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| Laurel Griggs, Broadway Actress, Dies at 13 After Asthma Attack, Family Says | Laurel Griggs, Broadway Actress, Dies at 13 After Asthma Attack, Family Says |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Laurel Griggs, who enjoyed early acting success in the 2013 Broadway revival of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and the musical adaptation of the Irish film “Once,” died on Tuesday. She was 13. | Laurel Griggs, who enjoyed early acting success in the 2013 Broadway revival of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and the musical adaptation of the Irish film “Once,” died on Tuesday. She was 13. |
| Ms. Griggs’s death was confirmed by David Rivlin, her grandfather, who said in an interview on Sunday that the actress had a “massive asthma attack.” | Ms. Griggs’s death was confirmed by David Rivlin, her grandfather, who said in an interview on Sunday that the actress had a “massive asthma attack.” |
| “Laurel was a child that everybody would dream to have,” Mr. Rivlin said. “She was a brilliant girl, could run a role and never forget a line, and I never heard a complaint. I’m going to miss her.” | “Laurel was a child that everybody would dream to have,” Mr. Rivlin said. “She was a brilliant girl, could run a role and never forget a line, and I never heard a complaint. I’m going to miss her.” |
| Emergency responders were flagged down around 7:25 p.m. on Tuesday outside an East Harlem residence to help a girl who was having difficulty breathing on the front steps of the building, the New York Police Department said. | Emergency responders were flagged down around 7:25 p.m. on Tuesday outside an East Harlem residence to help a girl who was having difficulty breathing on the front steps of the building, the New York Police Department said. |
| Officers performed CPR on the girl, whose name they did not release, en route to Mount Sinai Hospital, the police said. | Officers performed CPR on the girl, whose name they did not release, en route to Mount Sinai Hospital, the police said. |
| Ms. Griggs died at the hospital, Mr. Rivlin said. Her funeral was held on Friday, according to an obituary posted on the website of Riverside Memorial Chapel. | Ms. Griggs died at the hospital, Mr. Rivlin said. Her funeral was held on Friday, according to an obituary posted on the website of Riverside Memorial Chapel. |
| “The world lost a real princess who only wanted to make the future happy for all,” Mr. Rivlin said on Facebook. “Acting was just a childhood dream come true and she had big plans for the future.” | “The world lost a real princess who only wanted to make the future happy for all,” Mr. Rivlin said on Facebook. “Acting was just a childhood dream come true and she had big plans for the future.” |
| Ms. Griggs’s death stunned members of the theater community, who posted tributes to her on social media. They described Ms. Griggs as a special talent who was kindhearted as she balanced the rigors of school with her promising acting career. | Ms. Griggs’s death stunned members of the theater community, who posted tributes to her on social media. They described Ms. Griggs as a special talent who was kindhearted as she balanced the rigors of school with her promising acting career. |
| She made her Broadway debut at age 6 as Polly in Tennessee Williams’s “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” which starred Scarlett Johansson as Maggie. In 2013, Ms. Griggs joined the company of the Tony Award-winning musical “Once” for 17 months, where she played the longest-running Ivanka in the production’s history, according to Young Broadway Actor News, a site for children working in New York theater. | She made her Broadway debut at age 6 as Polly in Tennessee Williams’s “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” which starred Scarlett Johansson as Maggie. In 2013, Ms. Griggs joined the company of the Tony Award-winning musical “Once” for 17 months, where she played the longest-running Ivanka in the production’s history, according to Young Broadway Actor News, a site for children working in New York theater. |
| “Laurel was a brilliant young lady whose impact in the lives of everyone she met went far and beyond her immense talent,” the site said in a post. “Her wisdom and kindness were gifts to the theater community during her time on Earth.” | “Laurel was a brilliant young lady whose impact in the lives of everyone she met went far and beyond her immense talent,” the site said in a post. “Her wisdom and kindness were gifts to the theater community during her time on Earth.” |
| Rob Ashford, a Tony Award winner who directed Ms. Griggs in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” said the young actress was a dynamic cast member. | |
| “Laurel was one of the first children we cast in ‘Cat On A Hot Tin Roof,’” Mr. Ashford said in an email. “She had a wonderful energy and spirit and was loved by the entire company. Such a loss!” | |
| Ms. Griggs made a few appearances on “Saturday Night Life” as an uncredited cast member, according to the Internet Movie Database. She also appeared in “Café Society,” a romantic comedy starring Steve Carell that Amazon released in 2016, and did voice work for the animated series “Bubble Guppies.” | Ms. Griggs made a few appearances on “Saturday Night Life” as an uncredited cast member, according to the Internet Movie Database. She also appeared in “Café Society,” a romantic comedy starring Steve Carell that Amazon released in 2016, and did voice work for the animated series “Bubble Guppies.” |
| Ms. Griggs also wrote and directed a short film about a school shooting called “This is Not a Drill,” Mr. Rivlin said. It was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival last year. | Ms. Griggs also wrote and directed a short film about a school shooting called “This is Not a Drill,” Mr. Rivlin said. It was screened at the Tribeca Film Festival last year. |
| She did philanthropy for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, to which her family directed memorial donations. | She did philanthropy for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, to which her family directed memorial donations. |
| “Whether she was helping with our fund-raising efforts or appearing with other kids from Broadway in a special holiday video, Laurel exuded sweetness and sincerity, as she did onstage in ‘Once’ with a company that adored her,” Tom Viola, the organization’s executive director, said in a statement. | “Whether she was helping with our fund-raising efforts or appearing with other kids from Broadway in a special holiday video, Laurel exuded sweetness and sincerity, as she did onstage in ‘Once’ with a company that adored her,” Tom Viola, the organization’s executive director, said in a statement. |
| Ms. Griggs’s asthma was diagnosed at an early age, according to her grandfather, who said she attended the Clinton School, an International Baccalaureate World School on East 15th Street with a strong emphasis on the arts. | Ms. Griggs’s asthma was diagnosed at an early age, according to her grandfather, who said she attended the Clinton School, an International Baccalaureate World School on East 15th Street with a strong emphasis on the arts. |
| “She took her medication everyday and had some kind of machine for breathing if she needed it,” he said. “She didn’t miss any school. It’s just a destructive disease.” | “She took her medication everyday and had some kind of machine for breathing if she needed it,” he said. “She didn’t miss any school. It’s just a destructive disease.” |
| Mr. Rivlin, who spent one-on-one time with his granddaughter every week, said Ms. Griggs had big plans outside show business. She was an environmentalist and an activist and probably would have become a lawyer, he added. | Mr. Rivlin, who spent one-on-one time with his granddaughter every week, said Ms. Griggs had big plans outside show business. She was an environmentalist and an activist and probably would have become a lawyer, he added. |
| “I think the country is going to miss her, not just Broadway,” Mr. Rivlin said. “God only knows what she could have done with her life.” | “I think the country is going to miss her, not just Broadway,” Mr. Rivlin said. “God only knows what she could have done with her life.” |