Posted: 9/15/23 at 2:46am
Very surprising and sad news to see that Michael McGrath passed away at the age of 65. I was lucky enough to see his final stage performance in Little Shop of Horrors at The Muny this summer. He was so lively in that production, as he was in all of his stage appearances. He will definitely be missed! RIP
Posted: 9/15/23 at 3:18am
How sad! A great talent and a huge loss
Posted: 9/15/23 at 7:23am
so sad.
Posted: 9/15/23 at 7:36am
Woah. May his memory be a blessing.
Posted: 9/15/23 at 7:39am
Devastatingly sad.
A guy who was good in everything yet still felt underutilized or that he had more to give.
I’m so glad he won his Tony for NICE WORK, in which he and Judy Kaye showed everyone what real musical comedy can be.
RIP.
Posted: 9/15/23 at 8:05am
So sad to hear this! Last time I saw him was the narrator in Once upon a one more time in the DC tryout. RIP
Posted: 9/15/23 at 8:10am
Oh wow. So sudden and so young.
Posted: 9/15/23 at 8:54am
What a shock! He always managed to elevate everything he was in and he seemed like one of those actors who would just always be around, reliably doing good work.
Posted: 9/15/23 at 9:11am
How terrible. Truly a reliable Broadway mainstay whose work was always just wonderful. Sending love to his family.
Posted: 9/15/23 at 9:29am
Just echoing what everyone else has said: a true comedic talent that made any project better.
I was sad to see his understudy in Nice Work, but got to see him in several other shows over the years. Possibly the best performance I saw from him was in Red Bull's production of The Government Inspector, opposite Michael Urie.
RIP
Posted: 9/15/23 at 9:32am
Another universally beloved performer and person taken from us.
Posted: 9/15/23 at 9:51am
this is such sad news, i selected this screen name because in 2012-2013 Nice Work If You Can Get It was one of the first musicals i saw. I fell in love with it and watched kathleen marshall's/ david eggers' choreography about 9-10 times, getting rush tickets each time. What a show. i've seen several regional productions of this Joe DePietro work since it was licensed out as well. High schools love putting it on. My love of Broadway originated with this show
somebody told me that for the final show of Nice Work on June 13, 2013 the stagehands put real booze in Cookie's flask. This show was such a blast every time.
I did see mr mcgrath in some kennedy center productions as well.
If there's a bootlegger's heaven out there, Cookie and Billie Bendix and Duke all belong up there....
oh this so saddddd......thanks for the laughs Mr McGrath.......there was never a better butler out there than you....
Posted: 9/15/23 at 12:22pm
Wow. Dude was hilarious in Tootsie.
“A director once told me he would rather watch a 3-D movie of his own conception than ever work with you again.”
”Jesus Christ, Michael… you look like my wife.”
Updated On: 9/15/23 at 12:22 PM
Posted: 9/15/23 at 1:25pm
Broadway didn’t get the chance to witness Michael’s full comic genius. But at least he had some nice roles. And a Tony. RIP Michael. This one really hurt.
Posted: 9/15/23 at 2:22pm
What a blessing to have one's memory instantly bring joy to peoples faces. Reading this horrible news, I was reminded that he was in Tootsie, and instantly found myself grinning remembering his hilarious scene at the end of Act 2 in the doorway of that apartment. Comic gold. What a tragic loss.
Posted: 9/15/23 at 2:27pm
So sad. I enjoyed his performances over the years and still remember it was he who pulled me on stage at the original Spamalot. I was happy for him when he won his Tony. May he RIP.
Posted: 9/15/23 at 7:07pm
The outpouring of love from the community truly warms the heart. Appeared to have been a mensch through and through (and apparently quite the chef & grill master also).
One other thing I discovered today: He had one of those crazy Broadway debut years where he opened and closed 2 historical flop movie-to-musical adaptations in the span of 9 months (MY FAVORITE YEAR followed by THE GOODBYE GIRL).
I hope Bway will dim the lights for him –– or at least a few houses.
Updated On: 9/15/23 at 07:07 PM
