Jeff Davison

Long time Bloomfield Hills resident Jeff Davison is a Birmingham entrepreneur and a longtime thespian at St. Dunstan’s Theatre.

“I first joined St. Dunstan’s in 1999. I had a friend who was a member there,” he said. “I wanted to be a part of ”La Cage Aux Folles,” and you had to be a member to audition.”

The production, “La Cage Au Folles,” is better known as the 1996 hit movie, “The Bird Cage.”

“In the movie, I played the maid,” he said.

After that experience, Davison was hooked on theater.

Davison’s interest in the arts began in his childhood, long before he started acting at St. Dunstan’s Theatre.

“I was an imaginative kid,” he said. “I could be left alone for hours to play ‘house’ by myself. I could really entertain myself. And then, in high school, I became involved in theater.”

Davison’s first play was “Ten Little Indians.”

“‘Ten Little Indians’ was an Agatha Christie play. I played Mr. Rogers. At the time, I was 16 or 17-years-old. He was an older guy, so they had to put gray in my hair. Now, I have that naturally,” he quipped.

Despite his long, illustrious career in acting, Davison has had no formal training in theater.

“It’s just a natural instinct,” he said.

Recently, Davison directed “The Sound of Music” in the outdoor Greek Theater at St. Dunstan’s. They utilized the beauty of the pond and fountain as part of the set.

“We kept it all open so the audience could actually see the actors and crew behind the scenes, which was new and widely accepted. I think it was the 13th or 14th (play) that I directed,” he said. “It was the first musical that we did like that. If you were backstage, you walked around in character and the audience seemed to like that.” 

While Davison has been an active member at St. Dunstan’s for 25 years, he stepped back from acting in 2016 and began directing. 

“I lost count of how many shows I’ve been in, but I got sucked into directing,” he said. “I love coming up with a vision and seeing it come to fruition on stage. When you direct, you create the movements and give direction on how to say a line. And I don’t have to worry about stage fright.” 

Currently, Davison is on the committee that picks shows for the upcoming season and assists in auditions and casting.

Davison’s favorite aspect of performing is the audience's enjoyment of the show, as well as the relationships he has cultivated along the way. 

“You make a lot of friends in theater,” he said. “It’s a really great community. You hang out after the shows and it’s a lot of fun.”

Davison stresses the importance of the arts for younger generations.

“I think it is very important for kids to have access to the arts,” he said. “It taps into your creativity. It forces you to use your imagination.”

In addition to his work as a thespian, Davison is the co-owner of Antonino Salon and Spa in Birmingham. He owns the salon with his longtime husband, Anthony Marsalese.

Davison credits much of his confidence, and his ultimate success, to his parents.

“They could not have been more encouraging,” he said. “I came out to my parents when I was 15-years-old. It was extremely important that my parents accepted me. They molded me into who I am today.”

Story: Katey Meisner

Photo: Laurie Tennent