Gavin Creel Honored at Broadway Memorial Service Filled With Music, Humor and Heartbreak: ‘He Was Everyone’s Favorite Person’

variety.com:

Gavin Creel, the Tony Award-winning star of “Hello Dolly!” and “Hair” who died in September at the age of 48, was celebrated Monday as a passionate artist and activist in an emotional memorial service filled with music and memories that brought out much of New York City’s tight-knit theater community. “Tonight is going to be both joyful and there’s going to be some sorrow,” Heather Creel, Gavin’s sister, said. “It’s going to have both tears and laughter, and it’s going to have excitement and quiet.” And there was indeed plenty of humor and heartbreak, starry moments and profound sadness, over the course of the nearly two hour service.

Creel, who died after battling an aggressive form of cancer, was honored by his partner, Alex Temple Ward, as well as former co-stars like Sara Bareilles and Celia Keenan-Bolger.

There were also performances by Broadway icons like Kelli O’Hara, Phillipa Soo and Joshua Henry of songs such as “How Glory Goes,” “Sunday” and “Children Will Listen” that held special significance for Creel.

The service concluded with a rousing rendition of “Let the Sunshine In,” one of the numbers that Creel sang when he appeared in the 2009 revival of “Hair.” In between, there were stories about Creel’s love of gadgets, obsession with Pixar movies, pancake-making abilities, impromptu dog adoptions, on-stage flatulence, and “long arms” and soaring voice.