Russwin Francisco is a Filipino American actor, producer, director, educator, and entrepreneur whose work spans stage, film, music, radio, and voice performance. He produced and appeared as Manny in The Girl Who Left Home, a musical feature that received Best Picture at the DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival. He was also an accredited investor in the Broadway production of Here Lies Love, which received four Tony Award nominations.
Francisco has performed in musical and dramatic productions throughout the Washington, D.C., area for more than three decades. His stage credits include Iago in Othello, Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Lun Tha in The King and I, Simba in The Lion King, and Bernardo in West Side Story.
An accomplished vocalist, Francisco was a featured soloist with the Lesbian and Gay Chorus of Washington and performed for more than 21 years with the a cappella ensemble Nuance. His repertoire has spanned classical, sacred, jazz, madrigal, doo-wop, and barbershop music, with performances throughout the Washington metropolitan area. He also co-established Black Fox Lounge, a Washington jazz venue, where he curated its live music programming.
Francisco wrote and directed a stage play that received Best Play in a national competition sponsored by De La Salle University. He received national recognition for extemporaneous storytelling from the Children's Museum and Library, Inc. He performed in a dramatic series on DZRH radio. His voiceover work has included a national advertising campaign and narration for a musical score.
Alongside his work in the performing arts, Francisco spent more than two decades in academia as an adjunct faculty member, university administrator, and graduate student advisor. He holds degrees in epistemological sciences, information systems and financial management.
He co-founded a public policy think tank supporting federal safety legislation. More recently, he presents talks and workshops on leadership and sexual wellness while operating a retail business in Washington, D.C.
Across these pursuits, Francisco brings to his creative work a longstanding interest in character, culture, identity, and the forces that shape human behavior.