Josh Grisetti, the Broadway actor, television performer and beloved musical theater educator known for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Something Rotten! and It Shoulda Been You, has died. He was 44.
Grisetti died by suicide on Friday, July 10, PEOPLE confirmed.
Actor Rob McClure announced the heartbreaking news in an emotional Instagram tribute on Sunday, July 12. McClure starred alongside Grisetti in Something Rotten! on Broadway and during the musical’s national tour.
“It is with a shattered heart that I share that the brilliant Josh Grisetti took his own life on Friday,” McClure wrote. “I’m not ready to even attempt to understand. My heart is with his wife and family as they try to deal with the reality of this.”
McClure, who served as best man at Grisetti’s wedding, said he and his wife were “beyond heartbroken.”
“Communities around the world will never be the same without him,” he added. “We love you Josh. Just a cataclysmic loss.”
McClure said information about a memorial would be shared at a later time.
Members of the Broadway community flooded the comments with condolences, including Rachel Zegler, Caissie Levy, Lea Salonga, Erika Henningsen, Drew Gehling and Donna Murphy.
Murphy remembered Grisetti as “a beautiful, gifted human and artist.”
Sierra Boggess, who starred opposite Grisetti in It Shoulda Been You on Broadway, also shared an emotional tribute.
“We all loved him so unbelievably much,” she wrote. “He created light and thought and humor everywhere he went. He was a BRILLIANT actor and director and writer.”
Boggess said she admired Grisetti’s intelligence, humor and willingness to question conventional ideas.
“I loved the way he looked at the world and how he challenged ideals and norms,” she continued. “I loved his humor and his brain and deep, deep philosophical conversations.”
She said the cast of It Shoulda Been You had remained incredibly close and would be processing the devastating loss together.
“Our It Should Have Been You family was as close as can be and this is so heartbreaking,” Boggess wrote. “I will be processing with the show family and all of you for a very long time. And all the other show families he made along the way.”
Grisetti was perhaps best known to television viewers for playing Ralph Emerson during the fifth and final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. He appeared in eight episodes of the acclaimed series.
Earlier in his career, he starred opposite Donal Logue and Sofía Vergara in ABC’s short-lived 2007 sitcom The Knights of Prosperity.
Grisetti was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Southwest Virginia. He attended the North Carolina School of the Arts, earning a drama diploma in 2000, before graduating from the Boston Conservatory with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre in 2004.
His New York stage career later flourished.
In 2015, Grisetti appeared in the Broadway musical It Shoulda Been You alongside Boggess, Tyne Daly, Harriet Harris, David Burtka, Montego Glover, Lisa Howard and Chip Zien.
The following year, he replaced John Cariani as Nigel Bottom in Something Rotten!, starring opposite McClure as Nick Bottom. Grisetti and McClure later spent more than a year touring the production across the country.
His other Broadway credits included Broadway Bound and a concert production of Camelot.
Grisetti also appeared in numerous Off-Broadway productions, including Rent, Peter and the Starcatcher, Enter Laughing, Red Eye of Love, Candida and After the Ball.
His regional theater work included Prince of Broadway in Tokyo, Matilda at The Muny, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Beauty and the Beast, Spamalot and Where’s Charley?
His film credits included The Immigrant, Revolutionary Road and The Namesake. Grisetti was also the author of the book God in My Head.
Beyond his work as a performer, Grisetti was deeply committed to educating future generations of theater artists.
He served as head of the Musical Theatre program at California State University, Fullerton. He had previously taught acting, musical theater and the business of theater at Fullerton College and Loyola Marymount University.
Grisetti is survived by his wife of six years, real estate agent Mackenzie Grisetti. The couple lived in Southern California.
Just days before his death, Grisetti shared what would become his final public Instagram post.
He explained that he had been forced to leave his directing duties for Legally Blonde: The Musical at Italy’s Trentino Music Festival before opening night due to “personal reasons.”
Grisetti thanked the cast for surprising him with a photograph of themselves holding up his image on a phone.
“When you have to leave a production for personal reasons before getting to see the show open, and the cast and team do stuff like this…” he wrote. “Literally cried on the plane… little gestures go a long way when your heart is hurting.”
“Love this group of misfits right back!!” he continued. “Happy opening, Legally Blonde… I’m so proud of you all.”
Students and cast members filled the comments with messages expressing their love and gratitude for the impact Grisetti had on their lives.
“We missed you and are still missing you so dearly,” one person wrote. “Thank you so much for pouring your knowledge into our gardens, you have grown so many flowers in me just throughout this last month.”
“So insanely grateful to have you as a director and teacher,” the message continued.
Another person called Grisetti “Director supreme,” adding, “It has been so wonderful working with you. Grateful for your hilarity and kindness throughout this process.”
A third wrote, “Love you so so much Josh!!! Thank you so much for everything!! Best director EVAAAA!!”
Anyone in the United States who is experiencing suicidal thoughts, emotional distress or a mental health crisis can call or text 988 or use the 988 Lifeline online chat. Help is available 24 hours a day.