Obituaries

Read all our theater and the performing-arts coverage across the U.S., including exclusive interviews, insightful reviews, and must-see photos and videos.

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Olympia Dukakis
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Oscar Winner Olympia Dukakis Has Died at the Age of 89
The screen and stage legend passed away in New York.
The logo artwork for the <em>Bat Out of Hell</em> musical
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Jim Steinman, Songwriter Behind Bat Out of Hell and Dance of the Vampires, Dies at 73
Steinman wrote hits for Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Celine Dion, and more.
Joseph Siravo
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Joseph Siravo, Original Piazza Cast Member and Tony Soprano's Dad, Dies at 64
Siravo played 2,000 performances in the national tour of Jersey Boys.
Paul Ritter as Reg in <em>Table Manners</em> from Alan Ayckbourn's trilogy <em>The Norman Conquests</em>
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Paul Ritter, Tony- and Olivier-Nominated Scene-Stealer, Dies at 54
Ritter appeared on Broadway in The Norman Conquests and onscreen in Friday Night Dinner.
Arthur Kopit
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Playwright Arthur Kopit, Book Writer of the Musical Nine, Dies at 83
Kopit earned Tony nominations for Nine as well as for his plays Wings and Indians.
Craig 'muMs' Grant
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Craig "muMs" Grant, Poet, Oz Co-star, and Regular With Labyrinth Theatre, Dies at 52
The poet died unexpectedly earlier this week.
Jessica Walter
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Jessica Walter, Mom on Arrested Development and Co-star in Anything Goes, Dies at 80
Walter also voiced Fran Sinclair in the series Dinosaurs and Malory Archer on Archer.
G.W. Mercier with two of his designs, <em>Old Hats</em> and <em>Finding Nemo — The Musical</em>
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G.W. Mercier, Designer of Old Hats and Disney's Finding Nemo Musical, Dies at 66
Mercier received a Tony nomination for his work on Juan Darién.
Unga
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Columbus Zoo Announces Passing of Unga, a Bonobo Whose Story Is Featured in Come From Away
Unga was one of two rare bonobos that were stranded in Gander, Newfoundland.
Mark Plesent
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Mark Plesent, Longtime Producing Artistic Director of Off-Broadway's Working Theatre, Dies at 60
Plesent joined the company in 1989.
Douglas Turner Ward
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Douglas Turner Ward, Co-founder of the Negro Ensemble Company, Dies at 90
Ward's plays include Day of Absence, and he directed the original production of A Soldier's Play.
Hal Holbrook
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Hal Holbrook, Broadway's Legendary Mark Twain, Dies at 95
Holbrook won a Tony and five Emmys over the course of his storied career, which ended with his retirement in 2017.
Cicely Tyson in her Tony-winning role as Carrie Watts in the 2013 revival of <em>The Trip to Bountiful</em>.
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Tony-Winning Stage, Television, and Film Actor Cicely Tyson Dies at 96
Tyson earned her first Tony Award in 2013 for her starring role in Horton Foote's The Trip to Bountiful.
Cloris Leachman
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Cloris Leachman, Beloved Emmy and Oscar Winner, Dies at 94
Leachman was known for roles in Young Frankenstein and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, among others.
Bob Avian
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Bob Avian, Tony-Winning Choreographer of A Chorus Line and More, Dies at 83
Avian also worked on Dreamgirls, Miss Saigon, and many other productions.
Philip J. Smith
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Philip J. Smith, Chairman Emeritus of the Shubert Organization, Dies at 89
Smith passed from Covid-19 complications.
Lee Breuer
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Lee Breuer, Co-founder of Experimental Company Mabou Mines, Dies at 83
Breuer's best-known production was The Gospel at Colonus.
Ann Reinking
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Legendary Dancer and Choreographer Ann Reinking Dies at 71
Reinking won a Tony for choreographing the 1996 Broadway revival of Chicago, after a career spent working with Bob Fosse.
Israel Horovitz
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Israel Horovitz, Off-Broadway Playwright With Decades of Sexual Abuse Allegations, Dies at 81
Horovitz co-founded Gloucester Stage Company, and was the author of works like Line.
Carol Arthur in <em>Blazing Saddles</em>
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Carol Arthur, Broadway and West End Vet, and Co-star of Mel Brooks Films, Dies at 85
Arthur originated the role of Hildy in the West End production of On the Town.
Ming Cho Lee
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Ming Cho Lee, Groundbreaking Scenic Designer, Dies at 90
Lee won a Tony in the 1980s for the play K2.
Marge Champion
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Marge Champion, Legendary Golden Age Dancer of Stage and Screen, Dies at 101
Champion is perhaps best known for her longtime partnership with dancer Gower Champion.
Anthony Chisholm
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Tony Nominee Anthony Chisholm, Whose Acting Career Took Him Across the World, Dies at 77
Chisholm is best known for starring in August Wilson's plays Jitney and Radio Golf.
Doreen Montalvo
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Doreen Montalvo, of Broadway's In the Heights, On Your Feet!, and Mrs. Doubtfire, Dies at 56
Montalvo suffered a sudden stroke earlier this month.