The renowned theater actor Gavin Creel, winner of a Tony Award for his performance in the revival of ‘Hello, Dolly!’, died Monday at his home in Manhattan at the age of 48. His death was confirmed by his partner, Alex Temple Ward, through his publicist Matt Polk. The cause of death was metastatic melanotic sarcoma of the peripheral nerve sheath, a rare form of cancer that was diagnosed in July.
Creel was a beloved and respected face within the New York theater community, where his death caused shock. Throughout his two-decade career on Broadway, Creel stood out for his versatility and charismaplaying roles in both classical productions and contemporary musicals. His talent not only shone on American stages, but also in London, where he won an Olivier Award for his role in ‘The Book of Mormon’.
A great career on Broadway
The theater world reacted with sadness to his departure. Bette Midler, Creel’s co-star in ‘Hello, Dolly!’, wrote on the social network X: “I looked forward to working with him every night. It was fantastic. I can’t believe he’s gone. What a waste”. Other artists, such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, remembered his charisma: “He captivated the audience with just a Burger King crown, his charisma and talent mind-blowing.”
The actor was suffering from a serious illness. Photo: AP
Born in Findlay, Ohio, in 1976, Gavin Creel discovered his passion for theater at a young age, and in 1998 graduated from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance. After his beginnings in regional productions and national tours, Creel rose to fame on Broadway in 2002, starring in ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’. Throughout his career, he played prominent roles in works such as ‘Hair’, ‘La Cage Aux Folles’ and ‘Into the Woods’, establishing himself as one of the most beloved figures in musical theater.
Creel was recognized for his talent in iconic musicals such as Hello, Dolly! and The Book of Mormon AP
His legacy goes beyond the stage. Creel was an active defender of LGBTQ+ rights and co-founded the organization Broadway Impact, which worked on the passage of the Marriage Equality Act in the United States. His passion for activism and art made him a reference for future generations of actors.
The theater community and its fans deeply mourn the loss of such a talented artist, whose light went out too soon.
who was
Gavin Creel was born and raised in Findlay, Ohio, and graduated in 1998 from the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theater & Dance.
He did tours and regional work before landing his breakout role as ‘Jimmy Smith’ in the Broadway production of ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie.’
A key character in his career was the demanding missionary ‘Elder Price’ in ‘The Book of Mormon’, which he starred in on the first national ‘tour’ in 2012. and took it to London’s West End, where it won an Olivier Award in 2014.
In 2017 he starred alongside Bette Midler and David Hyde Pierce in the play ‘Hello, Dolly!’, in which he played ‘Cornelius Hackl’, winning the Tony Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical.
In television and film, Creel was part of the casts of ‘American Horror Stories’, in 2021, and ‘Eloise at the Plaza’ and ‘Eloise at Christmastime’.
