"Divinely gifted" Mamma Mia star passes away aged 40
Broadway luminary Chris Peluso, renowned for his roles in acclaimed productions like Mamma Mia! and Wicked, has passed away at the age of 40.
In the period preceding his demise, Peluso reportedly grappled with Schizoaffective disorder, a mental health condition characterised by hallucinations and a fusion of symptoms from both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
The University of Michigan paid homage to Peluso on their musical theatre department's webpage, confirming the sorrowful news, given his previous attendance as a student. Linda Goodrich, interim chair, conveyed: "The Michigan Musical Theatre family is heartbroken as we announce the passing of our dear family member/alum, the loving, charismatic, and divinely gifted Chris Peluso."
Goodrich added: "Chris appeared on Broadway in Mamma Mia!, Assasins, Lestat, The Glorious Ones and Beautiful, played Fiyero on tour in Wicked and starred in London in Miss Saigon and Showboat. Our hearts go out to his family."
He leaves behind his wife Jessica Gomes and their two children.
In the preceding year, friends of Peluso established a GoFundMe page, detailing his inability to perform due to his mental health struggles and battle with Schizoaffective disorder.
They beseeched fans to contribute towards his medical expenses in the United States. The page noted that "in recent months, the paranoia has consumed him to the extent that he is unable to work any job and has had to leave his wife and young child and return to America to seek treatment."
"Chris has no health care insurance in the US and was recently hospitalised for about two weeks. Currently, he is seeking treatment at an inpatient mental health rehabilitation centre."
"In his own words, 'Hopefully this helps bring some awareness to how so many suffer from mental illness in silence. You never know what someone may be going through. Be kind to each other.'"
In a November update shared on the same page, Peluso extended his gratitude to fans for their "incredible generosity" and donations, sharing that he was "doing well".
"Hi guys! Thanks so much again for your incredible generosity! I'm very pleased to say that I completed the in-patient treatment facility in Tennessee and have been stable and doing well," he said.
"The new medication I'm on works well to keep my symptoms in check and has minimal side effects. I'm able to hold down a job again and even began taping some auditions."
He added: "It's going to be a lifelong process of going to therapy and working with doctors but I'm so much better than I was before treatment. It really means the world to me to have such incredible support from you all. None of this progress would have been possible without you."
A sum of USD $25,000 was raised on behalf of the now-departed star.
Images: Instgram