- Oliver died Wednesday following an extended sickness
- His sister stated he had been in hospital after which hospice during the last six weeks
- Along with starring on Broadway, he had roles in main touring productions
Clifton Oliver, a stage veteran who appeared in Broadway productions of The Lion King, Depraved and In The Heights, died on Wednesday on the age of 47.
He had been affected by a prolonged sickness on the time of his loss of life, which was introduced on social media by his family and friends.
In her announcement of his tragic loss of life, his sister Roxy Corridor shared that Oliver had been first hospitalized after which transferred to hospice care within the closing six weeks of his life.
‘My child brother, Clifton Oliver, has had his closing curtain name,’ she started her emotional Fb put up, including that his loss of life was ‘peaceable.’
‘His associate Richard was singing to him the track Psalm 23 as he took his final breath this morning at 3:20 AM,’ she continued.
‘My coronary heart is gloomy, and overjoyed on the identical time! I’ll miss him, however he’s lastly at peace!’ Corridor gushed. ‘He introduced a lot gentle to this world! He introduced a lot gentle to my life!
‘He impacted the lives of individuals all through the world as he showcased his wonderful expertise, sort soul, and loving spirit to EVERYONE he met!’ she wrote, including, ‘He will probably be missed, however by no means forgotten!’
Oliver hailed from Jacksonville, Florida, the place he was a scholar on the Douglas Anderson College of the Arts.
He later moved to New York to pursue his ardour for appearing in 2010.
Oliver had roles in perennial Broadway hits proper off the bat, embody an ensemble half in Depraved, the place he additionally served as an understudy for the character Fiyero, in line with Playbill.
It was a significant 12 months for the rising star, as he additionally performed the function of Benny in In The Heights, with Jordin Sparks taking part in his love curiosity Nina in that manufacturing.
Each have been replacements after the unique casts had moved on.
One in every of Oliver’s different high-profile roles was because the grownup Simba within the theatrical model of The Lion King.
He started taking part in the function within the musical’s Las Vegas manufacturing, earlier than becoming a member of the nationwide touring manufacturing and finally graduating to the Broadway model of the present in 2011.
Oliver was additionally a fixture in Off-Broadway performs, together with Bella: An American Tall Story and Miracle Brothers.
He obtained an opportunity to indicate off his spectacular musical abilities in touring productions of Dream Ladies and Motown The Musical, by which he had the lead function as Motown founder Berry Gordy.
Oliver is survived by his associate Richard, in addition to his sister Roxy and his brothers Eddie and Johnathan Oliver.
