The Broadway League, the trade association for the theater industry, has announced that the committee of theater owners will darken marquee lights in memory of the late Gavin Creel. One venue from each Main Stem theater owner will be dimmed, including the Circle in the Square, Eugene O’Neill, Helen Hayes, Marquis, New Amsterdam, Samuel J. Friedman, Shubert, Stephen Sondheim, St. James, Studio 54, Todd Haimes and Vivian Beaumont theaters. The date of the dimming will be announced, in coordination with the family of Creel, who passed away on Sept. 30 at the age of 48.
Creel took home the Tony in 2017 for his featured turn as Cornelius Hackl in “Hello, Dolly!” He received additional nods for the 2009 revival of “Hair” and his Main Stem debut in 2002’s “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”
He played Elder Price in three different companies of “The Book of Mormon,” first opening the national tour in 2012. He then originated the role in the 2013 West End mounting, winning a Best Actor in a Musical Olivier Award. Later, he replaced in the Broadway production in 2015.
Creel’s additional Broadway credits include appearances in revivals of “La Cage Aux Folles,” “She Loves Me” and “Into the Woods,” in addition to replacing in “Waitress.” On the road, Creel appeared in tours of “Fame” and the aforementioned “Book of Mormon” and “Into the Woods.”
In 2021, Creel debuted a solo show commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Live Arts Department. Featuring his own music, “Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice” followed Creel on a journey of self reflection and discovery through the museum.
“Walk on Through” was expanded to include more performers and played Off-Broadway’s MCC Theater from November 2023 to January 2024.
Beyond the footlights, Creel’s community efforts included co-founding Broadway Impact, a grassroots organization that mobilized support of marriage equality, as well as being an active supporter of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
“It is hard to fathom the loss of Gavin Creel,” said Jason Laks, interim president of the Broadway League, in a statement. “Not only was he an actor of the highest caliber, but he was also a committed activist and champion for so many causes both within and outside of our industry. Gavin gave of his whole self to our community, both in his performances and his charitable work. The Broadway community is lucky to have known him both as an actor and an individual, and to have benefited from the joy that he brought into so many people’s lives.”
The dimming of Broadway’s marquee lights is a decades-old tradition. Individuals recently honored include Adrian Bailey, James Earl Jones, Hinton Battle and Chita Rivera.
