The first African-American actor to ever play the lead on Broadway in Les Miserables has died at 21.
Kyle Jean-Baptiste, also the youngest to take on the role, died on Friday night after falling from a fire escape, officials said.
Les Miserables theatre company said it was "shocked and devastated by the sudden and tragic loss of Kyle, a remarkable young talent and tremendous person who made magic - and history - in his Broadway debut".
"We send our deepest condolences to his family and ask that you respect their privacy in this unimaginably difficult time," it said in a statement.
"A remarkable young talent and tremendous person who made magic - and history - in his Broadway debut." pic.twitter.com/144astegXh
— Les Misérables (@LesMizBway) August 29, 2015
Jean-Baptiste was an understudy for the role but finally made his history-making debut as Valjean - played by Hugh Jackman in the film version - on 23 July.
He said playing the part "was my dream since I was a little boy".
On 25 August, he tweeted that the experience had been "life changing".
"I thank everyone who supported me and still does. I will never forget this experience. Onwards and upwards ;). Nothing but love," he added.
@BaptisteKyle making history as the the FIRST African American Jean Valjean in Bway history! @LesMizBway pic.twitter.com/d33VmVrh04
— Andrew John Howell (@andrewjhowellny) August 28, 2015
Broadway performers took to Twitter to mourn the loss of the young actor.
Former Glee star Matthew Morrison, starring in Finding Neverland, called him "such a pure voice. Heartbreaking."
A spokeswoman for the New York Police Department said Jean-Baptiste's death appeared to be accidental.
According to police, he was sitting on a fourth-floor fire escape of an apartment in Brooklyn with a 23-year-old woman when he stood up, slipped and then fell backward to the ground.
Some reports said he had fallen from the fire escape of his mother's house.
Jean-Baptiste was born in New York and Les Miserables was his Broadway debut, following his graduation from Baldwin Wallace University.
