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.
“I looked forward to working with him every single night,” tweeted his Hello, Dolly! star Bette Midler. “He was fantastic. I can’t believe he’s gone. What a loss.”
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…
