Rex Hays of Broadway's Evita, Grand Hotel & More Dead at 61

Actor Rex Hays, who starred in the original companies of many long-running Broadway musicals including Evita and Grand Hotel, died September 8 following a 10-year battle with cancer. He was 61.

A California native and a graduate of Brandeis University, Hays arrived in New York in the early 1970s and made his Broadway debut in the short-lived musical Angel at the Minskoff Theatre in 1978. He went on to star in many Broadway musicals including Evita, King of Hearts, Onward Victoria, Woman of the Year, La Cage aux Folles, Shenandoah, Grand Hotel and Big. Other notable credits include The Music Man at New York City Opera, The Imaginary Invalid and The Threepenny Opera at the Weston Playhouse in 2000, playing Mr. Peachum.

Hays is survived by his wife of 19 years, actress Lisby Larsen, and sons Conor and Matthew. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, September 20 at 5PM at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home at 1076 Madison Avenue at 81st Street.