Photo Flash: LES MIZ, HAMILTON and Playhouse Square Dim Their Lights for Kyle Jean-Baptiste
By: BWW News Desk Sep. 01, 2015
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LES MISERABLES' home, Broadway's Imperial Theatre, along with HAMILTON's marquee at the Richard Rodgers Theatre and Cleveland's Playhouse Square, dimmed their lights tonight, September 1, in honor of Kyle Jean-Baptiste. Scroll down for photos of the tribute!
Jean-Baptiste died on Friday, August 28 at the age of 21 after an accident at home, in which he fell off his mother's fire escape. After the news of Kyle's death, many of Jean-Baptiste's fans and colleagues began using the Twitter hashtag #Dim4Kyle in an effort to encourage the Broadway League to dim the district's lights in his honor.
Kyle made history on July 23 when he became the first African American actor, and the youngest person ever, to play the lead role of 'Jean Valjean' in LES MISERABLES on Broadway.
A native of Brooklyn and a graduate of the Fiorello LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts, Kyle Jean-Baptiste attended Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio where he starred in numerous productions. He also took the stage at Playhouse Square before his big Broadway break. The day after his graduation, he was hired to join the ensemble of Les Miserables and understudy the role of 'Jean Valjean'. Kyle was scheduled to depart Les Miserables on September 6th to join the new Broadway production of THE COLOR PURPLE.
PLAYHOUSE SQUARE
Beautiful tribute to #KyleJeanBaptiste #Dim4Kyle #Cleveland @playhousesquare @cleveland19news pic.twitter.com/vpJBhJQO5d
- Sara Goldenberg (@SaraGoldenberg) September 2, 2015
Lights dim at @playhousesquare in memory of #KyleJeanBaptiste #Dim4Kyle #Cleveland @cleveland19news pic.twitter.com/oQod7nEP7x
- Sara Goldenberg (@SaraGoldenberg) September 2, 2015
BROADWAY'S IMPERIAL THEATRE, RICHARD RODGERS THEATRE
Dimming of the lights for @BaptisteKyle tonight at the Imperial Theater. 10:15 come show your support #Dim4Kyle pic.twitter.com/daBwQm2vrK
- Gisela Adisa (@imGisela) September 2, 2015
https://t.co/Y4fCBwJEtf Now on the Marquee at both The Imperial Theatre and The Music Box #Dim4Kyle #Broadway pic.twitter.com/8JYtWSlxnK
- Audrey (@sillyaudreyy) September 2, 2015
#Dim4Kyle pic.twitter.com/6FnV0oFKFW
- AnnoyingActorFriend (@Actor_Friend) September 2, 2015
There is an INCREDIBLE crowd outside the Imperial tonight for #Dim4Kyle. @LesMizBway pic.twitter.com/rgY2JJqcrc
- Bway Understudies (@understudies) September 2, 2015
My thoughts tonight are with the people @LesMizBway and all @ #Dim4Kyle. He showed us all what Bway can aspire to be. pic.twitter.com/3Rc5tuXWJq
- Alan Henry (@alanhenryTO) September 2, 2015
Hundreds of people are here to remember @BaptisteKyle #Dim4Kyle pic.twitter.com/I5veocdkod
- Chris Luner (@Chris_Luner) September 2, 2015
LIVE on #Periscope: #Dim4Kyle https://t.co/2uUqf27sZ5
- Chris Luner (@Chris_Luner) September 2, 2015
Beautiful moment on 45th street. #dim4kyle
A photo posted by aimeeshira (@aimeeshira) on Sep 1, 2015 at 7:20pm PDT
The crowd continued cheering the entire minute (and then some). BW MT, bway stars, friends among them. #Dim4Kyle pic.twitter.com/QzWFacQbsX
- Bway Understudies (@understudies) September 2, 2015
Thank you, Richard Rodgers Theater. #Dim4Kyle pic.twitter.com/3k17vFpmod
- Darlene Hope (@DarleneHopeNYC) September 2, 2015
What a beautiful tribute from a beautiful community!
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