Kyle Jean-Baptiste, Broadway's first black Jean Valjean, dies at 21
Broadway actor Kyle Jean-Baptiste, 21, died Saturday after falling from his mother's Brooklyn fire escape late the night before, Playbill reports. Jean-Baptiste made history as Broadway's youngest and first black Jean Valjean, the Les Misérables protagonist.
Jean-Baptiste, an understudy, debuted in the role July 23, and performed as Valjean for the last time Friday, hours before his fall. Ramin Karimloo, the current Valjean, gave a curtain call speech after Saturday's matinee and asked for a standing ovation to honor Jean-Baptiste.
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A photo posted by Kyle Jean- Baptiste (@baptistekyle1) on Aug 27, 2015 at 4:29pm PDT
"The tragic loss of Kyle to our company, just as he was on the threshold of a brilliant career, is a numbing reminder of how precious life is," Les Miz producer Cameron Mackintosh wrote.
