The final filmed appearance of late Tony winner Gavin Creel will be released with a premiere screening January 27, followed by a February streaming release, as previously reported. Ahead of the documentary's premiere, watch Creel performing his original song "Alone Tonight" in the video above.
A beloved fixture of the Broadway community, Creel passed away at the age of 48 on September 30, 2024, after being diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoma. Noted for versatile acting performances in a career that saw him often alternate between comedy and drama, leading man and character actor, Creel's numerous Broadway credits included Thoroughly Modern Millie, La Cage aux Folles, She Loves Me, Hello, Dolly!, and more. A memorial for Creel was held December 2, with a subsequent dimming of every marquee light on Broadway December 3.
The forthcoming documentary episode was to be the first entry in Common Denominator, a series featuring artists discussing their mental health. Creel's episode began filming before he started rehearsals for his final show, Walk On Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice. The documentary follows Creel until the solo show's opening night, and includes performances.
Harris Schwartzberg, who helped conceptualize the series, had been in talks with various streaming services for an official release date for the entire Common Denominator series. But after Creel's sudden passing, he has decided to release Creel's episode in full.
At the screening, donations will be collected to benefit the Celia Keenan‑Bolger and Gavin Creel Activist Artist Endowed Scholarship Fund at the University of Michigan, which was endowed by both of its namesake stars. Schwartzberg will match donations collected at the screening, in memory of his late friend.
The evening will feature an opening by Schwartzberg who will introduce Common Denominator, followed by behind-the-scenes clips from filming as well as two music videos of Gavin performing original songs. Then the full 35-minute episode will be screened. There will also be performances by University of Michigan Musical Theater Broadway performers who will perform songs from a few of Gavin’s favorite shows. They include Aidan Jones, Lily Rosenberg, Dominic Dorset, Travis Anderson, Sevon Askew, Margot Grom, Claire DeJean, Angeleia Ordonez, and Ximone Rose with Cynthia Westphal Nixon.