Most Relevant Deaths in Theatre

I think Jonathan Larson's untimely departure from the world right before the opening of "Rent" had an effect on the show--giving it an extra layer of poignancy that it might not have had on its own. It makes you wonder what else he could have written if he had lived longer.

And of course there was Gower Champion passing right before the opening of 42nd Street on Broadway....

August Wilson.

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Every death is relevant because it involves the ending of someone's life. Every death matters because every life matters.

Ditto.

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Gower Champion

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Of course every death is important and tragic, however I have to agree that Larsons struck a whole new chord in musical theatre, a man who have lived in near poverty the majority of his life, up to the final years when his career started to pick up, (he also had a good child hood) and then he finally writes, not only a fantastic blockbuster, but also a ground-breaking musical that broke many of the remaining theatre taboo's and ultimately, led the paving stones for modern commercial shows such as Spring Awakening, and the man suddenly dies of something that, if it had been correctly diagnosed when he went to the hospital just days before, he would still be with us, I am not the biggest fan of Rent, however, Tick, Tick BOOM is one of the most beautiful shows I have ever heard, and what I have heard of his earlier stuff, such as Superbia, was also very raw, emotional and incredible music!

"Of course every death is important and tragic, however I have to agree that Larsons struck a whole new chord in musical theatre, a man who have lived in near poverty the majority of his life"

He didn't live in near poverty the majority of his life.

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