A memorial tribute honoring Broadway star Gavin Creel is set to take place next Monday at the St. James Theatre, the venue where he performed in the acclaimed production of “Into the Woods.” This heartfelt event will also be livestreamed, allowing fans in both the U.S. and the U.K. to participate remotely.
Gavin Creel passed away on September 30 at the young age of 48. In the U.S., the livestream will be accessible via MCC Theater’s YouTube channel starting at 4 p.m. EST (9 p.m. GMT), while viewers in the U.K. can tune in on The Society of London Theatre’s YouTube channel at the same time.
The public is invited to attend the memorial in person, and fans interested in joining are encouraged to send an email containing their name and contact information to [email protected]. It’s important to note that the memorial will not be available for on-demand viewing after it concludes.
Additionally, on the following day, Tuesday, December 3, all Broadway marquees will be dimmed at 6:45 p.m. EST in memory of Creel. This decision comes after widespread feedback from theater enthusiasts who were dissatisfied with an initial proposal for only a partial dimming to honor the late Tony Award-winner.
Creel was renowned in the world of Broadway musicals, having received a Tony Award for his performance in “Hello, Dolly!” alongside Bette Midler, and earning nominations for his roles in “Hair” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” He also won an Olivier Award for his work in “The Book of Mormon.”
The discussions surrounding Creel’s passing have highlighted the practice of dimming marquee lights as a tribute to esteemed theater figures who have died. While the industry typically honors major stars with a complete blackout of Broadway theaters for a minute, lesser-known figures might only receive a partial dimming as tribute.
In light of Creel’s death, the Committee of Theatre Owners has decided that one theater from each owner will participate in the tribute, leading to an online petition that garnered over 23,000 signatures demanding that all theaters take part. Ultimately, it was resolved that all 41 Broadway theaters would dim their lights to honor Gavin Creel’s legacy.