville Miracle Heiner directs at BYU the Castle Amphitheater the Covey Center and other venues She was both assistant director and associate director for the Hill Cumorah Pageant 19881990 Her services as an acting and dialogue coach and consultant are also in demand and she has worked on the films The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd and Emma Smith My Story She has been involved with a studentmentored film project called Dianthas Crossing a project inspired by her greatgreataunt Mormon pioneer Diantha Farr Clayton Heiner has been an American College Theatre Festival Adjudicator She is a member of the Screen Actors Guild and Actors Equity Association