Josh Grisetti
(©David Gordon)
Broadway and off-Broadway favorite Josh Grisetti has died at the age of 44.
According to social media posts from friends Rob McClure and Sierra Boggess, Grisetti committed suicide on the morning of Friday, July 10. He recently staged a play Legal blonde to the Trentino music festival, but had to leave for personal reasons, according to his own social media post.
A brilliant comedic actor, Grisetti came to New York’s attention in the York Theater Company’s 2008 production of the musical. Enter laughterreceiving nominations from the Theater World Award and Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Lortel and Drama League.
He was originally scheduled to make his Broadway debut as Eugene Jerome in David Cromer’s revival of Neil Simon’s play. Broadway Boundary. However, the production was canceled before opening due to disappointing ticket sales for the accompanying revival of the play. Brighton Beach Memoirs. Grisetti made his real Broadway debut in 2015 as Marty Kaufman in the musical. It should have been youfor which it received OCC and Drama Desk nominations, as well as a Clarence Derwent Award. He returned to Broadway as Nigel Bottom in Something rotten!and played this role on the tour.
Josh Grisetti in Enter laughter
(© Carol Rosegg)
His extensive resume also included Peter and the Starcatcher, Rent, Red eye of love, CandidaAnd After the ball. He has been a fixture at many of the nation’s leading theaters, including the Muni, La Mirada Theater for the Performing Arts, The Kennedy Center, Goodspeed Musicals, Williamstown Theater Festival, Cape Playhouse Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse, Bay Street Playhouse and Broadway’s Musical Circus.
In recent years, Grisetti has devoted himself to teaching, serving as an assistant professor and director of the BFA Music Theater program at California State University, Fullerton. He previously taught musical theater audition, theater management, acting, musical theater technique, and stage studies at Fullerton College and Loyola Marymount University.
A graduate of the Boston Conservatory, where he received a BFA in musical theater, Grisetti later earned a master’s degree in theater education from Loyola Marymount University and also studied drama at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Survivors include his wife, Mackenzie.
Josh Grisetti
(©David Gordon)
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If this is an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency services immediately.