Mermaids, Sisters and Spongebob Slow Burn Theatre Company Has An Entertaining Year Ahead

Filled with epic fairytales that will take audiences into the woods and under the sea and poignant stories of faith, love and acceptance, Slow Burn Theatre Company announces its 2023/ 2024 season of five Broadway musicals in the Amaturo Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The five musicals are Into the Woods, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, The Prom and Spongebob The Musical.

Into the Woods

The season begins with Into the Woods from Saturday, October 14 through Sunday, October 29 with an opencaptioned performance on Sunday, October 22 at 2 p.m.

The original 1988 Broadway blockbuster brought home Tony Awards® for Stephen Sondheim for his score and James Lapine for his book, only to be followed by a 2002 run that took home the award for “Best Revival of a Musical” and a current Broadway production. Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, the Baker and his wife and Jack and the beanstalk are caught up in an epic fairytale about wishes, family and the choices we make.

This modern classic weaves together a fantastical fairytale of mystery and enchantment with a euphoric score creating a sophisticated musical twist on beloved childhood fables. This production is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International. Into the Woods was originally directed on Broadway by James Lapine with orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick.

The Little Mermaid

Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories and the classic animated film, Disney’s The Little Mermaid delivers a theatrical holiday treat from Saturday, December 16 through Sunday, December 31 with an open captioned performance Sunday, December 24 at 2 p.m. This splashy musical extravaganza put the “sea” in the holiday season with a love story for the ages. When Ariel, King Triton’s youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above, she bargains with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs, but the bargain is not what it seems.

With music by eight-time Academy Award® winner, Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and a compelling book by Doug Wright, the musical features irresistible songs including “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl” and “Part of Your World.” This production is presented through special arrangement with Music TheatreInternational.

Sister Act

Brace yourself Sister for a divine feel-good musical comedy smash hit musical which is joyous and uplifting in equal measures as the Slow Burn Theatre season continues with Sister Act from Saturday, February 3 through Sunday, February 18 including an open captioned performance on Sunday, February 11at 2 p.m. Based on the hit 1992 film and featuring original music by Tony and eight-time Oscar® winner, Alan Menken (Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors), this heavenly hit is filled with the sounds of Motown, soul and disco, and was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. When disco diva, Deloris Van Cartier, witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be a found: a convent! Sister Act has lyrics by Glenn Slater, book by Cheri Steinkellner and Bill Steinkellner and additional book material by Douglas Carter Beane. Based on the Touchstone Pictures Motion Picture, Sister Act, written by Joseph Howard, this production is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International.

The Prom

The Prom, the musical about which Variety raved, “It’s so full of happiness that you think your heart is about to burst,” is presented from Saturday, March 23 through Sunday, April 7 with an open captioned performance on Sunday, March 31 at 2 p.m. Winner of The Drama Desk Award for Best New Musical, The Prom follows four eccentric Broadway stars who are on a mission to transform lives when they discover the plight of a student who just wants to bring her girlfriend to prom and soon her entire town has a date with destiny. Expertly capturing all the humor and heart of a classic musical comedy with a message that resonates with audiences now more than ever, The Prom features a book by Tony Award winner Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone) and Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (Aladdin), music by Tony Award nominee Matthew Sklar (Elf) and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin. This production is presented through special arrangement with Theatrical RightsWorldwide.

Spongebob The Musical

A legendary roster of Grammy® Award winners including Sara Bareillas, Cyndi Lauper and John Legend help bring one of the world’s most beloved characters to the stage as the 2023/2024 Slow Burn Theatre Season culminates with the bold, original musical Spongebob The Musical Saturday, June 8 through Sunday, June 23 with an open captioned performance on

Sunday, June 16 at 2 p.m. Adapted from the iconic Nickelodeon series, SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, Squidward and all of Bikini Bottom face total annihilation — until a most unexpected hero rises to take center stage and the power of optimism saves the world. Based on the series by Stephen Hillenburg with musical production conceived by Tina Landau, the musical has a book by Kyle Jarrow and original songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady A, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants and T.I. The score also features songs by David Bowie, Tom Kenny and Andy Paley. Additional lyrics are by Jonathan Coulton with additional music by Tom Kitt. Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants, and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. This show is presented in arrangement with ConcordTheatricals. Season subscriptions start at $216 and reflect a 20% discount compared to single ticket prices. Ticketmaster is the only official ticketing service of the Broward Center and Parker Playhouse. Buy tickets online at: BrowardCenter.org, or: Ticketmaster.com; by phone at: 954.462.0222 or in person at the Broward Center’s AutoNation Box Office. The Broward Center the Performing Arts is located at 201 SW Fifth Ave. in Fort Lauderdale. For more information, visit: BrowardCenter.org added, “each room was designed to encourage families to spread out, relax and unwind, while also providing separation andprivacywhenit’sbedtime.”

Another advantage to The Surf is the full-size kitchens in nearly every suite. We’re not talking just a mini fridge and microwave here. Each kitchen has all the appliances and accessories to cook a gourmet meal and showcase your inner Julia Child. Partipilo commented on the thought process behind this unique hotel concept by stating, “we wanted to appeal to guests who plan to stay for several weeks at a time or the full season by providing them the space and ability to shop for a week’s worth of groceries, cook their own meals and settle into their new home. No one can, or wants, to eat out every night, so it was important for us to provide the most comfortable setting, just like home, except we can offer a white sand beach and ocean as your new backyard.”

Mr. Partipilo has thought through every detail when it comes to entertaining, even offering a huge patio and barbeque grill to enjoy adrinkoramealwhileyouwatch thesunset.

For those with a flair for adventure, you couldn’t ask for a better location than The Surf. Located right on Hollywood Beach’s famous Broadwalk, you won’t be lacking for things to do with this ideal location. You can walk the Broadwalk and find dozens of bars, restaurants, and shops to pass the time. Guests can also access the Hollywood Beach shuttle for just $1 and traverse to even more entertainment and adventure with easy hop-on and hop-off serviceanywhereacrosstown.

The laid-back vibe at The Surf is by design and was carefully planned out to make guests feel that they’re in their own private retreat without the constant monitoring of an overbearing staff. The hotel offers a contactless check-in and checkout process by providing each guest with a special digital access code prior to arrival, enabling guests to arrive and depart at their convenience. While there is not a dedicated staff on site, guests can communicate any questions, special requests or needs via a text messaging app that is monitored 24/7. It’s the whiteglove concierge service for the 21stcentury.

While The Surf is a 5-star luxury boutique hotel, it offers many affordable rate plans, including deeper discounts for stays lasting a week, a month, or an entire season. Guests are encouraged to book direct at: www.thesurfhollywoodbeach.com where they will receive a 20% direct book discount for all stays. “Our mission has always been to offer the best discounts when guests book directly with us. This way guests don’t have to pay excessive processing fees and service charges like they do when booking on: Expedia.com orBooking.com,”Partipilonoted.

The Surf is very easy to find and has something truly creative that allows this hotel to stand out from the rest. A thirty-five-foot flamingo. Curated by renowned artist, Nathaly Diaz, the flamingo mural was spray painted over an arduous 5-day period. Perched atop a wrought iron scaffold, Nathaly poured her literal blood, sweat and tears into the project. Partipilo discussed how lucky he was to have Nathaly as the resident artist, “I’ve known about Nathaly for years and love her work. It’s creative, fun and ties in seamlessly with the surroundings of the structures she uses for her canvas. We absolutely love the finished product and hope visitors, and guests alike can enjoy the flamingo.” For those curious about Nathaly’s work, we encourage you to follow her on Instagram at: @nvt.art or: www.nvtart.com.

We commend Mr. Partipilo, who is now a full-time resident of Hollywood Beach, for his work and dedication to owning a local business in the community. We asked Mr. Partipilo, who has developed two other high-end hotel properties in Downtown Milwaukee, if this would be his last hotel project. “it’s hard to say if this will be it. I’ve enjoyed the challenge and rewards with every project we’ve done, and truly believe we’ve added value to each community. I love that what we’ve created in the hotel space is different, special and unlike anything else in the market. That’s enough for me… fornow.”

We strongly encourage you to stay at The Surf, it’s worth the trip.