Former Phantom
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 With Rebecca Luker as Christine; Broadway | Biography: Davis Gaines is a versatile actor who has received much acclaim for his work in many areas of the performing arts. Gaines has the distinction of having played the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera for 1937 performances, more than any other actor worldwide [Please Note: This is no longer a true statement]. After appearing as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, in the Broadway production in early 1990, Gaines took over the title role in the Los Angeles company beginning in April of 1991. In a Los Angeles Times interview, Phantom director Hal Prince boasted "When I heard him (sing) I said 'My God, this is the Phantom, not just a Phantom, but an extraordinary Phantom. I want everyone to go into the theater ready to discover a star' - and that's what he is. Playing to more than two million people over his two and a half year run, he carried the show into its fourth year, making it the longest-running musical in Los Angeles history. He also became L.A.'s longest-running Phantom, and was presented with a proclamation from Mayor Tom Bradley for his contribution to the city and the arts. Gaines subsequently opened the San Francisco production in December of '93 and won the Bay Area Critics Award for Best Actor. At the request of Prince, Gaines opened on Broadway in the title role on July 4, 1994, where Ken Mandelbaum of TheaterWeek reviewed his performance as one that "energizes an almost seven-year-old production to the point where the audience is reacting as they did in the early months of the run," and urged his readers to "run, don't walk, to catch this sensational performance." He became Broadway's longest-running Phantom, continuing in the role through October '96, at which time he was chosen by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Hal Prince to play the leading role in the world premiere of Whistle Down the Wind at the National Theater in Washington, D.C. Other Broadway and National Tour credits include Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly!, with Carol Channing; Camelot with Richard Burton and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas with Alexis Smith. His off-Broadway appearances include Des McAnuff's The Death of von Richthofen as Witnessed from Earth; the Maury Yeston/Larry Gelbart musical One, Two, Three, Four, Five; Stephen Sondheim's Assassins; She Loves Me; and Forbidden Broadway. He made his New York City Opera debut in The New Moon and appeared in New York in concert versions of Sitting Pretty, The Cat and the Fiddle, Pippin, and the Encores! production of The Boys From Syracuse. Gaines has worked extensively in regional theatre which included the honor of being directed by the legendary George Abbott as Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees; playing Moryimer Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace opposite Kate Reid; appearing with Lainie Kazan in The Rink and with Tony Randall in Two Into One. Gaines has sung with virtually every major symphony orchestra in North America, includingappearances with The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at The Hollywood Bowl. He has also performed his critically-acclaimed cabaret act at New York's Rain and Stars and Los Angeles' Cinegrill. Recordings:
- Sitting Pretty (New World Records) Film & Television Credits:
- featured role in Warlock: The Armageddon with Julian Sands Birthdate: - January 21, 19?? Bits and Pieces: - Davis Gaines' handprints can be found in the cement in front of the Diva Hotel, right across from the Curran Theater in San Francisco. They were put there to celebrate his 1000th performance as the Phantom. - Mr. Gaines is officially "Dr. Davis Gaines" Current Engagements: Davis Gaines is currently doing Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in New York as Anthony Hope. (May, 2000) Link:
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