Sad news from Broadway

Kyle Jean-Baptiste, who was the youngest and first black actor to portray Jean Valjean in Les Misérables on Broadway, has died after a fall from a fire escape at the age of 21.

Kyle Jean-Baptiste, Broadway's first black Jean Valjean, dies after fall

Actor Kyle Jean-Baptiste, who made history as the first African-American to play the lead role in a Broadway production of "Les Miserables," died Friday night in New York.

Marc Thibodeau, a spokesman for the production, said Saturday that Jean-Baptiste fell from a fire escape.

"The entire Les Miserables 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," the production said in a statement. "We send our deepest condolences to his family and ask that you respect their privacy in this unimaginably difficult time."

Here he is on his first performance this summer, singing 'Bring Him Home':