Tony Award winner Gavin Creel dies at 48: Broadway reacts

The Great White Way mourns the loss of Gavin Creel.

Broadway stars reacted to the news of the Tony Award-winning actor's death at just 48 on Monday, sharing their grief and shock.

Creel's partner announced his death, revealing the young star of shows like “Hair!” and “Hello, Dolly!” died from metastatic melanotic peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma, an aggressive form of cancer, which he was diagnosed with in July.

Sutton Foster, who starred opposite Creel in Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which Creel received his first Tony nomination, mourned the late star in an Instagram post.

“My sweet friend. I will love you forever,” Foster, 49, wrote.

“The Book of Mormon” star Josh Gad said he couldn't find the “right words” to express his sadness.

“Sometimes I don’t have the right words to describe my sadness,” Gad, 43, captioned a post on Instagram. “Today is one of those days. We have lost someone far too young, far too early in his journey and far too influential to our creative community.”

“My heart breaks for his family and his closest friends,” he added. “That’s just not fair. We will never forget you @realgavincreel.”

Creel played the role of Elder Price in the first U.S. tour and West End tour of Mormon.

Creel's “Hello, Dolly!” co-star Bette Midler also paid tribute to the late actor, who won a Tony for his work in the revival.

“The radiant actor #GavinCreel, beloved by the #Broadway community, has died of a rare form of cancer,” Midler posted on Working with him.” single night. He was fantastic. I can't believe he's gone. What a loss.”

“There are no words to describe this loss. “Gavin was my first role model, idol and hero,” Ben Platt, fellow Tony winner and star of “Dear Evan Hansen,” said on his Instagram Story on Monday.

“He took me backstage after I saw my first Broadway show. I couldn't believe that someone so supernaturally talented could also be every single person's favorite person in the building. I wanted to sing like him and be like him.”

Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Creel for the role of King George III. cast in “The Hamilton Mixtape,” his then-work-in-progress film that would become the Broadway hit “Hamilton,” said he was “devastated” by the news of the actor's death.

“Gavin Creel was our first King when we only had 11 songs and he wowed audiences with nothing but a Burger King crown and his overwhelming charisma and talent,” Miranda, 44, captioned a photo of Creel Instagram singing with Joshua Henry, Brian D'Arcy James, Phillipa Soo and Sara Bareilles.

“He is so loved and it is unimaginable that he is no longer with us. My condolences go out to all the friends, family and co-workers who were lucky enough to be around him. We love you and we will always love you, Gavin.”

Idina Menzel, who hosted the 2021 PBS special “Wicked in Concert,” in which Creel appeared, wrote on Instagram: “Sweet, sweet Gavin Creel. An angel among angels. I love you so much.”

“What a terribly sad loss,” Cynthia Erivo, star of Broadway’s “The Color Purple” and the upcoming “Wicked” film, posted on her Instagram Story. “Rest in peace, Gavin.”

One of the more emotional memorials came from 22-year-old actor Casey Likes, who starred in the Broadway adaptations of the films “Almost Famous” and “Back to the Future,” and said he was “completely devastated.”

“Gavin almost became famous and that’s where we met. I was in a very difficult position when the show ended and his advice kept me going and inspired me over the last two years of my practice as an artist,” Likes wrote in a statement posted on X.

“We always said we would do something together. Our last conversation was about his kindness as he looked to the future. I thanked him for how much his words saved me two years ago. The man is one of the most inspiring, kind-hearted, knowledgeable and incredible people this industry has ever seen.”

In a separate post, he shared a text message Creel sent him, a message he said “basically saved his life.”

“I thanked Gavin Creel for basically saving my life and inspiring me to keep performing and this was his response,” Likes wrote.

As shown in a screenshot of their conversation, Creel texted the young actor: “So happy you’re happy and in this. and I look forward to seeing you on the show when I have some time. Go ahead and continue to enchant the audience. We are lucky to have this time to do this work. happy life.”

The Tony Awards also celebrated Creel, releasing a video of his 2017 acceptance speech on .”

Creel has also appeared in numerous other Broadway musicals, including “La Cage aux Folles” (2004), “She Loves Me” (2016), “Waitress” (2019) and “Into the Woods” (2022). He also appeared often in London's West End, including in “Mary Poppins” (2006) and “Waitress” (2020).