David Thaxton

David Thaxton is a Welsh singer, actor, and musical theatre and opera performer born on 12 May 1982 in Neath, South Wales. He attended Grimston Primary School and Springwood High School in King's Lynn, Norfolk, before earning a scholarship to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where he completed a four-year vocal studies course. During his time there, he was named Young Welsh Musical Theatre Singer of the Year 2005 and placed as runner-up in the Kathleen Ferrier Young Singers' Bursary. He was also a member of the vocal ensemble Only Men Aloud!

Early in his career, Thaxton performed with the National Youth Music Theatre as part of the world premiere of Richard Taylor's Warchild. He created the role of the Wolf in the world premiere of John Doyle's The Tailor's Daughter with the Welsh National Youth Opera, and served as a soloist at the opening gala for the Wales Millennium Centre in 2004. His operatic work includes Nick Shadow in The Rake's Progress at the Wales Millennium Centre, Sweeney in Sweeney Todd at the Norwich Playhouse, Harasta in The Cunning Little Vixen at the Cardiff Sherman, Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucretia, and Foreman in Trial by Jury, which was subsequently recorded by Chandos with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at St David's Hall.

Thaxton joined the London production of Les Misérables at the Queen's Theatre in 2005 as an ensemble member, covering the roles of Enjolras and the Bishop of Digne and playing Courfeyrac and Bamatabois. He was part of the 21st Anniversary Cast, which performed at a special BBC Radio 2 concert. In 2008 he returned to the production as principal Enjolras, remaining in the role through the 2009–2010 season until his departure on 19 June 2010. He later played Javert in the 2014–2015 West End production, reprised the role in 2018, and returned to it again from September 2022 through March 2023 at the Sondheim Theatre, opposite Jon Robyns as Jean Valjean.

In 2010, Thaxton was cast as Giorgio in the Donmar Warehouse revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Passion, alongside Elena Roger and Scarlett Strallen, with previews beginning 10 September and opening night on 21 September. The performance earned him the 2011 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. He subsequently portrayed Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny in the second cast of Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre, taking over from Joseph Millson until the production closed on 27 August 2011. From November 2012 to February 2013, he played Maximilian in Candide at the Menier Chocolate Factory alongside Fra Fee and Scarlett Strallen.

In October 2018, Thaxton played King Arthur in the London Musical Theatre Orchestra's production of Camelot at the London Palladium, opposite Savannah Stevenson and Charles Rice. From December 2018 to May 2019, he stepped in for Tim Howar to play The Phantom in a limited engagement of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera in the West End. In September 2019, he joined the West End cast of Come from Away, playing Kevin T, Garth, and other roles.

In 2023, Thaxton starred as Max von Mayerling in the West End revival of Sunset Boulevard. When the production transferred to Broadway in 2024, he reprised the role, marking his Broadway debut. He received a second Olivier Award nomination for his performance. He played his final performance in the role on 8 June 2025 and was succeeded by Jordan Donica.

Outside of theatre, Thaxton is a member of the band Unborn Twin, formerly known as Glasgow Coma Score. The group released their first EP, Distort and Merge, in January 2012 and performed at London's Bush Hall in April of that year. They subsequently released the single "Suffer This" and performed at venues including Norwich Arts Centre, 93 Feet East, and the Dublin Castle in Camden.