Patrick Burns is an artist and leader whose work bridges the worlds of musical theatre, advocacy, and education. He is best known for his one-man musical From Foster Care to Fabulous, which has been performed at major venues across the country, including its New York debut at the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity where it earned the Planet Activist Award for its outstanding contributions to raising awareness about foster care. The show has been a platform for both artistic excellence and philanthropic efforts, raising funds for foster care organizations nationwide.
Patrick is a two-time winner of the Syracuse Area Local Theatre (SALT) Awards for Best Musical Director, recognized for his work on Carousel and Dreamgirls at the Redhouse Arts Center. His career as a music director and conductor spans regional theaters, university productions, and national tours, including his role as associate conductor for the second national tour of Spamalot. Patrick served as the Production Manager at Broadway Sacramento from 2018 to 2023, overseeing large-scale productions and tours such as Broadway On Tour and Broadway At Music Circus.
A passionate composer and lyricist, Patrick’s current musical Life Sentence explores the far-reaching effects of the prison industrial complex on American families. He has written the score to the musical Madwomen and the show Ready Player 3 which was commissioned by Musical Theatre West and is currently touring through schools in southern California. His written work has been featured in The Atlantic and is supported by the Lincoln City Fellowship.
Patricks’s dedication to blending art with social justice is demonstrated by his involvement with the National Foster Youth Institute, where he worked directly with members of the U.S. House of Representatives to advocate for foster care reform. An experienced educator, Patrick has taught musical theatre at St. Mary’s College of California, Adelphi University, and guest lectured at Syracuse University. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Drama from the University of California, Irvine, where he received multiple honors for his academic and artistic achievements. Patrick currently resides in Sacramento.
