Tayyaba
Clifton Oliver, a Broadway stage actor who performed in The Lion King, In The Heights, and Wicked among others, died Friday after a long illness at the age of 47. His sister, Roxy Hall, announced his death on Facebook on Wednesday morning. The reason of death is currently unknown, however Hall stated that he had spent six weeks in the hospital and in hospice care before his death.
What did Roxy Hall say about Clifton Oliver’s death?
Roxy Hall, Clifton’s sister, posted a lengthy message on social media announcing his death and honoring him. She began her tribute with the words, “My baby brother, Clifton Oliver, has had his final curtain call. It was peaceful. His partner, Richard, was singing to him the song Psalm 23 as he took his last breath. He had a Gorgeous smile on his Beautiful face!! He went twirling into the afterlife ready to make his Grand Appearance as the Star of his Homecoming Celebration! My heart is sad, and overjoyed at the same time! I will miss him, but he is finally at peace!”
After this, she mentions her time with Oliver in healthcare institutions and further pays homage to her brother. “I will value my time with him the last six weeks of his life that I spent at his bedside in the hospital and then finally hospice. I was able to love on my baby brother, and I will always cherish the memories of having an honor and privilege to do just that! There will be more information to come, as we begin to plan the Celebration of Clifton Oliver,” she wrote.
“He brought so much light to this world! He brought so much light to my life! He impacted the lives of people throughout the world as he showcased his amazing talent, kind soul, and loving spirit to EVERYONE he met! He will be missed, but never forgotten! He lives within all of us! As the song goes in one of his most prominent roles of Simba in the Lion King on Broadway, He Lives In Me!”
Roxy Hall
What was Clifton Oliver’s legacy in Broadway?
Born in 1975, Oliver who is a Jacksonville, Florida native, pursued an arts career at the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. In 2010, he moved to New York and began his acting career on Broadway. According to Playbill, his significant projects include Wicked, where he joined the ensemble and acted as an understudy for Fiyero, and In the Heights, where he played Benny alongside Jordin Sparks. Oliver also played Simba in the 2011 Broadway version of The Lion King, as well as in the Las Vegas production and on the national tour. The actor has appeared in Dreamgirls and Motown the Musical tours, as well as Miracle Brothers and Bella: An American Tall Tale off-Broadway productions.
The Lion King the Musical’s Instagram account also shared a beautiful tribute to the actor by quoting Mufasa and further announced that the lights in the New Amsterdam Theater will be dimmed in his honor. Rent, Ragtime, Pal Joey, Kinky Boots, and The Scottsboro Boys are also among Oliver’s numerous regional and touring theater credits.