Theater has always been a home for me, a place I could be myself while inhabiting my wildest dreams. That's why I write music, direct, perform, and do all manner of activities to bring stages to life with integrity, professionalism, and a deep care for the stories we tell.
A six-time Speranza Foundation Lincoln City Fellow and two-time SALT Award winner, Patrick Burns is a playwright, composer, director, and performer whose work has been seen off-Broadway, on national tours, and at regional theaters nationwide. He created From Foster Care to Fabulous, winner of the Planet Activist Award, and wrote Lady in the Moon and Life Sentence. He has also served as Production Manager at Broadway Sacramento and taught at CSU Stanislaus, CSU Sacramento, Adelphi University, St. Mary’s College of California, UC Davis. He lives in Sacramento, CA but works everywhere.
News & Recent
-
California State University, Stanislaus | Musical Theatre Faculty, 2026–2027 academic year. Teaching musical theatre repertoire coaching and audition preparation, and serving as Music Director for Alice by Heart in Spring 2027.
-
Saint Mary's College of California | Production Manager for the 2026–2027 academic year, overseeing mainstage theatre productions.
-
Shrek the Musical | Music Director, Sierra Repertory Theatre. Performances begin November 21, 2026.
-
Ready Player Three | Original musical published and available for worldwide licensing through Plays for New Audiences.
-
East Bay Children's Law Offices | Member of the Board of Directors and Youth Voices Consultant, supporting advocacy and legal services for children and youth in foster care.
-
Creative Collaborations | Available for select music direction, composition, creative producing, and new musical and play development projects.
Recent Work
-
The Moors | Production Manager, Saint Mary's College of California, October–November 2026
-
Lincoln City Fellowship | Playwright-in-Residence, Julian Residency & Retreat, October 2026. Developed Swelter in Place, a new play.
-
Pippin | Music Director, California State University, Sacramento, April–May 2026
-
The Drowsy Chaperone | Music Director, University of California, Davis, January–March 2026
-
Thursdays in Juvie: Season 2 | Composer, premiered Summer 2025
Recent Awards & Fellowships
-
Lincoln City Fellowship | Speranza Foundation, 2025 & 2026
-
Creative Growth Fellowship | City of Sacramento Office of Arts and Culture, 2025–2026