Tony Award winner and Broadway star was 48

Gavin Creel, an accomplished Broadway actor best known for his performance in Hello, Dolly!has died. He was 48 years old.

The star's publicist told The Associated Press that Creel died at home in NYC after a two-month battle with metastatic melanotic peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma. According to the Mayo Clinic, the rare form of cancer begins in the nerves that run from the spinal cord into the body.

Creel was born and raised in Findlay, Ohio. As a young adult, he toured and worked locally before landing his first major role as Jimmy Smith on Broadway Thoroughly modern Millie. He also portrayed Claude Hooper Bukowski in the revival of The Public Theater. hair in 2009. Creel won an Olivier Award in 2014 for his role as missionary Elder Price in The Book of Mormonstarring in the show's first national tour and in London's West End.

Of particular note is his role in 2017 alongside Bette Midler and David Hyde Pierce as Cornelius Hackl in the popular revival of ” Hello, Dolly!for which he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He was previously nominated for Best Lead Actor in a Musical in 2002 and 2009 Thoroughly modern Millie And hairrespectively.

Creel also worked on television, portraying Bill in 2003 Eloise in the Plaza And Eloise at Christmas time. He brought his voice to Matthews Rapunzel's tangled adventure and appeared on Ryan Murphy's American horror stories as Troy.

Following the news of his death, Lin Manuel-Miranda revealed on social media that Creel would be its first King, George III. was Hamilton in a workshop, noting that he “wrapped the audience around his finger with just a Burger King crown and his overwhelming charisma and talent.” Manuel-Miranda added: “He is so loved and it is unimaginable that he is no longer with us.”

Idina Menzel echoed this sentiment, writing on Instagram: “Sweet, sweet Gavin Creel. An angel among angels. I love you so much.”