ABOUT

David Austin’s work as a professional Equity actor/singer has afforded him the opportunity to perform on stages across the world. In New York, he received a rave from The NY Times for his performance in the original cast of ‘I Love You Because’ (book/lyrics: Ryan Cunningham, music: Joshua Salzman, original cast album available on PS Classics). National and international tours took Austin to China and Singapore as Shawn in Brian Yorkey’s musical adaptation of ‘The Wedding Banquet’, and across the U.S. as Jesus in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’. Other New York credits include ‘Mouse/Cookie’, off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel, and his role as Ben in ‘Rags’ at The Nokia Theatre (with Carolee Carmello, Michael Rupert, Lainie Kazan, and opposite Eden Espinosa as Bella). Other notable roles include Freddie (The American) in ‘Chess’, Curly in ‘Oklahoma’, Dickon in ‘The Secret Garden’, Rooster in ‘Annie’, Jack in ‘Into The Woods’, and Pippin in ‘Pippin’.

David’s work as a composer, lyricist, playwright, orchestrator, and vocal arranger has led to thrilling collaborations with the best of the best of Broadway. His songs have been performed and recorded by Tony winners Kelli O’Hara, and Sutton Foster, Primetime Emmy winner Megan Mullally, Saturday Night Live alumni, Ana Gasteyer, TV/film/Broadway heartthrob, Cheyenne Jackson, Caroline in the City’s Malcolm Gets, and Broadway’s finest, including Tony nominees Caitlin Kinnunen (‘The Prom’), and Nancy Opel (‘Urinetown’). He has written the book, music, and lyrics to 26 original musicals, including ‘Writing Arthur Danby’, ‘The Innocence’, ‘Every Little Vow’, and ‘Mr. Scrooge’s Christmas Carol’. His adaptation of ‘The Little Prince’ garnered his accreditation by the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry estate. David's youth-oriented musicals have toured the U.S. with The Children's Division and The Coe Theatre Foundation and have played stages across the world. Original Cast Albums of ‘A Christmas Carol’ and ‘Every Little Vow’ appear courtesy of TMCWorks.

Alongside novelist Iris Rainer Dart, and playwright Thom Thomas, David created the musical adaptation of ‘Beaches’, based on the novel by Ms. Dart, and Garry Marshall film starring Bette Midler. ‘Beaches - the musical’, for which Mr. Austin supplied the music, arrangements, and orchestrations, premiered at The Signature Theatre, then Chicago’s Drury Lane Theatre.

Commissions include ‘Klondike!’, and ‘What Carla Found’ (The 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle), ‘On Common Ground’, and ‘Marta’s Light’ (The Village Theatre, Seattle), ‘Rumplestiltskin’ - an English Panto (Youth Theatre Northwest, Seattle), ‘A Christmas Carol’ (Puget Sound Musical Theatre, Seattle), ‘Robin Hood’ (Skye Theatre, Seattle), and ‘Sarah’s Nose & deBurger Shack’ (Broadway Licensing).

Austin is a proud alumnus of the Tony Award-winning BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writer's Program. In 2013, Mr. Austin was awarded The Stephen Sondheim Artist Citation by Mr. Sondheim at Washington DC's Embassy of Italy.