According to a statement released by the production, "The name of the deceased and any further details are being withheld by the authorities pending notification of the family. The incident was not caused by an accident related to the production. The cast, crew and theatre staff mourn the loss of this member of their theatrical family."
The Associated Press states that the 29-year-old male went into cardiac arrest and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The New York Times reports that the death was due to an accidental drug overdose.
Patrons of tonight’s audience who purchased with a credit card will receive an automatic refund. All others should go to their point of purchase to obtain an exchange/refund.
The performance would have marked the production's 100th show.
* Tony Award nominee Rob Ashford (Parade, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Promises, Promises) directed and choreographed the production, which opened on Broadway March 27 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. The musical has a score by Frank Loesser, with a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert.
Radcliffe ("Harry Potter," Equus) stars as J. Pierrepont Finch, the ambitious window washer with executive dreams, in a cast that also features Emmy Award-winning actor John Larroquette ("Night Court") as World Wide Wicket Company president J.B. Biggley, Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Tammy Blanchard (Gypsy, "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows") as office bombshell Hedy La Rue, Christopher J. Hanke (In My Life, Cry-Baby) as Bud Frump, Rose Hemingway (Parade at the Mark Taper Forum) in her Broadway debut as Rosemary Pilkington, Rob Bartlett (Chicago, Little Shop of Horrors) as Twimble/Wally Womper, Mary Faber (American Idiot, Avenue Q) as Smitty, Ellen Harvey (Thou Shalt Not, The Music Man) as Miss Jones and Michael Park (Middletown) as Bert Bratt.
The How to Succeed ensemble features Cameron Adams, Cleve Asbury, Tanya Birl, Kevin Covert, Paige Faure, David Hull, Justin Keyes, Marty Lawson, Erica Mansfield, Barrett Martin, Nick Mayo, Sarah O'Gleby, Stephanie Rothenberg, Megan Sikora, Michaeljon Slinger, Joey Sorge, Matt Wall, Ryan Watkinson, Charlie Williams and Samantha Zack.
The original 1961 production earned seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Author and Best Score, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Robert Morse earned a Tony Award for his performance as J. Pierrepont Finch. How to Succeed was last revived on Broadway in 1995 starring Tony winner Matthew Broderick and Megan Mullally. Cast albums preserve the current, the original and 1995 revival productions.
