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Rebecca Luker, three-times Tony-nominated Broadway star from Helena, died Wednesday following complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
The 59-year-old soprano, who d taken on leading roles since stepping up as Christine in the original Broadway run of The Phantom of the Opera, stayed connected to her Alabama roots.
Paul K. Looney, artistic director emeritus of Theatre Tuscaloosa, was instrumental in Luker s induction into the Alabama Stage and Screen Hall of Fame, honored with a 2001 ceremony in Tuscaloosa. She was a dear friend, and I am heartbroken, Looney said. I had spoken to her (a few months ago), and you would never know, she was so very upbeat: We re gonna kill this..
Rebecca Luker, Tony-nominated Broadway singer and actress, dies at 59 Matt Schudel Rebecca Luker, a Broadway actress and singer who was nominated for three Tony Awards and starred in several classic musicals, including “Show Boat,” “The Sound of Music” and “The Music Man,” died Dec. 23 at a Manhattan hospital. She was 59. Her death was announced in a statement by her husband, actor Danny Burstein. The cause was amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative neurological disease that leads to paralysis. Ms. Luker was one of the leading figures of musical theater for 30 years, appearing in nine Broadway productions and many others off-Broadway and on stages across the country. Known for her clear, crystalline soprano voice, she recorded several albums and was a popular cabaret performer.
Tony-nominated Broadway star Rebecca Luker dies at 59 of ALS
Luker made her Broadway debut in 1988 in The Phantom of the Opera first as an understudy to Sarah Brightman and then playing Christine opposite the legendary Michael Crawford.
By MARK KENNEDYAP Entertainment Writer
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LOS ANGELES Soprano Rebecca Luker, a three-time Tony nominated actor who starred in some of the biggest Broadway hits of the past three decades, died Wednesday. She was 59.
Her death was announced by her husband, veteran Broadway actor Danny Burstein, who said in a statement “our family is devastated. I have no words at this moment because I’m numb.” Luker went public in 2020 saying she had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, also called ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.