Hinton Battle in 2014.Photo:Noam Galai/Getty
Noam Galai/Getty
Hinton Battle, a three-time Tony Award winner, has died at 67, his friendDebbie Allenconfirmed on social media on Tuesday.
“Today I honor Hinton Battle, my dear friend who left us to dance and sing in God’s Ensemble last night,” Allen wrotewroteon Instagram. “He fought this battle to live and be creative impacting audiences and young people across the globe.”
“Let us always hold him high in our hearts and in our mind’s eye and forever speak his name,” theFamestar added.
BroadwayWorldwas first to report the news of his death.
Hinton Battle in 2006.Brad Barket/Getty
Brad Barket/Getty
Battle fell in love with performing in an elementary school production of theThe Nutcrackerbefore heading to Washington D.C.’s Jones-Haywood School of Ballet on a scholarship, he revealed in a2023 interview.
A few years later, he made hisBroadwaydebut at age 15 as the Scarecrow inThe Wiz, according to hisMSA Talent Agencybio.
After his stint inThe Wiz, the German-born performer went on to star inDancin’,Sophisticated Ladies,Dreamgirls,The Tap Dance Kid,Miss SaigonandChicago, perPlaybill.
Hinton Battle as the Scarecrow in ‘The Wiz’ circa 1975.Hulton Archive/Getty
Hulton Archive/Getty
He was also recognized twice at the Drama Desk Awards, where he was nominated for outstanding featured actor in a musical forThe Wizin 1975 andThe Tap Dance Kidin 1984.
Memorably, he also starred as the singing villain Sweet inBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s musical episode, “Once More, with Feeling” in 2001 and portrayed Wayne in the 2006 movie adaptation ofDreamgirls.
Hinton Battle in 2014.Monica Schipper/FilmMagic
Monica Schipper/FilmMagic
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Battle also worked behind the scenes of several productions as a director and choreographer.
His choreography credits include the 65th and 66thAcademy Awards,Dancing With The Stars, Outkast movie-musicalIdlewildandChild Star: The Shirley Temple Story.
source: people.com
