Musical theater fans are mourning the loss of a rising star this week.
On Saturday, actress Stephanie Bissonnette, who played Dawn Sweitzer in the Broadway musical Mean Girls, passed away following a lengthy battle with brain cancer, according to Deadline. She was just 32. The production mourned her loss, sharing on Twitter:
“Our hearts are broken as the Mean Girls community mourns the loss of Stephanie Bissonnette. Our original Dawn Sweitzer, Stephanie was part of our company from our first performance to our last. She filled our theater with her laughter and friendship, inspired us with her fighting spirit and bravery, and graced our stage with the fiercest talent Broadway has ever known. Our thoughts and prayers are with Stephanie’s family, friends, and the entire Mean Girls community during this time. We will miss her profoundly and encourage everyone to do something they love today in Stephanie’s honor.”
Heartbreaking…
You can see the cast and crew’s full statement (below).
Our hearts are broken as the Mean Girls community mourns the loss of Stephanie Bissonnette.
Our original Dawn Sweitzer, Stephanie was part of our Broadway company from our first performance to our last. pic.twitter.com/JKCATGVhMi
— MEAN GIRLS on Broadway (@MeanGirlsBway) December 18, 2022
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Before booking her breakthrough role, Stephanie graduated from Point Park University‘s Conservatory of the Performing Arts and performed with Royal Caribbean. She then moved to New York City where she was also a dance teacher and choreographer. Keith Urban fans may also recognize her from his music video for Never Comin’ Down.
The artist was also a part of the documentary Ensemble, which focuses on Broadway performers during the 2020 COVID-19 shutdown.
According to Deadline, the performer was first diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a brain tumor, in 2019 — just a year after she started performing in the hit musical. After undergoing treatment, she was able to return to the stage and continue doing what she loved.
What a sad loss for the entertainment community. Sending lots of love to her family and friends as they process this tragic loss. R.I.P.
[Image via Mean Girls/YouTube & Stephanie Bissonnette/Instagram]
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