On Sept. 30, the world lost beloved musical theater legend Gavin Creel. The Broadway actor was only 48 years old and still active. Just a year earlier, Creel had dazzled the country in the much celebrated “Into the Woods” revival as the Wolf and Cinderella’s Prince. The production began at New York City Encores! before transferring to Broadway, and ultimately going on a national tour. Creel stayed on throughout all iterations of the production, mesmerizing audiences with his wit, grace, and humor as a performer.
Only two months before his passing, Creel was diagnosed with a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, similar to cancer, and passed away at his home in the early hours of the morning. From his beginnings in his breakout Broadway debut in the Tony-nominated performance as Jimmy in “Thoroughly Modern Millie” to his adventures in London as Elder Price in “The Book of Mormon,” Creel had a special gift for endearing audiences with a humble everyman persona.
With a smooth and silky tenor voice, Creel possessed a wide vocal range: from singing crooner roles like Steven Kodaly in “She Loves Me” to belting out rock songs as Claude in “Hair.” His range as an actor was just as extensive, performing in equal stride comedic roles to the most dramatic.
I will remember him most of all from his performance in the Broadway revival of “Hello, Dolly!” as Cornelius Hackl, a role that won him the Tony Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical. Whenever Creel was on stage, he sang and acted like an angel. For so many of us, he exemplified what a leading man should have: charisma, comedic timing, and kindness.
In many ways, he was our generation’s David Caroll, another extraordinarily talented actor who starred in many productions on Broadway including “Chess” and “Grand Hotel,” and was known for his incredibly warm and bright baritone voice and dashing leading man looks. In a moment of great sadness, during the recording sessions for “Grand Hotel,” Caroll lost his battle with HIV/AIDS and passed away at the age of 41.
Creel will continue to be adored through all the recordings, pro-shots, and memories that he brought to the Broadway stage forever. Creel was also a queer icon and was an activist throughout his career. Creel was a founding member of the group Broadway Impact, an LGBTQ+ activist group that aims to mobilize the theater community to aid in marriage and family equality. Creel’s loss was felt by the Emerson community, particularly since he conducted a master class for the Class of 2024 Musical Theater students a few years ago.
“It was one of the best master classes I’ve ever attended. He gave such personalized feedback for each of our students,” said Musical Theater Assistant Professor Ilana Ransom Toeplitz. “One of our favorite things that we kept citing well after his master class was an acronym Gavin created: TCTCTS, or, The Courage To Conjure The Silly. It takes a lot of bravery to be openhearted and playful on stage in front of people, and Gavin was a true master. He was a legend, a bright light in a tough business. He will be missed.”
While Creel’s time was far too short, he gave his love and commitment to every role he played, a legacy the theater community will not forget.
