DAVID GASCHEN was the youngest of those anointed singer/actors chosen to play the role of Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s world acclaimed masterpiece, The Phantom of the Opera – now the longest running and most successful play on Broadway history.  Being the youngest is key in David’s history – he is the youngest of eight siblings and perhaps one of the youngest stars ever to appear on video…taped at home by proud parents that is, and if you count singing into an ice cream scoop at the age of three.  Born in Kansas City and raised in Lubbock, Texas, Gaschen was blessed to be born into a big loving family who held traditions and family values high.  His Mom was a homemaker and is one of David’s personal heroes; his Dad was a legendary businessman and charismatic leader whose anthem was Positive Thinking and who taught David to give 110% to all you do.  David says, “My father is the most spiritual man I’ve ever known-a man of love and prayer and the best example of a husband, father, brother, man that I’ve ever heard of.”

From the age of 10, David sang in choir, talent shows and school plays, and memorized every piece of music on the pop rock chart.  His star truly first rose when his 10^th grade choir teacher heard him sing – he joined choir admittedly to meet girls since his passion and dream by the time he transferred to public high school was to be a baseball star-but Mrs. Hefner heard a voice that she knew had a special destiny; she called his parents and told them that their son had a gift.  David, still loving baseball, took his gift to Texas Tech, but as a Business Major…then a pivotal event in Gaschen’s life took place.  He went to New York to sing at a cousin’s wedding; while there, he decided to catch The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.  And on September 19, 1989, David Gaschen’s life changed forever, when he saw Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman perform.  That night he told his father, “I have to do that.”  And that he did.  Seeing Phantom sent him back to Texas Tech with a new zeal for musical theater; he was given a vocal scholarship and earned his degree in vocal performance, and launched a career that now spans a decade of performing the role of Phantom, on Broadway, in Switzerland, (Gaschen never guessed that his last class, German, at Texas Tech would be exactly what he needed when singing the role in German!) and internationally.  David Gaschen learned his father’s lessons of the power of Positive Thinking well – he has performed Phantom over a thousand times to date and continues to perform it, with new depth, maturity and richness of years.

On a very special note, positive thinking (and of course enormous charm) brought Gaschen his greatest treasure when finishing college:  he was with his fraternity brothers at a Texas Tech game which went unnoticed as his heart was won over by a beautiful brunette named Jeanne, who he quickly discovered fit his definition of a soul mate.  David soon serenaded her with “Lady” and apparently she liked the sound.  Now he continues to serenade Jeanne and their two children, and David’s greatest hope is to recreate the warm, close family he grew up in.

Footnote for the heart:  David debuted on Broadway in the role of Phantom in 1999…exactly ten years after telling his dad that he had to play that part.  His father sat in exactly the same seat he sat in beside his son ten years earlier.

See resume for a review of David’s performance history.  Go to Contact to get in touch with David to help make your music of the day or night.