Lea Michele Remembers Duncan Sheik: ‘This One Hurts and Does Not Seem Real’ — SkimNews
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- Duncan Sheik died Thursday at age 56 from organ failure, with his mother Suzanne confirming the cause to The New York Times.
- Lea Michele paid tribute on Instagram, recalling she met Sheik at 14 while listening to a demo of Spring Awakening songs on tape outside her middle school before her first audition.
- Spring Awakening earned Sheik two Tony Awards in 2007 — Best Original Score alongside Steven Sater, and Best Orchestrations.
- Michele's Instagram story included video of her singing "Mama Who Bore Me" from the musical with Sheik playing guitar in a rehearsal space.
- Sheik had been in "critical but stable" condition in a hospital earlier in the week following an unspecified health issue.
- Sheik's social media account confirmed his passing, calling him "a singular talent" and remembering him as a father, husband, son, brother, and friend.
Why it matters: Sheik's death at 56 from organ failure removes a Broadway composer whose Spring Awakening score won two Tonys and helped launch Lea Michele's career when she was just 14. His passing was confirmed by family after a week of hospitalization for an unspecified health issue, leaving a gap in contemporary musical theater.
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