From Fontana farm boy to CLO favorite to Broadway star – that’s the journey David Burnham has been on since his growing-up years spent halfway between San Bernardino and Rancho Cucamonga, and quite a journey it has been. A little less than six years ago, Burnham was starring down in Long Beach in Musical Theatre West’s (MTW) production of “Hot Mikado,” following appearances in MTW’s “La Cage Aux Folles” and “Children Of Eden.” He then strutted his dramatic stuff in “The Woman In Black” at NoHo’s The Road Theatre, one of a long list of pre-Broadway credits.
From Fontana farm boy to CLO favorite to Broadway star – that’s the journey David Burnham has been on since his growing-up years spent halfway between San Bernardino and Rancho Cucamonga, and quite a journey it has been. A little less than six years ago, Burnham was starring down in Long Beach in Musical Theatre West’s (MTW) production of “Hot Mikado,” following appearances in MTW’s “La Cage Aux Folles” and “Children Of Eden.” He then strutted his dramatic stuff in “The Woman In Black” at NoHo’s The Road Theatre, one of a long list of pre-Broadway credits. The Great White Way came calling in 2005 when Burnham appeared in the original cast of the multiple-Tony-winning “The Light in the Piazza,” and when the National Tour played the Ahmanson with Burnham as Fabrizio, it was a fanfare-worthy homecoming for the local boy turned Broadway star. Then came Burnham’s year as Fiyero in the Broadway production of “Wicked,” all adding up to more than enough reason for Fontana’s favorite son to headline his very own cabaret show.
With Todd Schroeder’s impeccable piano artistry backing up the star’s powerful and versatile vocal chords (and with a little help from an occasional spray of glycerin on the chords), Burnham received ovation after ovation for performing a marvelously eclectic choice of songs.
After starting out with a jazzy rendition of Harold Arlen’s “Get Happy,” Burnham switched gears with a cabaret favorite, the exquisite “Run Away With Me,” a song heralding much future success for its writers Brian Lowdermilk and Kate Kerrigan.
Following a hilarious recounting of a miscalculated audition (Burnham thought “Piazza” was “Grease” Italian style and auditioned accordingly), L.A.’s first Fabrizio segued into arguably the most gorgeous of Adam Guettel’s gorgeous “Piazza” creations, Fabrizio’s ode to Clara “Love To Me.”
A jazzy, pizzazzy “Feeling Good” (from “The Roar Of The Greasepaint, The Smell Of The Crowd”) preceded The Baker’s Wife’s “Proud Lady,” one of Stephen Schwartz’s cleverest creations and one which allowed Burnham to strut and flirt with the best of them, as any Broadway star is allowed and indeed expected to do from time to time.
A starring role in “Wicked” would be any young musical theater leading man’s dream come true, and Burnham’s powerful performance of “As Long As You’re Mine” was ample proof as to why he booked the part. Those who’ve seen “Wicked” (has anyone not?) know that Fiyero ended up a scarecrow, a perfect segue into the delightful “If I Only Had A Brain,” from “The Wizard of Oz” and an exquisite rendition of “Over the Rainbow.”
David Burnham is a Broadway headliner with Southern California roots and fans galore on both coasts with his boy-next-door charm and good looks (yet with a certain distinctive edge) and one of the most glorious voices ever to soar out across the fourth wall.
