Broadway Mourns Its Beloved Gavin Creel: “We Lost Our Prince”

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Gavin Creel at opening night curtain call of "Into The Woods" at New York City Center (2022)

Gavin Creel at opening night curtain call of "Into The Woods" at New York City Center (2022) Bruce Glikas/WireImage

REFRESH FOR UPDATES: Today’s shocking news of the cancer death of stage star Gavin Creel has left Broadway reeling and in deep mourning. “We lost our prince,” wrote New York City Center, where Creel turned in a for-the-ages performance in the delightful 2022 revival of Stephen Sondheim-James Lapin Into The Woods.

Among the more poignant remembrances pouring onto social media comes from Casey Likes, the young star of Broadway’s Almost Famous and Back to the Future.

In a heartfelt post on social media, Likes writes, “absolutely crushed. Gavin came to almost famous and that is where we met. I was in a very rough place as that show was closing and his words of advice kept me going and inspired me the past two years of being a performer. We always said we would do something together. Our last conversation was his kindness after he saw back to the future. I thanked him for how much his words saved me 2 years ago. The man is one of the most inspiration, kind hearted, skilled and incredible people this industry has EVER seen.”

In a follow-up message, Likes writes, “I thanked gavin creel for basically saving my life and inspiring me to continue performing and this was his response: ‘So happy you are happy and in it. and I look forward to see you in the show when i get some time. keep going and keep enchanting audiences. we are lucky to have this time to do this work. lucky life.”

See those posts, along with others, below. Deadline will add additional tributes as they arrive…

We’re incredibly sad to hear of the passing of Gavin Creel who won the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Actor in A Musical for The Book Of Mormon. Our thoughts are with his friends and family. pic.twitter.com/icGOYG404a

— Olivier Awards (@OlivierAwards) September 30, 2024

We lost our prince.

The New York City Center and Encores! family is devastated by the death of Gavin Creel today. The world has less light. pic.twitter.com/ECzs2kpzfg

— NEW YORK CITY CENTER (@NYCityCenter) September 30, 2024

The lights on Broadway will shine a little less. With a heavy heart, we mourn the loss of talented actor and devoted activist, Gavin Creel. pic.twitter.com/CBaIy2PMO3

— Shubert Organization (@ShubertOrg) September 30, 2024

One of Broadway's brightest lights has left us. We are deeply saddened by the news of actor and recording artist Gavin Creel's passing due to sarcoma at 48. Our condolences go out to his partner, family & colleagues. #SagAftraMember since 2002. #RIP https://t.co/Wlt4h9jgf2

— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) September 30, 2024

Gavin Creel was one of the greatest actors and musicians I have ever worked with. I admired and revered him not only as an artiste but also as a deeply beautiful person. My time working with him on The Book of Mormon in London remains one of the joys of my producing career. pic.twitter.com/Dha4Knik0f

— Sonia Friedman Productions (@SFP_London) September 30, 2024

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Gavin Creel, an extraordinary talent and beloved member of our musical theatre family. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and the entire theatre community during this difficult time.

Photo: Gavin Creel singing "Something Wonderful"… pic.twitter.com/5evbLSnL8e

— The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization (@RnH_Org) September 30, 2024

We're devastated to hear about the passing of Gavin Creel, the out actor and Broadway star who delighted audiences throughout the years. He was a co-founder of Broadway Impact, an advocacy group that mobilized the New York theatre community in the pursuit of marriage equality. In… pic.twitter.com/JoQX8hXPm2

— GLAAD (@glaad) September 30, 2024

I am so heartbroken to hear the news about Gavin Creel. He was wonderfully warm, kind and immensely talented – he was my Bert in Mary Poppins and took this theatre loving kid under his wing. Will never forget him buying Krispy Kreme’s for all the kids every single Saturday.💔 pic.twitter.com/9uL88TZtaJ

— Rob Madge (@Rob_Madge_02) September 30, 2024

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