Broadway Veteran David Geist to Return to San Diego

The famous musician is a San Diego native and alum of Crawford High School

Veteran Broadway musician David Geist will return to his old stomping grounds next week to perform at his alma mater, Crawford High School, in San Diego.

Geist, a San Diego native, is set to headline a benefit concert at his former school on June 1 at 7 p.m. The show will raise money to support educational enrichment programs at Crawford High School.

Geist – a concert pianist, cabaret performer, composer and conductor – has performed in more than 30 hit Broadway shows including “Cats,” “Wicked” and “The Boy From Oz” starring Hugh Jackman. He has also directed Tony Award-winning artists in their own concerts.

When he isn’t on Broadway, Geist runs a cabaret room in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

However, the pianist calls San Diego home and credits Crawford High School as the place that prepared him for musical success. Geist graduated from the school in 1980. As a student there, he remembers directing school productions of “Guys and Dolls,” “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Cabaret.”

“It was a great time for me. I really believe that Crawford is the reason I was able to develop as an artist,” Geist said in a press release. “I have been given a major musical career in New York and beyond and I owe a large part of my success to Crawford High School.”

Geist says he’s happy to give back to the place that gave him so much.

The benefit concert is organized by the Will C. Crawford High School Foundation and the Crawford Class of 1980. Organizers say proceeds from the show will be used to build a parent and community room at the campus where students and their families will have expanded access to tutors and computers.

Organizers say the concert takes place at the auditorium of Crawford High School, located at 4191 Colts Way. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased online or at the door. The show will also feature actress and vocalist Hannah Kornfeld.

As a proud alumnus of Crawford High School, Geist says he’s certainly in good company. Actress Kathy Najimy and gospel music star Sandi Patty are both also graduates of the high school.

“I can’t think of another high school that has nurtured such brilliant and diverse talent,” said Geist. “I wholeheartedly applaud Crawford High School and I want to see the school thriving. I’m just grateful that I can share my talents. This is a wonderful homecoming for me.”

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