Kyle Jean-Baptiste, Kyle Jean-Baptiste, who made theatre history as the first African-American to play the lead in a Broadway production of Les Miserables, has died aged 21.
He fell from a fire escape at his mother's home in New York following an evening performance at the Imperial Theatre.A New York Police Department spokesman said they believed his death was accidental.
He was sitting on the fire escape of a fourth-floor apartment in Brooklyn with a 23-year-old woman.
The actor is believed to have stood up, slipped, and then fallen backward to the ground.
Marc Thibodeau, spokesman for the show, said: "The entire Les Miserables family is shocked and devastated by the sudden and tragic loss of Kyle, a remarkable young talent and tremendous person who made magic, and history, in his Broadway debut."At the time he said: "I did not immediately think of it as making history. This was my dream since I was a little boy. This incredible team of creatives presented an opportunity to play a part I have dreamed of playing since I was introduced to theatre, and I am forever grateful.
"I felt a huge amount of responsibility to do right by them and to honour this iconic material."
Shortly before he died, he said on Twitter: "I thank everyone who supported me and still does. I will never forget this experience."
He fell from a fire escape at his mother's home in New York following an evening performance at the Imperial Theatre.A New York Police Department spokesman said they believed his death was accidental.
He was sitting on the fire escape of a fourth-floor apartment in Brooklyn with a 23-year-old woman.
The actor is believed to have stood up, slipped, and then fallen backward to the ground.
Marc Thibodeau, spokesman for the show, said: "The entire Les Miserables family is shocked and devastated by the sudden and tragic loss of Kyle, a remarkable young talent and tremendous person who made magic, and history, in his Broadway debut."At the time he said: "I did not immediately think of it as making history. This was my dream since I was a little boy. This incredible team of creatives presented an opportunity to play a part I have dreamed of playing since I was introduced to theatre, and I am forever grateful.
"I felt a huge amount of responsibility to do right by them and to honour this iconic material."
Shortly before he died, he said on Twitter: "I thank everyone who supported me and still does. I will never forget this experience."
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