Tearful memorial held in New York for Broadway actor Kyle Jean-Baptiste, who died at 21
Brandyn
Day, center, talks about his best friend during a memorial gathering
for Kyle Jean-Baptiste, Monday, Aug. 31, 2015, at Bethesda fountain in
New York's Central Park. Baptiste, the first African-American and
youngest person to ever play the role of Jean Valjean in "Les
Miserables" on Broadway, died after falling from a fire escape over the
weekend, according to a show spokesman. He was 21. (AP Photo/Mary
Altaffer)
NEW
YORK (AP) — Dozens of friends, colleagues and former classmates of a
rising Broadway actor who had already made history at just 21 years old
gathered in Central Park on Monday to mourn his accidental death.
Clutching
flowers at Bethesda Fountain, the tearful group honored Kyle
Jean-Baptiste, the first African-American and youngest person to play
the role of Jean Valjean in "Les Miserables" on Broadway.
They
hugged and told stories of the young man, concluding the memorial by
singing the rousing "The People's Song" from that musical, some perched
on the edge of the fountain as if standing atop a barricade.
"Kyle
always knew what to say to strangers. He taught me how to speak to
people. He taught me how to love people," said his best friend, Brandyn
Day, currently in "Saturday Night Live" at The Gateway Playhouse on Long Island.
Jean-Baptiste
was an ensemble member of the company and an understudy for Valjean,
going onstage as the ex-convict in a history-making appearance on July 23. His last performance in the role was Thursday.
He
was sitting on a fourth-floor fire escape of an apartment in the
Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn with a 23-year-old woman on Friday night when he stood up, slipped and fell backward to the ground.
The Imperial Theatre, the current home of "Les Miserables," will dim its lights in his honor Tuesday
night after the evening performance. "His spirit was infinite and his
voice from God — we are all so sad not to have spent more time with him,
for he truly was a rare talent and a special person. Our loss is
heaven's gain and our prayers are with his family and friends," said
producer Cameron Mackintosh in statement.
Jean-Baptiste
was born in New York and graduated from Baldwin Wallace University in
Berea, Ohio. The 6-foot-2-inch tenor had recently landed two musical
roles at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, in "Murder Ballad" and "Love
Story." He next had a role in the upcoming revival of "The Color
Purple."
He
also had played Enjolras last year in a production of "Les Miserables"
at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival. He had been in "Les Miserables" in
three productions altogether. A scholarship in his name at his alma
mater raised more than $25,000 in a day.
Jenny
Fernandez, who spent her freshman year with Jean-Baptiste at Baldwin
Wallace University, said there was something clearly special about him.
"It
was just very clear that he would go far," she said. "Death is really
hard to understand and comprehend, and the best thing that we can do is
be together."
Jean-Baptiste
was known to make up his own lyrics to rap songs. He read Playbill
religiously and dreamed of being on Broadway one day. He got word he
landed the gig in "Les Miserables" in New York the day after graduating
and cried in Day's arms.
"When
he did something he did it in the biggest possible way," Day said.
"Everyone who met Kyle loved him. I loved him. And he will never be
forgotten."
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