Taran Killam Steps Away From Off Broadway’s ‘Urinetown’ After Losing Home In L.A. Fires

Taran Killam has dropped out of the upcoming Off Broadway production of the popular comedy Urinetown following the destruction of his home in the Pacific Palisades fires earlier this month.

Killam, a former SNL cast member who recently starred on Broadway in Spamalot, was supposed to have starred in the New York City Center Encores! production of the 2001 musical comedy next month, along with others in the cast including Tiffany Mann, Daniel Quadrino, Geena Quintos, Christopher Fitzgerald and Rainn Wilson, among others.

But late last week City Center announced that Killam would no longer take part in the production, and this his role of Officer Lockstock would be played by actor Greg Hildreth when performances start February 5 (the production runs through February 16).

Earlier this month, People magazine reported that the $5.6 million Palisades home of Killam and wife Cobie Smulders had been lost in the Palisades Fire.

Today, Deadline confirmed with City Center that the loss of the Killam-Smulders home is indeed the reason behind his stepping away from the much anticipated production of the crowd-pleasing Urinetown.