David Haverty's Bio

David Haverty grew up in the Tampa Bay Area and was born in St. Petersburg Florida. He began honing his acting craft at the age of 10. Beginning at Suncoast Children's Theatre in Musical Theatre and Dance really opened his ability to express himself.

David was accepted into the Pinellas County Center for the Arts Magnet Program at Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg Florida majoring in Musical Theatre in 1995. During his 4 years at PCCA he was cast as a lead or supporting role in over 10 main stage musical and non musical theatre productions, 6 ballet/dance productions, 3 district thespian showcases, 4 theatre tours, 1 dance tour and multiple Senior projects over the last three years in dance and theatre. He was awarded "Best Actor" (Ah! Wilderness), "Best Mime" (Sans Vocis), "Best Musical Acto"’(Funny Thing…Forum) and for his Senior Project performance of "Godspell" he received "Best Senior Project". At his graduating PCCA commencement ceremony he was the first recipient of the Arete' Award (a PCCA Prodigy). An award created for him because of his artistic commitment, extraordinary artistic growth within all arts disciplines there at PCCA.

Outside of School he was involved in a Song and Dance Group called Celebration for 5 years where he toured the country and Canada performing classic oldies and Broadway medlies.

During the summers before and after his senior year he attended the "Broadway Theatre Project" directed by Ann Reinking herself at that time. He worked with Professional Artists such as James Naughton, Been Vereen, Gwen Verdon, Roy Schieder and Ann Rienking herself. He had one on one monologue master classes with James Naughton and Ben Vereen and group dance classes with individual attention with Gwen Verdon Ann Reinking. Gwen Verdon was surprised to find out the David was not a dance major and told him he should become one because during a dance class she said to him, "David you're a natural".

David moved to NYC at the age of 19 to attend Marymount Manhattan College majoring in Theatre and a focus in Acting. He studied Long Form Improv with Shira Piven (Jeremy Piven's Sister), Script Analysis, Acting with Adrian Williams. Outside of College he studied voice with Adrian Angel (Bernadette Peter's Voice Coach), Stage Combat with Ron Piretti and Acting with Richard Scanlon. David was only able to attend school for a year and a half since he did not have funding to attend any longer. Working full time after going to school full time rarely left time him to breathe. So David continued to work at The Jekyll and Hyde Club where he worked his way into getting a job as a union stage manager from a door host outside to eventually the Entertainment Director. David was in the position of being responsible for all Hiring or Actors, Scheduling, Payroll, Disciplinary Actions, Props, Lighting Maintenance, Animatronics Operation and Maintenance, Costuming and Termination of Actors. David considered it a perk to be able to give some of his high school heroes their Union Equity Cards. David then went on to hire his Script Analysis teacher from Marymount Manhattan College (who pulled David out of class one day to talk about his lack of enthusiasm that David had in turning in writing assignments) who ended up quitting on David, after 2 weeks on the job, because he could "not handle the pressure". David also had to hire and fire the past semi-celeb "The Dell Dude" for not showing up for Thanksgiving Shifts he was scheduled to work.

While David was still attending College and working at The Jekyll and Hyde Club he was working for Monica May's Children's Acting Academy (past students include Sara Jessica Parker and the rising young actress Celine du Tertre. Monica was a Broadway Actress starring shows in the 1960 with actors such as Paul Newman and Ed Asner (whom Monica personally introduced David to). David worked with Monica for almost 4 years and was offered to buy the 30 year old company and take over operation and make of 50% of the profit collected.

David felt he had more life to live. He was only 21 at the time when the company was offered to him. He still worked for her and became very close with the rehearsal spaces where The Company was operated. New York Spaces and Ripley Grier Studios knew David by name when he walked in the door. They once gave him a rehearsal room for free before an audition he was having at Ripley Grier Studios. Unfortunately David still did not get the role.

David ended up meeting an inspirational acting teacher Richard Scanlon (Assistant to Stella Adler Herself) through his friend and began classes with Richard. David ended up stealing the show during the few scenes Richard cast him in at the Abingdon Theatre OFF Broadway showcase. Operating the light board during the scenes he was not in of course. Richard gave him a few contacts to look up before David made his visit to Hollywood to test the waters on the West Coast.

David was working full time as an Assistant manager for Crunch Fitness because he was preparing himself for the superficial world of Hollywood, what better way to get in shape then to work for a gym. So before departure to Hollywood David called the Hollywood location of Crunch Fitness and set up an appointment with the General Manager and upon calling back to get his name David began a conversation with a sales rep named Jill who offered David to sleep on her couch for a week for free when he visited. David took her up on the offer and made his trip to Hollywood. After only one week David went back to NYC he quit his job, packed his bags, ended a relationship and headed to Florida for a pit stop with family before his move to Hollywood.

That pit stop lasted 2 years.

During that time he worked a few odd jobs including Mowing Lawns and Assembly at his uncle's shop.

One day David got a call from his High School Musical Theatre Teacher, Ronald DeBeck, wondering how long he was in town. David didn't have a set date to leave for Hollywood so he agreed to go to an audition that night to replace his teachers co-star that played the same role that David had played while being Directed by his teacher who called him. The man who was currently rehearsing to play Psuedolus in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" died in a car accident the night before because of having a fatal heart attack. David went on to be cast and performed the tedious role after only a week and a half rehearsal with a cast that had been rehearsing for 3 months.

From that experience David was hired by the Choreographer, Jason, to assist him in theatrical consultation and installation of shows for Club Med with Wizard Studios based out of NY and Tampa.

David went on to work for Wizard and traveled to the Bahamas and Caribbean to their luxurious resorts. Just before that was the beginning of his relationship to his future Ex-Wife.

After Wizard Studios David began auditioning and looking for work at local theatres. Nothing came from it. That is when he began to work for his uncle, assembling cell phone tower cable in his shop.

When one day David was called by a theatre he auditioned for 5 months prior to come in and read for a role that needs to be replaced because the lead busted his knee. Yes he broke a leg….hahaha. So David had never heard the music from this show called “Urinetown” before. So he bought the CD that night and studied into the wee hours of the morning. He went to go see the show that night with the attempting understudy and was cast on the spot after singing with the pianist and the CD soundtrack paper in his hand. He was told that Tuesday night that he would be expected to go on stage as the lead that Friday night. So David quit his day job at his Uncles shop because they would not give him 3 days off to rehearse and David went on with flying colors.

That Friday morning the Owner of the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre cast David as Beast in the upcoming production of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”.

David went on to play Beast, then Ensemble in BIG, then Trevor Graydon in Thoroughly Modern Millie. He had rave reviews for his role as Trevor and went on to marry his future ex-wife on that same set.

 

 

David departed for Hollywood 4 days after the close of Millie and one month after getting hitched. He drove by himself for 41 hours straight with only a 4 hour nap. Starting at 5:00pm EST Thursday morning and arriving Friday evening at 11:30pm PST. He wanted to make in time for Actorfest 2006. He did. He got tons of cards and flyers with info on acting coaches and demo producers. He also ran into someone who had seen him play Beast at the Golden Apple earlier that year.

After 2 months of house sitting for a cast member from the Golden Apple Larry (Vegas and Broadway’s The Producers Leo Bloom) his future ex-wife met him out in Hollywood and crashed on a friend’s floor in a one bedroom apartment with 3 other people then the two of them. David ended up getting tons of Production Assistant work with different companies like FOX, Lifetime, Bravo, FOX reality and the CW. Some shows like The Muppet’s Specials on Disney Channel, HEY PAULA (Paula Abdul reality show), Fear Factor and the upcoming show called Kamen Rider Dragon Knight premiering on CWkids in January of 2009.

After an 11 month attempt at marriage David was left by his now ex-wife and he moved into a van to give more time before making another long term commitment, like a year lease somewhere again. He ended up living in his van for 5 months and during that time he fell for a girl name Angela Peel. He was in a Karaoke Contest and she was the special guest artist. She asked him to be her one and only after knowing him for only 2 days (later David finds out he was just a rebound but Angela fell for David beyond what she originally intended).

During the time together they bounced around from sublet to sublet room rentals to hotels.

Angela and David parted ways in December 2008

Since David’s van was no longer with valid tags he had to park it at his night job at a toy distributor’s warehouse and had to start sleeping in his car. David took a day job from his friend to try to get on his feet again.

David and his friend Jack Venturo (www.MoviegodProductions.com) have been working on "The Death of Tempo" an Independent movie that is now in Post Production and when released will hit the Film Festival Market.

David ignored his friend’s and family’s attempts at convincing him to come home to Florida to ride it out a bit… he did that already. The pit stop that lasted 2 years… never again.

David was working 9am to 6pm Monday through Friday, going to the gym in the morning to shower and workout, going to his night job off and on through the week, paying off his credit cards, running an online store for guy’s gifts called Macho Gifts (Gifts for guys who don't like ties)

On the side he was selling and taking Herbalife, shooting "The Death of Tempo" with Jack on the weekends, sleeping in his car till he could register his van again, filming a documentary web series of his life on the streets called David Vanity, lying to his friends and family that he had an apartment (because he did not want their pity or their help), collecting his mail at a P.O. Box, watching Dexter on Sundays at his friend’s house, going to internet cafés after work to stay out and online, brainstorming ideas for his children’s theatre company and his media company he is starting called DAJA MEDIA with Jack. This is the life David was living until Valentine’s Day 2009.

David just got his very own apartment to himself without a roommate or a significant other sharing his space. He has a nice One Bedroom apartment in Korea Town (just 5 mins South East of Hollywood). He has created a home gym in his apartment so state of the art he actually is in the work of producing products from his ideas. He is also on the P90X program to really get into the best shape of his life… because by 2010 he is going to be hitting the market again with auditions and meeting with agents to start on his true acting career.

Usually you hear about the success a person gained after going through everything you just read. Well this time you got to read about a work in progress. Know about a guy not going GIVE UP or GIVE IN. “Ain’t nobody gonna hold him down”. Never, never, never going to give up.
To him… this is still just the beginning.

TO BE CONTINUED…