David Hawkins is the Artistic Director of Showtune Productions a company developed to advance the form of music theatre through cabaret, concert and theatrical presentations. Hawkins has performed professionally himself with Opera Australia for over eight years, with his cabaret act Nom de Plume nationally and he played the coveted role of Lee Gordon in Shout! The musical of the Wild One for the national tour (Kevin Jacobsen Productions). Hawkins has worked with leading creatives such as Baz Luhrmann, Jim Sharman, and Ross Coleman.
Showtune Productions has opened several venues for Sydney including The Kirk in Surry Hills (1995-2001) Kabarett Junction in Bondi Junction (2001-2003) Kabarett Voltaire first at Bar Me then Seymour Centre (2003-2005). At the venues he promoted such artists as iOTA, Christine Anu, Rodger Corser, Rufus Wainwright (CANADA), Paul Capsis, Toni Lamond, John Bucchino (USA), Faith Winthrope (USA), Margi de Ferranti, Leonie Page, David Campbell, Kane Alexander, Tony Harvey, Anne Wood, Alison Jiear, Micheline Van Hautem (Belgium/USA), Jeannie Lewis, Margaret Roadknight, Deliah Hannah, Combo Fiasco, Monsieur Camembert, and many more.
In 2005 after presenting Tony Award songstress Lillias White to a sell out season and rave reviews @NEWTOWN he has begun to bring more Broadway stars to our shores. He presented Faith Prince @NEWTOWN and at his venue in Melbourne called Sofitel Supper Club, and in August 2006 Chita Rivera made her Australian debut with Showtune Productions playing The Studio at Sydney Opera House and Sofitel Supper Club.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch opened in August 2006 @NEWTOWN to rave reviews and standing ovations every night, it then moved to Melbourne and played the Athenaeum Theatre. A sell out Sydney return season followed in February 2007. The show set the career of Sydney indi-rocker iOTA on fire, after Hawkins requested he audition and then convinced him to stay during the call back process that was unfamiliar for iOTA. Hedwig won Showtune Productions a prestigious Helpmann Award, two Sydney Critic Awards and two Green Room Awards. In October 2008 Hedwig opened at QPAC with Michael Falzon in the title role it then toured North Queensland and a performance at Sydney’s Metro Theatre.
Hawkins has directed three shows first was the New York revue Kooky Tunes with Eddie Perfect, Sharon Millerchip, Kaye Tuckerman and Andrew Benson with Steps by Ross Coleman which toured Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. His second directing job was a huge success Intimate and Deadly a show written and conceived with Christine Anu it played to sell out houses in The Studio at Sydney Opera House, Adelaide Festival Centre, Darwin Festival, Queensland Music Festival, The Clarendon Katoomba, Byron Bay Arts Centre, and The Famous Spiegeltent at Victorian Arts Centre. The third was “PAUL CAPSIS: Everybody Wants to Touch Me” at the Enmore Theatre which was the launch for his first studio album, the concert gained great reviews and a wonderful reaction from the audience.
Most recently Hawkins has been working with LORNA LUFT, he presented her Album Launch at the Factory Theatre in February (which was recorded for the Ovation Channel). In May and June 2008 he toured LORNA LUFT across the nation with her show Intimate and Exclusive. It played The Arts Centre Melbourne, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Karnak Playhouse Port Douglas, Canberra Playhouse, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and the Brisbane Powerhouse. He also presented the Australian debut of the her show Songs My Mother Taught Me celebrating her mother Judy Garland, it played at The City Recital Hall in Sydney and Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne. Currently Hawkins is working on his tours of Broadway artists Lillias White and Julie Wilson who both tour in June and July 2009.
“I met Liza Minnelli when I was 15, and it changed my life forever, she has taught me through her work and generous soul to create my own reality and the power of believing my dreams. I am so honoured to be touring her to Australia after an absence of twenty years. Liza is a remarkable spirit and artist and one of the most exciting live performers you will ever see, her storytelling comes straight from her heart to yours via song, an experience you will never forget. I have been working on this tour for almost 5 years now and to be presenting it with Michael Chugg a man I admire very much makes this the perfect alliance for me, to be working with two of the world’s greatest showbiz personalities makes me feel very privileged. I thank Liza May, and Chuggi from the bottom of my heart for taking the head long leap with me and making this a reality.”
