David M. Hawkins started his career in the entertainment industry as a performer working with some of Australia's leading creatives, including Baz Luhrmann, Jim Sharman, Ross Coleman. After appearing in musicals and Opera's for many years, he started working in the cabaret scene in Sydney, which led to many successful shows at The Tilbury Hotel. After the closure of The Tilbury Hotel, he opened several successful cabaret venues in Sydney: The Kirk, Kabarett Junction, and Kabarett Voltaire.

It was at Kabarett Voltaire that he presented his first international artist Rufus Wainwright in his Australian solo debut, and talked an unknown singer songwriter Tim Minchin into doing his first full solo cabaret.

Hawkins then started bringing a steady stream of Broadway stars to Australia including John Cameron Mitchell, Lillias White, Faith Prince, Chita Rivera, Ben Vereen, Julie Wilson, Donna McKechnie, Shoshana Bean, Liz Callaway, and Ann Hampton Callaway.

In 2006 his maverick production of the rock musical ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ gained enormous acclaim. The show got five stars from all the media outlets and turned indie rocker iOTA into a star. It swept the awards getting a Helpmann, two Green Room Awards and Best Musical from Sydney Critics’ Awards.

In 2009 he joined forces with Michael Chugg to produce the long awaited return of superstar Liza Minnelli. The tour went to all major cities, playing arenas and two shows at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, which sold out in under an hour.

Many presentations followed most notably two sell out tours of Grammy winner Macy Gray, the final home tour Helen Reddy, and the triumphant return of Woodstock artist Melanie Safka, which saw over 10 extra shows added to the tour.

Hawkins' 2017 production of the musical 'Cabaret'  was a sell-out at The Hayes Theatre in Sydney, breaking all box office records for the venue. The show transferred to Melbourne, where it again broke the record for the largest advance of any show in the history of the Athenaeum Theatre.

In 2017  he aligned again with Michael Chugg to get pop sensation SIA to return home. SIA's first outdoor stadium tour in Sydney and Melbourne, 'Nostalgic For the Present'. 

In 2018 Hawkins presented the Australian debut of  John Cameron Mitchell nationally, with a new show 'The Origin Of Love' which he developed with John  for the concert stage, which is currently touring the USA. 

Most recent was the highly successful tour of Megan Mullally and her band Nancy And Beth, that played nationally to rave reviews. And a sell-out national tour for the 50th Anniversary of HAIR The Musical, starring Hugh Sheridan and Paulini that played The Concert Hall at the Sydney Opera House.