Gavin Creel wasn’t just a Broadway star, he was the kind of person who lit up a room before he even hit his first note. With a voice that could melt hearts and comic timing that could bring down the house, he stole the show in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hair, She Loves Me, Hello, Dolly!, you name it.
But Creel was more than a killer voice and an awesome actor. He was a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, a co-founder of Broadway Impact, and the kind of guy who cheered hardest for everyone else. In 2024, he faced a rare cancer, and he passed away far too soon at 48, but his legacy, his laugh, and his kindness are still center stage in the hearts of everyone he touched. Here are 5 things you may not have known about him!
1. Tony Award-winning Broadway icon!
Although this is no news but, Gavin Creel had a Broadway career that most people only dream of. He won a Tony in 2017 for Hello, Dolly! and picked up two other nominations prior to that for Hair in 2009 and Thoroughly Modern Millie back in 2002. Over more than 20 years, he became a beloved fixture on stages both in the U.S. and London’s West End.
His impact was felt deeply at this year’s 2025 Tony Awards (via People). During the In Memoriam segment, Cynthia Erivo and Sara Bareilles performed a beautiful, touching version of “Tomorrow” from Annie. But when the star’s photo appeared on the screen, Bareilles, who was a close friend and worked in two productions together, was visibly emotional. Erivo gave her a hug as the lights dimmed, and the show gently shifted to commercial.
2. How did Gavin Creel die?
Gavin Creel passed away in September 2024, just months after being diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer known as metastatic melanotic peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma.
This unusual soft tissue sarcoma develops on nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, targeting muscles, fat, and tendons, as per the National Cancer Institute. It spreads rapidly and is one of the rarest types of sarcoma, mostly affecting young and middle-aged adults. Despite his brave fight, his life was cut far too short, leaving a void that can never be filled.
3. How did he get his start?
His journey to Broadway began at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theater, and Dance, where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1998. It was during this time that he met Melody Racine, his voice teacher and lifelong friend, who supported him through his career.
4. He was a passionate change-maker…
Gavin Creel wasn’t just a star on stage; he was a powerhouse off it, too. As a passionate activist, he helped push for the federal Marriage Equality Act and co-founded Broadway Impact, a group rallying the theater world for LGBTQ+ rights.
When he was starring in Hair, he and his castmates didn’t just sing about change, they made it happen, raising money and awareness for LGBTQ+ causes. He even talked the Hair revival’s producers into canceling a show so the entire cast could join the historic Equality March on Washington, D.C., in 2009.
5. His music career
Another interesting fact is that his musical talent went beyond what many people might realize. While he was best known for his Broadway roles, he also released three original albums, Goodtimenation, Quiet, and Get Out, showing off his skills as a singer-songwriter.
He even won a Grammy as part of the cast of Into the Woods. Plus, he wrote and performed his own original musical, Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice. So, while he was a Broadway star, Creel was also a seriously gifted musician whose work deserves to be discovered by even more people.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
