Our History
Slow Burn was born in August, 2009 by director-choreographer Patrick Fitzwater and actor Matthew Korinko. We noticed a theatrical void in South Florida and made the commitment to do what we could to fill it. Our goal was to produce contemporary, challenging, modern musicals that few, if any, theaters would attempt.
Slow Burn Theatre is a locally based professional theatre company with a mission of providing South Florida’s diverse population with opportunities to experience high quality, challenging, contemporary works of musical theatre through attendance, employment, and/or educational and community outreach programs.
We opened our first show, Bat Boy: The Musical in February of 2010 in West Boca Community High School’s auditorium. In the Fall of 2015, with the Southeastern Premier of Big Fish, we began a partnership with the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale and produce our mainstage titles in the 580-seat Amaturo Theater. Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, which will close our 2018-2019 season will be the 49th musical Slow Burn Theatre has produced.
As we look forward to our 10th anniversary next year, there’s no denying that we’ve grown well beyond our expectations – and have put ourselves among the “big dogs” of South Florida Theatre by receiving the 2018 Carbonell Award for Best Musical for our production of Memphis. Since we became eligible for the Carbonell Awards in 2014, Slow Burn Theatre has received 9 Carbonell Awards and a whopping 73 nominations.
Audiences, peers and critics alike have embraced us, supported us and helped to make us what we are today. Thanks for checking out our website. It means something we’ve done, something we plan on doing, or what we want to accomplish has struck a chord with you. That’s why we do this and we promise to keep the fire burning!
Patrick Fitzwater
Artistic Director and Co-founder
Patrick is a ten-time Carbonell Nominee (six for Best Director and four for Best Choreography) He won a, 2018 Carbonell for his choreography for Memphis and a 2013 Carbonell Award for his direction of next to normal. He is also a three-time Silver Palm Award winning choreographer/director. Patrick is Artistic Director of Slow Burn Theatre and has directed all 48 of Slow Burn Theatre’s shows, including the 2018 Carbonell Award for Musical for Memphis and the 2019 recommended productions of Jekyll & Hyde, You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown and 9 To 5.
Matthew Korinko
Co-founder
Matthew grew up in Wisconsin, attended the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point and graduated with a BFA with a performance emphasis. He was most recently seen as Gabriel Utterson in Jekyll & Hyde. He is a four-time Carbonell Award nominee and has been a member of two Carbonell award-winning ensembles (Indecent, Rumors) Other roles: Legally Blonde (Callahan), Indecent (Mendel), Rock of Ages (Hertz), Memphis (Mr. Simmons), The Secret Garden (Dr. Craven), Titanic (Andrews), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Frollo), Romance, Romance (Alfred/Sam), Big Fish (Amos), Parade (Hugh Dorsey), Sweeney Todd (Sweeney), Side Show (Terry), and Urinetown (Officer Lockstock).
Slow Burn Theatre Board of Directors
President: Mark Traverso
David Diaz
Mariane DiPierro Pavelic
Patrick Fitzwater (Co-Founder & Artistic Director)
Matthew Korinko (Co-Founder)
Secretary: Deborah Marks
Beatriz Miniaci (Honorary)
Jim Ozda
Barbara Valle
Michele Volpe
Development Director: Julie Valent