Tens of thousands of people signed a petition asking Broadway theaters to reconsider a lighting tribute for Tony Award winner Gavin Creel. News 4’s Ida Siegal reports.
To honor the late Gavin Creel, a Tony winner and mainstay of Broadway for several decades, all theaters will now dim their lights in what has become a longstanding tradition for icons of the stage.
The announcement came on Wednesday following a deafening outcry from the Broadway community over the decision to only dim about one-third of all theaters for the 48-year-old who died from a rare form of cancer.
Creel will not be the only recent stage actor to receive the full honor, the Broadway League said in a press release.
"In recognition of the passing of several beloved Broadway community members in recent weeks, and in honor of their significant impact on that community, the Committee of Theatre Owners has announced that they will dim the lights of all Broadway theatres in New York in honor of Adrian Bailey, Gavin Creel, and Maggie Smith," the announcement read.
Additionally, the league said it will conduct a review of its current dimming policy and procedures.
In the week following news that only a handful of the 41 theaters would participate in the honor to Creel, tens of thousands of people signed an online petition encouraging all theaters to participate in the tribute to the Tony and Olivier winner.
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“It really felt like the Broadway League was misunderstanding the situation and underestimating the extent of the grief Gavin’s death has caused in the Broadway community," Adam Feldman, theater critic for Time Out New York, told NBC New York on Tuesday.
Broadway
The light-dimming tradition began in 1952 when Gertrude Lawrence, then in her early 50s, died of viral hepatitis while starring on Broadway in The King and I. pic.twitter.com/LcQTG7yAZX
— Adam Feldman (@FeldmanAdam) October 6, 2024
Feldman and many others led the discussion in recent days about the tribute and proper way to honor those with giant impacts throughout the theater community.
Broadway star Patti Murin lived next door to Gavin and said the outpouring of grief over his death has swept through the community
“He is not just a performer and a friend to all, he is a Tony Award winner. He is a pillar of our community," Murin said.
All 41 theaters will dim their lights for Bailey on Oct. 17. A date for the tribute to Creel and Smith has not yet been determined. Organizers plan to coordinate those dates with their families.
