UPDATED: Kristin Chenoweth, Josh Groban, and Many More Tribute Kyle Jean-Baptiste
By: Sally Henry Aug. 29, 2015
Like all of the theatre community, BroadwayWorld is shocked and saddened to learn of the untimely passing of 21-year-old Les Miserables performer Kyle Jean-Baptiste after an accident at his mother's home on Friday night.
Much like the Broadway community did for Joan Rivers, some have started using the hashtag, #Dim4Kyle, petitioning The League to dim the Broadway lights in his honor. Below, read the heartfelt messages that friends and fans have been sharing to social media ever since the news of his death.
Our thoughts and prayers are with those close to Kyle. Keep checking BroadwayWorld as more sweet messages come in.
The LES MIS company released a statement to BroadwayWorld about the passing of their young family member: "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. We send our deepest condolences to his family and ask that you respect their privacy in this unimaginably difficult time."
Kristin Chenoweth: @KChenoweth: RIP Kyle Jean-Baptiste. My love and hugs to his family. And the cast of @LesMiserables
Richard Jay-Alexander: @rja_tkydky It's not fair when a life is taken SO SUDDENLY and a soul & talent like @BaptisteKyle isn't allowed to achieve his potential. Love & Prayers
Josh Groban: @JoshGroban: He was just getting started. So sad. My condolences as well to family and cast.
Andrew Lippa: @lippaofficial: @joshgroban @KChenoweth @LesMiserables Just overwhelmingly sad. Sending love to his family, friends and colleagues. @DGFund
Leslie Odom, Jr.: @leslieodomjr: We had a hard one over here. Can't imagine what @LesMizBway & his family & close friends must be going through. 21.
.@BaptisteKyle Gave dap and respect whenever we passed. Good God. What a loss.
Eden Espinosa: @EdenEspinosa: "There's a grief that can't be spoken" @BaptisteKyle lift his family up in love and light. #lesmiserables #GoneTooSoon
Constantine Maroulis: @ConstantineM: Had the pleasure of doing a concert with this young man, an utter tragedy, eternal be his memory @lesmisofficial
@TheEnsemblist: Sending love and light to the Broadway community today, especially our friends at @LesMizBway.
Leanne Michelle Cope: @cope_leanne: It's a sad day on Broadway today. Sending much love to Kyle Jean-Baptiste family friends and @LesMizBway cast mates
Tituss Burgess: @TitussBurgess: So sad. Unbelievable.
Joshua Henry: @joshuahenry20: Shocked and saddened to have lost one of Broadway's youngest treasures.. #kyleJeanBaptiste
Aaron Tveit: @AaronTveit: Absolutely heartbreaking. All my love to his family and friends.
Jason Gotay: @jasongotay: lost for words. wow. Kyle Jean-Baptiste, gone way too soon. Take care of yourselves and each other friends. Every moment counts.
Lindsay Mendez: @LindsayMendez: Sending all my love and support to Kyle's family and the @LesMizBway company. So very tragic. What a wonderful young man.
Ramin Karimloo: @raminkarimloo: Today we lost a great talent. Today I lost a friend. Such promise and a wonderful spirit @BaptisteKyle He came and. conquered. RIP brother.
Emerson Steele: @emerson_steele: The loss of Kyle-Jean Baptiste today is utterly heartbreaking. Sending love to everyone who knew him and experienced his magic onstage.
Ellyn Marsh: @ellynmarsh: Tragic. No words. Hug everyday.
/article/LES-MISERABLES-Cast-Member-Kyle-Jean-Baptiste-Dies-at-21-20150829 ...
@Actor_Friend: Kyle Jean-Baptiste made history and inspired so many.
Dan and Laura Curtis: @DanLauraCurtis: RIP Kyle Jean-Baptiste @BaptisteKyle thoughts go out to his friends, family and the cast of @LesMiserables /article/LES-MISERABLES-Cast-Member-Kyle-Jean-Baptiste-Dies-at-21-20150829 ... truly sad!
Jennifer Damiano: @jenndamiano: "I would hold you for a million years to make you feel my love"
Lin-Manuel Miranda: @Lin_Manuel: Unimaginable. In shock. He was just here.
@Lin_Manuel: I'm postponing today's #Ham4Ham show in light of the tragic news re:
Kyle-Jean Baptiste. Here he is. What a light. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ASlkb6CLJng ...
He was just here.
Alice Ripley: @RIPLEYTHEBAND: R.I.P. Kyle Jean-Baptiste
/article/LES-MISERABLES-Cast-Member-Kyle-Jean-Baptiste-Dies-at-21-20150829 ... God bless the Jean-Baptiste family.
@54Below: A tragic loss. We want to send our love and thoughts to Kyle's friends, family, and the company of @LesMizBway.
Alex Brightman: @ABrightMonster: As an advocate of stage door silliness, this made me smile and broke my heart. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xvj4-kjM540 ... #Dim4Kyle
Jesse Tyler Ferguson: @jessetyler: R.I.P. Kyle Jean-Baptiste. Gone way too soon. All my thoughts & prayers are with his family & the cast of @LesMizBway.
@ActorsEquity: Our hearts are broken over untimely passing of Member Kyle Jean-Baptiste. The loss is felt across our entire community & @LesMizBway family
Kate Shindle: @AEAPresident: bravo to all of you @LesMizBway. #pros
Wesley Taylor: @WesTayTay: Life is short but was way too short for Kyle. So SO sad.
Telly Leung: @tellyleung: Heartbroken. What a loss, and gone too soon. Sending lots of love to the @LesMizBway company today.
Laurence Connor: @LaurenceConnor1: Such s tragic loss. Kyle Jean-Baptiste was a wonderful talent and our hearts weep for this devastating news of his passing.
Sierra Boggess: @sierraboggess: My heart breaks for Kyles family and friends and everyone at @LesMizBway #healingenergy
Andy Mientus: @andymientus: Horrific news. My heart goes out to his family, friends, and my beautiful company of Les Miz.
Matt Doyle: @MattfDoyle: Beyond heartbreaking. Love to his family, friends, and the incredible company over at @LesMizBway
Max von Essen: @MaxizPad: "There's a grief that can't be spoken. There's a pain that never dies." RIP @BaptisteKyle
Megan Hilty: @meganhilty: Beyond tragic. My heart goes out to his family, friends and cast/crew at Les Mis. Just devastating.
Nikki Renee: @nikkireneesings: What a tragedy. Prayers going up for his family and his Les Miz family. RIP
@americanrep: a tragic loss for the theater community, all who knew & loved Kyle. sending love to his family, friends, & company
Wallace Smith: @WallaceSmith007: I'm really going to miss you Kyle. My heart is broken. We fight for you now.
Craig Zadan: @craigzadan: So sad and sorry for everyone's loss. What an unimaginable tragedy. With sympathy.
Julia Murney: @JuliaMurney: Oh, no. My heart is with his family as well as his Les Miserables family. /article/LES-MISERABLES-Cast-Member-Kyle-Jean-Baptiste-Dies-at-21-20150829 ...
Matt Rosell: @mattrosell: No words. Lost a family member. Xoxo. Love one another @LesMizBway
Andrew Kober: @andrewkober: Just an incredible tragedy.
Cassie Levy: @CaissieLevy: My heart is with all @LesMizBway and beyond.
Scott Alan: ScottAlanNet: This is absolutely devastating. One day you're in the headlines for your historic performance & then this. RIP.
Katie Rose Clarke: @katieroseclarke: Sending love to @LesMizBway today. Heartbreaking news. Praying for kyle's family.
Leslie Margherita: @QueenLesli: Heartbreaking. to the @LesMizBway family.
Ryan Steele: @RySteele: Unbelievably tragic. Sending love to his family, friends and cast mates at @LesMizBway . #KyleJeanBaptiste
J. Robert Spencer: @JRSPENCERTMM: @broadwayworld sad sad sad.
Jon Jon Briones: @JonJonBriones: We are deeply saddened by your loss @LesMizBway We are thinking of you here @MissSaigonUK
Christopher Hanke: @cjHANKE: Praying for his family. Tragic.
@SteveKazee: Heartbreaking to see this. I didn't know @BaptisteKyle but so many of my friends did and are suffering. Sad sad sad.
Jeremy Woodard: @jwoodHi5: At the heart of this god forsaken business, we r all family. Love to friends & all at Les Miz .RIP Kyle. Far 2 young. /article/LES-MISERABLES-Cast-Member-Kyle-Jean-Baptiste-Dies-at-21-20150829 ...
@BroadwayGirlNYC: You would live a hundred years if I could show you how. @LesMizBway
Official ALLEGIANCE Broadway musical Twitter: @allegiancebway: Our thoughts are with the friends and family of Kyle Jean-Baptiste today.
Garrett Hawe: @GHawe: Sending love to the company of @LesMizBway. So tragic.
Sainty Nelsen: @SaintyNelsen: My heart is aching. Today I lost a friend & the world lost an unbelievable talent. Our BW teddy bear, @BaptisteKyle
@HuffPostLive: @BaptisteKyle helping us bridge our way to #Friday #OneDayMore @lesmisofficial #LesMiz [Click here to watch the video]
@SJBBlockonys: Hearing the loss of Kyle Jean-Baptiste is truly devastating. Our prayers go to his family and close loved ones. - S
@Victor_TDK: Today an incredibly talented, ground-breaking performer was lost. RIP Kyle Jean-Baptiste. #BringHimHome https://youtu.be/og7lqYmuEmw
@understudies: Not only was Kyle so talented, he made history as the youngest & 1st African American Valjean on Bway. We ask @TheBwayLeague to #Dim4Kyle.
@kaitandbrian: So sad to hear the shattering news about @BaptisteKyle's death. We recently heard him sing "Rise" & couldn't wait to work with him. RIP.
Alfie Boe: @AlfieBoe: My thoughts and prayers go out to Kyle Jean Baptiste and his family on this tragic day. A great Valjean.
Tracie Thoms: @traciethoms: Oh my God. RT @broadwayworld: LES MISERABLES Cast Member Kyle Jean-Baptiste Dies at 21...
/article/LES-MISERABLES-Cast-Member-Kyle-Jean-Baptiste-Dies-at-21-20150829 ...
Rob Houchen: @robhouchen: Tonight we at @lesmisofficial performed with @LesMizBway & the family of Kyle Jean-Baptiste in our thoughts & hearts. Xx
Ansel Elgort: @AnselElgort: I played opposite Kyle Jean-Baptiste in hairspray in highschool at Laguardia. What I remember most above his talent was his warmth
@NewYorkTheater: Kyle Jean-Baptiste, 21, the youngest ever Valjean in @LesMizBway, has died, after an accident at home.
Eva Noblezada: @EvaNoblezada: Prayers and love. So saddening.
Audra McDonald: @AudraEqualityMc: Heartbreaking. Condolences to his friends and family.
Patti Murin: @PattiMurin: My heart goes out to Kyle's family and friends. An absolute tragedy.
Patina Miller: @patinamiller: So devastating...my heart goes out to all who knew and loved this incredibly talented young man.
Matthew Morrison: @Matt_Morrison: This incredible young man was just getting started. Such a pure voice. Heartbreaking. Sending love 2 family and cast
Writing on his web site, Kyle revealed how he found his passion and entered the world of musical theatre. "If you would of asked me what I wanted to be growing up I'd have said a cardiologist. I grew up in Brooklyn New York and had always sung, but never took it seriously. I decided to audition for Fiorello LaGuardia for vocal performance and got in(miracle) and the rest was history. Getting thrown into the world of musical theatre was terrifying and at first I didn't know if I could handle it, but through hard work and perseverance it all came together. Acting and singing have become an extension of who I am, and I strive to use my gift to influence and inspire others. I am now shooting for the stars and trying to reach my goal of becoming the best stage and screen actor that I can be."
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