About the Author - David Maxine

David Maxine with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

This forthcoming book, The Wizard of Oz on Broadway, has been a dream of David Maxine's for over two decades—blending his love of the Oz books, his passion for Musical Theatre, and the act of meticulous researching—at one time he wanted to be an archeologist.

These multiple passions first meshed in 2003 with the release of David's 2-CD set Vintage Recordings from the 1903 Broadway Musical The Wizard of Oz, which earned David a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Historical Album." The CD was also nominated for "Best Research in Recorded Popular Music" in the ARSC Awards for Excellence, sponsored by the Association of Recorded Sound Collectors.

The 2-CD Wizard of Oz album nominated for a Grammy Award in 2003.

David grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he was introduced to L. Frank Baum's Oz books by his second grade teacher. His love of books (and the Oz books in particular) quickly merged with David's equal enthusiasm for designing costumes, creating plays with the neighborhood kids, and making "stop-motion" animated films in his early teen years.

After high school, David worked at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis as part of the Stage Crew. He also served as Production Assistant on Peter Sellars's legendary four-and a-half-hour musical Hang On to Me and Liviu Ciulei's acclaimed production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

After a season as a Stage Manager at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis, David continued his formal education. In 1990 he earned his BFA from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts (Scenic Design) and was a recipient of the Paulette Goddard Scholarship. In 1993 he earned his MFA from Yale School of Drama (Set and Costume Design).

Moving to the New York metropolitan area after graduation, David served as Lead Assistant (and principle model builder) for Ming Cho Lee. As Assistant Designer to Santo Loquasto, David painted all the elevations for National Ballet of Canada's Nutcracker.

At Bard College David served as Resident Scenic Designer for almost three years where he designed more than a dozen plays and operas. For the Bard Music Festival he designed Arnold Schoenberg’s Die Glückliche Hand.

Among his favorite credits is an acclaimed production of Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street for Milwaukee's Skylight Opera.

Set Model for Skylight Opera's Sweeney Todd.  Designed by David Maxine

His film and television work include serving as Production Designer on the film Ready? OK! and as Associate Designer for ABC News in New York. As Scenic Artist he worked at San Diego Opera and La Jolla Playhouse.

In 2005 David received the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award from the International Wizard of Oz Club for "outstanding contributions to the saga of Oz."

David currently lives in Portland, Oregon, with his partner of nearly thirty years, cartoonist Eric Shanower. Together in 1994, they founded Hungry Tiger Press, a small publishing house specializing in children's books. They have a cat named PYRZQXGL.

David Maxine and his 1905 Edison Home Phonograph.

Copyright © 2019 David Maxine. All rights reserved.