New York City
The Committee of Theatre Owners will dim the lights of one theater from every theater owner on Broadway.
To honor the memory of Gavin Creel, who passed away on September 30 at the age of 48 after a brief battle with cancer, the Committee of Theatre Owners will dim the lights of one theater from every theater owner on Broadway at a date and time to be coordinated with the family at their request.
The initial list included the Circle in the Square, Eugene O’Neill, Helen Hayes, Marquis, New Amsterdam, Samuel J. Friedman, Shubert, Stephen Sondheim, St. James, Studio 54, Todd Haimes, and Vivian Beaumont theaters. Since then, the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, home of the 2009 revival of Hair that starred Creel, has also announced that it will be dimming its lights, despite not being on the initial list.
“It is hard to fathom the loss of Gavin Creel,” said Jason Laks, interim president of the Broadway League. “Not only was he an actor of the highest caliber, but he was also a committed activist and champion for so many causes both within and outside of our industry. Gavin gave of his whole self to our community, both in his performances and his charitable work. The Broadway community is lucky to have known him both as an actor and an individual, and to have benefited from the joy that he brought into so many people’s lives.”
But many in the theater community feel that a partial dimming of the lights is not enough for the Tony award winner beloved by his peers and fans. A change.org petition started by theater critic Adam Feldman calling for a full dimming of Broadway theater lights has over 21,000 signatures.