History-Making Les Mis Lead Dies at 21

Kyle Jean-Baptiste, the actor who made history as the youngest and the first African American to play Jean Valjean in Les Misérables on Broadway, died Friday night in an apparent fall in Brooklyn, reports the New York Times. He was 21. Police say that his death "appeared to be accidental" and that he slipped while getting up from sitting on a fourth-floor fire escape with a friend. "The entire Les Misérables family is shocked and devastated by the sudden and tragic loss of Kyle, a remarkable young talent and tremendous person who made magic—and history—in his Broadway debut," said a statement on the production's Facebook page.

Jean-Baptiste joined the production a day after graduating college in May, and made his debut as Valjean--his "dream role" on July 23, reports CNN. "Thank you for all the love! Last night was one of the best nights of my life," he said afterward. (More Les Miserables stories.)