DAVID BURT

David was born in Surrey and is a graduate of both the Guildford College of Art and Design and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where he studied for three years. His first professional engagement began at the National Theatre where he played the role of Jenkin, the servant 'go-between,' opposite Joan Plowright and Anthony Hopkins in John Dexter's production of A Woman Killed With Kindness. He then, by way of a trio of backstage engagements including Stage Manager, Lime operator and general dogsbody, set out on his repertory apprenticeship with seasons at Hornchurch, Leicester, Newcastle, Leatherhead, Bristol and the Connaught Theatre Worthing where he was unjustly accused of setting light to the stage during the last night of a production of The Sport of My Mad Mother by Ann Jellicoe! Reappearing as Joseph in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (not at Worthing!) he got his first break and was invited to play Principal Boy in two successive pantomimes at the Theatre Royal Windsor. These engagements, plus an appearance as an evil Dandini with Frankie Howerd in Cinderella at the Palace Theatre Plymouth sum up his pantomime experience.

Since then his roles have included Phil Everly in Leave Him to Heaven, Leon Dupuis in Flaubert's Emma Bovary, Trevor in Bedroom Farce, Emory in The Boys in the Band, Dennis in Loot, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Tony in West Side Story, Jesus in Godspell, Mephistophilies in Doctor Faustus, Herbert Pocket in Sir John Mills' production of Great Expectations, Chorus in Henry V, Duncan in Macbeth, and Lovborg in Hedda Gabler. His West End credits include the roles of Hitler in Happy as a Sandbag, Sir Thomas Dooughty in The Dream of Francis Drake, The Pinball Champion in Tommy, Magaldi in Evita, Munkstrap in Cats, Prince John in Blondel, the Dentist in Little Shop of Horrors, John Jasper in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and most recently, the revolutionary leader Enjolras in the original cast of the R.S.C.'s Les Miserables. David appeared as the theatre director M. Andre in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sydmonton Festival workshop production of The Phantom of the Opera and took part in two fringe productions, playing the Hero in A. A. Milnes' The Man in the Bowler Hat, and the Ratcatcher in Helen Sharmers' Shadowmoves, both at the Nags Head Covent Garden. Over the new year he also appeared at the Royal Festival Hall in an entertainment entitled By George, it's Gershwin! The success of this review of George Gershwin's music has led to its transfer to the West End next year.

(Note: All biographies are from the original Chess programme.)