Duncan Sheik, Tony-Winning Spring Awakening Composer, Dead at 56

Duncan Sheik, the composer who wrote 1996’s“Barely Breathing”and went on to win two Tony Awards for the Broadway musical Spring Awakening, has died at 56. His family confirmed he passed away Thursday night at a Manhattan hospital from organ failure. Earlier in the week, they had shared that he was in critical but stable condition.

The range of Sheik’s career is what makes this loss hit so hard.“Barely Breathing”earned him a Grammy nomination and became one of the defining radio songs of the 90s. A decade later, he and collaborator Steven Sater adapted a controversial 1891 German play into Spring Awakening, a show that won him two Tonys and a Grammy and launched the careers of stars like Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff. Michele paid tribute on social media, writing,“This one hurts and does not seem real. Thank you for everything you gave us.”

Sheik was still creating up until the end. His new musical, Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen, was scheduled to begin previews next Friday, September 25. He is survived by his partner, Nora Ariffin, and his daughter, Ines. Tributes continue to pour in from Broadway and the music world.

What’s your favorite Duncan Sheik song or Spring Awakening moment?

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