ANI
23 Jun 2022, 14:57 GMT+10
Washington [US], June 23 (ANI): Steve Fickinger, a Disney executive who won a Tony Award for producing the popular musical Dear Evan Hansen after working on the Broadway productions of 'Newsies' and 'The Lion King', has passed away. He was 62.
According to his niece Jessica Roy, Fickinger passed away unexpectedly on Friday at his home in Laguna Beach, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Fickinger worked on Mulan, Tarzan, and LiloStitch while serving as director of creative development for Walt Disney Feature Animation. He later held the position of vice president of creative development for the Disney Theatrical Group, where he oversaw the opening of a dozen Broadway productions, including The Lion King and Aida.
In addition, Fickinger oversaw the Tony-winning production of Newsies, the High School Musical national tour, and the enduring Broadway run of Aladdin.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, after working for Disney for two decades, he left the company in 2013 and founded FickStern Productions. The company's debut production, Dear Evan Hansen, premiered on Broadway in 2016 and won six Tony Awards, including best musical.
Steven Thomas Fickinger was born in Chicago in 1960, the youngest of five children. Rahm Emanuel, the future mayor of Chicago, and performed on stage at New Trier High School West before going on to UCLA.
He worked as a stage actor in New York City for several years following college before moving back to the West Coast and landing a job at Disney.
At The Bourbon Room in Hollywood, Fickinger served as executive producer of Rock of Ages as well. The show's lead actor, Nick Cordero, passed away in July 2020 at the age of 41 after a long battle with COVID-19.
Fickinger had Live at the Crescendo Club: An Evening With Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Pearl Bailey written and produced by Deniece Williams under the direction of Seret Scott, as per his niece.
He participated in charitable events like the Race to Eradicate MS, the Los Angeles Food Mission, and the AIDS Walk.
His siblings Joan, Jan, Michael, and Emily are also living survivors. A memorial service will be held in Los Angeles after a funeral in Chicago. (ANI)Get a daily dose of New York Statesman news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to New York Statesman.
More InformationBATTLE CREEK, Michigan: In a major consolidation of iconic food brands, WK Kellogg has agreed to be acquired by the owner of Ferrero...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Filmmaker Peter Jackson's lifelong fascination with the extinct giant New Zealand flightless bird called the moa...
NEW DELHI, India: India has submitted a revised proposal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva to implement retaliatory tariffs...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Nvidia, the Silicon Valley chipmaker at the heart of the artificial intelligence boom, this week briefly...
REDMOND, Washington: Artificial intelligence is transforming Microsoft's bottom line. The company saved over US$500 million last year...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: A federal rule designed to make it easier for Americans to cancel subscriptions has been blocked by a U.S. appeals...
The family of Sayfollah Saif Musallet, a 20-year-old American citizen who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the occupied West...
CONCORD, New Hampshire: A federal judge in New Hampshire issued a crucial ruling on July 10 against President Donald Trump's executive...
DUBAI, U.A.E.: A cargo ship flagged under Liberia, known as the Eternity C, sank in the Red Sea following an attack executed by Yemen's...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration has started sending some weapons to Ukraine again, just a week after the Pentagon told officials...
ECAULT BEACH, France: On clear days, the white cliffs of the United Kingdom, are visible from northern France, where men, women, and...
ATLANTA, Georgia: The United States is facing its worst measles outbreak in more than three decades, with 1,288 confirmed cases so...