Tony Award-Winning Actor Gavin Creel Dead at 48

Broadway icon and Tony Award-winning actor Gavin Creel has passed away at age 48.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Creel's shocking death was confirmed by his partner Alex Temple Ward.

Creel passed away on Monday (Sept. 30) after dealing with a rare, aggressive cancer diagnosis since July 2024.

THR reported that Creel underwent treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

The actor's diagnosis was metastatic melanotic peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that targets the bones and soft tissues, according to People.

Creel was known for his starring roles in many notable stage shows including Thoroughly Modern Millie (his Broadway debut), Hello Dolly!, Hair, Into the Woods, Waitress and She Loves Me.

Though primarily a theatre actor, Creel also dabbled in TV and played musical waiter Bill in the childhood classic movies Eloise at the Plaza and Eloise at Christmastime.

Creel was awarded his first Tony in 2017 after portraying Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! alongside Bette Midler.

He said the award was an "absolute dream come true" at the time, according to People.

His final role was a musical he wrote and starred in, titled Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice, which was commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The show ran Off-Broadway at the MCC Theater from Nov. 2023 through Jan. 2024.

Highlighting his legacy and showing just how loved he was by fans, Creel's show sold out its original run.

"I love to be able to tell stories to make people laugh, cry, and think," he said of the show, per People.

Creel was born in Findlay, Ohio, and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theatre from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance in 1998.

A beloved figure in the theatre community, Creel was known for his soulful voice and his activism as an advocate for racial equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and exposing sexual harassment in the industry.

He also co-founded the organization Broadway Impact in the fight for marriage equality for LGBTQ+ couples.

Per People, Creel's family and friends request that any gifts in Gavin's memory be made to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

A small private gathering is being held for family and friends with a larger, community-wide celebration of life to be held at a later date.