Profile

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Birth Name

Russwin Francisco Niguidula

Born

April 4 (age 57), Manila, Philippines

Occupation

Actor, Singer, Business Owner   

Genres

Jazz, American Songbook, Spirituals

Instruments

Vocals

Russwin Francisco is a Filipino American actor, singer and producer. He produced and appeared as Manny in The Girl Who Left Home, a musical film that won Best Picture in the DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival in 2021. His theater credits include the Pharoah in Studio Theater's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Lun Tha in Arlington Player's The King and I, Simba in Arlington Independent's The Lion King, and Bernardo in Arlington Player's West Side Story. Other roles include Harry Barker in Meet Me in St. Louis, Marryin' Sam in Li'L Abner, and Marley's Ghost in A Christmas Carol. 

Francisco began singing at an early age when his great aunt, a voice coach who founded the Philippine Concert Choir, taught him his first solo. He sang in school and church choirs as a boy soprano. He received formal instruction in piano and classical voice. Informed by an exceptionally musical family, he is adept at many genres of music ranging from sacred to doo wop. Other vocal coaching included madrigal and barbershop. For more than 21 years, he sang and styled songs with Nuance, an a cappella ensemble. He was a featured tenor soloist of the Lesbian and Gay Chorus of Washington DC.

On radio, he performed in a live broadcast dramatic series on DZRH, a well-known station in the Philippines. He also crafted short stories and poetry attaining public recognitions for declamatory and oratorical speech including a national award in extemporaneous storytelling from the Children's Museum and Library, Inc. He wrote and directed a play that won a national competition sponsored by the De La Salle University.

Francisco has performed singing and non-singing roles in Washington DC area community theaters and theater festivals for more than 30 years. He is an accomplished jazz vocalist. He is a patron and benefactor of the arts funding modest yet exceptional ventures for their authentic, insightful perspectives.

“I will become brilliant, pure light. It is inevitable. What determines my brilliance is how much love I give. What determines my purity is how much love I receive.”  —Russwin Francisco