David Thaxton Biography

David Thaxton (born 12 May 1982 Neath, South Wales) is a British musical theatre and opera performer. He recently starred in the Donmar Warehouse's Passion, for which he won the 2011 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He previously appeared as Enjolras in the West End production of Les Misérables. In March 2011, he joined the cast of Love Never Dies, undertaking the role of Raoul de Chagny.

Training

He attended Grimston Primary School and Springwood High School in King's Lynn, Norfolk, and subsequently won a scholarship to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, following a four year vocal studies course, where he was awarded Young Welsh Musical Theatre Singer of the Year 2005 and was runner-up in the Kathleen Ferrier Young Singers' Bursary. He was also a member of Only Men Aloud!.

Early Theatre

As a member of the National Youth Music Theatre, he was part of the world premiere of Richard Taylor's Warchild. He was a soloist at the opening gala for the Wales Millennium Centre in 2004 and created the role of the Wolf in the world premiere of John Doyle's The Tailors Daughter (Welsh National Youth Opera). Other work includes Foreman in Trial by Jury, and the subsequent Chandos recording (BBC National Orchestra of Wales, St David's Hall), Nick Shadow in The Rake's Progress (Wales Millennium Centre), Sweeney in Sweeney Todd (Norwich Playhouse), Harasta in The Cunning Little Vixen (Cardiff Sherman) and Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucretia.

Les Misérables

From 2005 to 2007, David Thaxton was an ensemble member in the London production of Les Misérables at the Queen's Theatre, playing the parts of Courfeyrac and Bamatabois, and understudying the roles of Enjolras and the Bishop of Digne (both first cover). He was part of the 21st Anniversary Cast, performing at the special BBC Radio 2 concert.

In 2008, he returned to Les Misérables, now as principal Enjolras. After the cast change in June 2009, he stayed on for the 2009/2010 season as well. He left the show on 19 June 2010, having played the role to much acclaim and attention from the public.

Passion

In March 2010, Thaxton was confirmed to have accepted the offer to play the part of Giorgio in the Donmar Warehouse revival of the Sondheim/Lapine musical Passion alongside Elena Roger and Scarlett Strallen, with previews starting on 10 September 2010 and opening night on 21 September 2010. He won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

Love Never Dies

David Thaxton portrayed Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny in the second cast of Love Never Dies, taking over from Joseph Millson who portrayed Raoul in the Original Cast. He played this role at the Adelphi Theatre opposite Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom and Celia Graham as Christine until it closed on 27 August 2011.

Unborn Twin

David Thaxton is a member of the band Unborn Twin (formerly Glasgow Coma Score). On 12 January 2012, they announced that they would be issuing their first EP (Distort and Merge EP) and on 12 April of the same year would play a concert at London's Bush Hall. Following on from this the band released the CD and download single Suffer This, and have played several shows at venues such as Norwich Arts Centre, 93 Feet East and the Dublin Castle in Camden. The band plan to continue with further releases and concerts in 2013.