The Tony-winning Broadway star was 48

Gavin Creel, a Tony Award-winning theater actor known for his work in shows such as Hello, Dolly! and “Hair” died. He was 48.

Creel died Monday at his home in New York of metastatic melanotic peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma, a type of cancer, a representative for the actor confirmed to USA TODAY. He was diagnosed in July and received treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering before transitioning to hospice care at home.

Creel won the 2017 Tony for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance as Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! He received his first Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Musical in 2002 for his performance in Thoroughly Modern Millie, the winner of the best musical of the year, playing the role of Jimmy Smith. The role was his Broadway debut, although he had been appearing in stage productions since the late 1990s.

The actor received another Tony nomination in 2009 for his portrayal of Claude in “Hair,” which won best revival of a musical.

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Creel was born in Findlay, Ohio and graduated from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater, and Dance. His other theater roles included Dr. Pomatter in “Waitress,” Cinderella’s Prince and the Wolf in “Into the Woods,” and Elder Price in “The Book of Mormon.” The latter performance earned him the 2014 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Lead Actor in a Musical.

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Creel also starred in “American Horror Stories” and did voice work for the animated series “Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure” and “Central Park.”

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Josh Gad pay tribute to Gavin Creel

“Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda paid tribute to Creel on Instagram, remembering the actor for his “stunning charisma and talent.”

“He is so loved and it is unimaginable that he is no longer with us,” Miranda wrote. “My heart goes out to all the friends, family and co-workers who were lucky enough to be around him. We love you and will always love you, Gavin.”

“The Book of Mormon” star Josh Gad also paid tribute to the actor, writing, “We lost someone far too young, far too early in his journey, and far too influential to our creative community.” He added, “My heart breaks for his family and his closest friends. That’s just not fair.”

Casey Likes, star of Broadway's “Back to the Future: The Musical,” said in an Instagram Story that the news left him “so incredibly heartbroken.” He recalled that Creel gave him advice that “kept me going and inspired,” writing, “The man is one of the most inspiring, kind-hearted, knowledgeable and incredible people this industry has ever seen.”

What is a Sarcoma?

A representative for Creel confirmed that the actor died of a “rare and aggressive form of sarcoma.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a sarcoma is a type of cancerous tumor that “develops in bones and connective tissues, such as fat, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, and the tissue surrounding bones and joints.” According to the clinic, sarcomas are rare and account for about 1% of cancer diagnoses in adults.

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Josh Gad pay tribute to Gavin Creel

What is a Sarcoma?

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