David Foubert is an accomplished, classically-trained union actor (Actor’s Equity and SAG-AFTRA) based in the Los Angeles area. Career highlights include over a decade of experience with the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, two national tours with The Acting Company, four seasons with the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, a national tour with The National Shakespeare Company, and world premiere plays in New York, New Jersey and Seattle. He is also co-playwright of Who Doth Inhabit the Primary Position, a short comedic play available for performance licensing through Playscripts.
Mr. Foubert holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Delaware’s PTTP program and a BA in Theatre from Central Washington University.
Education — Early Career — East Coast — Seattle — Los Angeles
Early life and education
David was born and raised in Tacoma, a Pacific Northwest city commonly associated with its more famous northern sibling Seattle (with whom it shares the Sea-Tac airport). David found theater in high school after his ROTC training uncovered an issue that made him ineligible for a piloting career. He discovered his love of the craft and the process ran as deep as his love of the performing experience. David obtained his BA in Theatre from Central Washington University. During his undergraduate studies, David studied classical theatrical performance and film and television acting.
After his undergraduate studies, David was accepted into the University of Delaware’s prestigious PTTP program, which only accepted one cohort every three years. This intensive program offered a deep opportunity to immerse in the craft – in addition to performance work, David trained in yoga, Pilates, the Suzuki method, the Edith Skinner method for voice, and Etienne Decroux’s dramatic mime. David has also studied stage combat with the renowned Rick Sordelet and voiceover at the Seattle Voice Academy.
Early career
During graduate school, David appeared with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival for 2 summers, playing Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, Lucentio in Taming of the Shrew, and Claudio (again) in Measure for Measure.
David’s first major professional engagement after his studies was a yearlong tour with the National Shakespeare Company, performing Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This began a successful career in classical theater, with a variety of tours and engagements around the country.
East Coast Career
David spent the first half of his career in the New York and New Jersey areas, appearing in national tours, regional theaters, summer festivals, and film and video projects. Highlights include:
- Poor Tom’s Theater, New York
- As You Like It (Touchstone)
- Harold Prince Theater in Philadelphia
- ASL Twelfth Night (Voice for Festi and Sir Toby)
- Acting Company, National Tours
- 2005/6: Three Musketeers (Aramis), MacBeth (Ross)
- 2007/8: Moby Dick Rehearsed (Flask), The Tempest (Stefano)
David is also an experienced screen actor, with featured roles in several short films, significant roles in a industrials for companies including AT&T and Microsoft, as well as an appearance on All My Children.
Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (2001 – 2016)
David’s accomplished career with the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey (STNJ) spanned 15 years, starting in 2001 with their regional “Shakespeare Live!” tour (NJ, NY, CT).
Some key performance highlights from David’s time at STNJ:
- Performing at the inaugural performance of the new STNJ outdoor venue in The Grouch
- Breaking sales records with Compleat Works of Willm Shkspr [Abridged] (Jess)
- Nominated for a state award for his performance in Red Velvet (Pierre Laporte)
One particularly memorable STNJ moment occurred early in David’s time with them 2001, when STNJ was presenting a production of Hamlet featuring Jared Harris. The production did not have understudies, but on opening night the cast member playing Laertes became ill and was unable to perform. David was called and agreed to learn the part in 2 hours, and went on in the role for opening weekend. The New York Times called David a “masterful swordsman” in their review of his performance on opening night.
For STNJ’s gala in 2007, David teamed up with fellow performer Jay Leibowitz to write and perform Who Doth Inhabit the Primary Position?, an original comedic parody of the classic Who’s On First routine written from the perspective of Shakespearean times. Who Doth Inhabit has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times over their multiple performances on YouRub, and is now available for purchase and performance licensing from Playscripts. (To watch David in one of their original performances, head over to YouTube.)
Shakespeare’s Henry VIII
In 2014, David had the rare honor of playing the titular role of Henry VIII in STNJ’s production of Henry VIII. STNJ sought David out specifically despite the fact that he had since moved to the Seattle area, and it was a joy to reunite with the theater for this unique opportunity. Notices were universally positive for his performance in this challenging role:
“An always confident, at times surly Henry, David Foubert plays the king as a handsome though mercurial devil who passionately believes in whatever he is thinking at the moment.”
– New York Times review of STNJ’s 2014 production of Henry VIII
“The cast is ideally suited to their roles. David Foubert masters his role as a very robust, yet charming Henry. While Foubert succeeds at portraying this commanding character, he brings a real sense of humanity to the role.”
BroadwayWorld.com review of STNJ’s 2014 production of Henry VIII
North Carolina Shakespeare Festival
David had the honor of spending 4 summers performing at the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival from 2005 – 2008; highlights include:
- Cassius in Julius Caesar
- Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing
- Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Edgar in King Lear
- Reverend Hale in The Crucible
Seattle Career
After many years in the New York City area, David returned to the Seattle metro area in the early 2010’s to help care for his ailing mother and began a new chapter in his theatre career, expanding his repertoire and obtaining his SAG-AFTRA membership in the process.
Classical Theater
David had the pleasure of working with the Seattle Shakespeare Company on their production of Richard II, where he played Henry Bolingbroke.
“Foubert manages a quite engaging future king and gives a wonderful arc with his character.”
Jay Irwin, BroadwayWorld.com (January 12, 2014)
“But overall, the acting is, on its own terms, impeccable — with impressive work too from excellent David Foubert as Bolingbroke.”
Mischa Berson, Seattle Times (Jan 17, 2014)
David also immersed himself in the environment of the San Juan islands for 2 residencies with Island Stage Left, including a starring turn as Petrucchio in Taming of the Shrew.
Film and Video
David’s experience on camera blossomed in the Seattle area. He appeared in multiple industrial videos for major companies like Microsoft, and multiple independent and short films. The highlight of his film experience in Seattle was his time in the World of Chaldea cast, which earned him his SAG/AFTRA membership (and fulfilled a longtime dream of working on forced perspective sets.)
Contemporary Theater
While much of David’s earlier career focused on classical theater, Seattle afforded David the opportunity to extend into contemporary work. David made his debut at Seattle’s ACT Theater in An Evening of One-Acts, where he appeared opposite Jessica Skerritt in Steve Martin’s Patter for the Floating Lady and as Cisco in Sam Shepard’s The Unseen Hand.
“Foubert nails the Martin-esque oblivious puffery while Skerritt is perfect as his peeved foil.” [in Patter for the Floating Lady]
Dusty Somers, The Seattle Times (July 26, 2014)
“Willie is seeking help to free his enslaved people, and he resurrects Blue’s brothers, Cisco and Sycamore (a rip-roaring David Foubert and a perpetually irritated Chris Ensweiler) to contribute to the freedom fighting.” [in The Unseen Hand]
Dusty Somers, The Seattle Times (July 26, 2014)
“David Foubert, who plays The Magician, provides the proper amount of quirk to his role, simultaneously impersonating and reinventing this embodiment of Martin.” [in Patter for the Floating Lady]
Danielle Palmer-Friedman, The Daily (July 30, 2014)
This performance was followed by the opportunity to become part of Seattle history by portraying Jacob Marley (and other characters) in ACT’s long-running and well-loved production of A Christmas Carol, for which he received positive attention despite the well-tread nature of the role and the exceptional cast around him.
The cast is superb… The three ghosts who speak (Christmas future never has too much to say) each managed to bring stunning elements. David Foubert as Marley was totally creepy and laser focused.
BroadwayWorld.com review (Dec 1, 2014)
Mr. Foubert also appeared in a series of smaller run plays at theaters around the Sound.
September Skies
In September 2011, David co-starred in the world premiere of September Skies, a play by Jim Moran about two people who meet when their planes are delayed overnight on September 10, 2001. (September Skies was produced by the Eclectic Theater Company as part of an Equity Member Code arrangement.) The play’s monthlong run received good notices, but this run was also memorable for another reason: David and his costar Cheryl Platz, a professional improv performer and digital designer, fell in love during the production and were married 2 years later. They remain together to this day.
But because the writing is taut, witty, and true, and the performances sterling, what might have been a bad TV movie-of-the-week is instead a study in how desperately we flail for what we want during these few short years we call life. David Foubert and Cheryl Platz are the would-be cheats; and both play roles that are, for all their individual idiosyncrasies, archetypes. Viewing the play, you wonder if you’d bed that conquest or board that plane yourself.
Kevin Phinney, Seattle Weekly (September 13, 2011)
Los Angeles Career [2022+]
In late 2021, an opportunity presented itself when David’s wife Cheryl was offered a leadership role at a major game studio in the Los Angeles area. The pair decided it was time for a change, and relocated to West Los Angeles, where they reside today. After a few months to settle in their new home, David is now actively booking roles for Winter 2022-23 and beyond. In the meantime, David is staying close to the stage, spending much of his time in Summer 2022 as a stagehand and carpenter for the storied Geffen Playhouse.
To inquire about auditions, representation, or more, please reach out to David at foubievox@gmail.com.