The Broadway community is reeling from the devastating loss of one of its brightest stars, Gavin Creel, who passed away on Sept. 30, 2024 at the age of 48.
Few absences are felt as keenly as the loss of a truly special person who brought joy, inspiration, and light to everyone they touched, and Creel was undoubtedly one of those rare souls. Even more remarkable was the way he used his platform to champion important causes and inspire others to live authentically. Creel was a trailblazer and advocate for LGBTQ+ representation in the theatre industry as well as a vocal supporter of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, a nonprofit organization that raises funds for HIV/AIDS-related causes.
Naturally, the celebrity community was quick to express their grief and share heartfelt tributes. Bette Midler, who shared the stage with Creel during their acclaimed revival of Hello, Dolly!, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her disbelief and sorrow. When Midler says you’re fantastic, you know you’ve made it.
Bernadette Peters, another Broadway icon, echoed Midler’s sentiments on X, calling Creel “a beautiful soul, what a fine person, a great performer and voice.” Peters and Creel had recently shared the stage at a special “Broadway in Lisbon” event in July, making the loss hit even closer to home.
Hamilton supernova Lin-Manuel Miranda posted a touching tribute on Instagram, sharing that Creel was “[Hamilton’s] first King when all we had was 11 songs and he wrapped the audience around his finger with nothing but a Burger King crown and his mind-blowing charisma and talent.” Miranda went on to say what so many who loved Creel’s work were feeling: “He is so loved and it is unimaginable that he’s no longer with us. My heart goes out to all the friends and family and collaborators lucky enough to be in his orbit. We love you and we’ll always love you Gavin.”
Meanwhile, Josh Gad who worked with Creel on the Broadway production of The Book of Mormon, shared a touching note with a photo of him on Instagram.
Gad played the role of Elder Cunningham in The Book of Mormon when it opened at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre on March 24, 2011. Creel replaced Andrew Rannells as Elder Price after Rannells left the show’s original run.
Another emotional tribute came from Benj Pasek, one half of the powerhouse songwriting duo Pasek and Paul. Pasek shared a screenshot of the last text message he received from Creel in which Creel urged Pasek to live life to the fullest, saying that “not living” is “no longer an option.”
Comedian Alex Edelman also had some kind words to say about Creel on X, calling him a perfect friend, role model, confidant, and a whole bunch of other nice things. Edelman also said that nothing anyone says can do justice to how brilliant Creel was, and honestly, I have to agree. Some people just have a light that can’t be put into words.
Even Perez Hilton, the notorious celebrity blogger, got in on the tributes. He posted a video of himself straight-up sobbing over the news, which just goes to show how far-reaching Creel’s impact was.
Creel’s Into the Woods co-star Julia Lester took to Instagram to share her thoughts as well. She did not hold back, calling Creel “exceptional, unmatched, and singular.”
Lester shared the stage with Creel in the 2022 Broadway revival of Woods as the Little Red Ridinghood to his Wolf. Harriet Sansom Harris, meanwhile ⏤ who shared the stage with Creel in Thoroughly Modern Millie ⏤ only needed four words to express how she felt about the talented performer gone too soon.
Naturally, one of the most emotional tributes came from Sutton Foster, Creel’s leading lady in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Foster kept her caption simple, but still said everything: “My sweet friend. I will love you forever.” She posted a picture of Creel down on one knee, holding her hands and staring into her soul. I’m not crying, you’re crying!
Meanwhile, Joshua Henry, who performed with Creel in Into the Woods as Rapunzel’s Prince, hit us with a video of the two of them living their best lives together.
In the video, Henry talks about how Creel taught him the meaning of joy and generosity, how he made everyone feel seen and heard, and how he was an answered prayer and a dream come true. Creel and Henry had an undeniable energy and chemistry that was anything but agony as the Woods princes. The actors would often high-five each other backstage during crossovers, bonding over their shared experience of playing the comedic goofballs.
Last but certainly not least, we have Philippa Soo, Creel’s Cinderella in Into the Woods. Soo called Creel a “shining light in this world” who gave everyone hope, joy, and laughter.
Of course, we can’t forget about the official tributes from the Tony Awards and GLAAD.
These organizations recognize the best of the best in theater and LGBTQ+ advocacy, respectively, so their acknowledgment of Gavin’s passing speaks volumes about his talent. Overall, these tributes paint a picture of a man who was not only insanely talented but also an all-around incredible human being. Rest in power, you fabulous prince.
