Gavin Creel Dead: Broadway Star of Hair, Hello Dolly, More Was 48

Gavin Creel, a Tony-winning Broadway star who appeared in “Hair,” “Hello, Dolly,” “Into the Woods” and more, died Monday at his home in Manhattan of metastatic melanotic peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma, his publicist confirmed to the New York Times. He was 48.

A 20-year Broadway veteran, Creel won his first Tony Award in 2017 for best featured actor in a musical for “Hello, Dolly,” and he was nominated prior to that in 2009 for “Hair” and in 2002 for “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” He also won a Grammy in 2023 for best musical theater album for the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods.”

For originating the role of Elder Price in “The Book of Mormon” in the West End, he won a Laurence Olivier Award in 2014. Between 2012 and 2016, he appeared in the U.S. national tour cast, performed on the West End and served as a Broadway replacement for the irreverent musical comedy.

Creel made his Broadway debut, and received his first Tony nomination, in the 2002 original musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” opposite Sutton Foster. After joining the original Chicago cast of Sondheim’s “Road Show,” he made his return to Broadway in the 2004 revival of “La Cage aux Folles.” In 2006, he made his West End debut in “Mary Poppins” as Bert.

He earned his second Tony nomination playing Claude Hooper Bukowski in the “Hair” revival in 2009 and transferred to the West End after its Broadway run. After his run on “The Book of Mormon,” he starred in the 2016 Broadway revival of “She Loves Me” with Jane Krakowski. The production was the first-ever Broadway show to be livestreamed.

In 2017, Creel finally won the Tony for playing Cornelius Hackl in the Broadway revival of “Hello, Dolly” with Bette Midler. After that, he played Dr. Pomatter in Sara Bareilles’ “Waitress” on Broadway and the West End. His final Broadway role was in the 2022 revival of “Into the Woods” as the Wolf and Cinderella’s Prince, and he also appeared in the Off-Broadway show” Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice.”

Creel made his TV debut in 2003’s “Eloise at the Plaza” and appeared in its sequel, “Eloise at Christmastime.” He also appeared in episodes of “Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure.” “American Horror Stories” and more.