Broadway musical star Marin Mazzie, 57, loses battle with ovarian cancer

The Broadway musical star, Marin Mazzie, who was nominated for the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Olivier Award for her role as Lilli/Katharine in 'Kiss Me, Kate,' and won the Outer Critics Circle Award, has passed away at the age of 57. Her husband, actor Jason Danieley, had stated that the cause of her death was ovarian cancer, regarding which he had extensively written in his blog titled 'I am woman hear me roar.' 

In a statement quoted by Broadway World, Danieley had stated: "Incredible human being, loving wife, dedicated family member, devoted friend andBroadway star, Marin Mazzie passed away this morning at 10:10 am in the comfort of her New York City apartment surrounded by family and close friends." The three-time Tony Award nominee was diagnosed with Stage IV Ovarian Cancer back in 2015, the same year that her husband had written down about their journey through the diagnosis in his blog.

Describing it as "A hell of a journey in three acts," the actor mentioned, "During rehearsal (of 'Zorba'), Marin was feeling a bit uncomfortable in her stomach/abdomen area. She thought it was just basically a weird bloating but it didn’t seem to go away and in fact seemed to get worse as the week went on." 

The 'Passion' and 'Ragtime' star was treated at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering hospital, following which she had declared that her health was gradually improving. She got back on stage in 2016, for the first time since she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, to play the role of Anna Leonowens in the Lincoln Center Theater revival of 'The King and I.'

Regarding this first (since her treatment) and last performance on stage, the 'Spamalot' star had said, "I do feel like my viewpoint of the world is different and how I value my life. Not that I didn’t value it before, but it has taken on a deeper sense for me…[How it feels to] be in those moments and inhabiting this woman with where I am now in my life.”

As her career spun around singing and acting in Broadway, the Tony nominee was honored with the first Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative "Dame" Award in 2016, which she accepted at the 2016 Nothing Like a Dame concert where she had enthralled the audience with her performance of Kander and Ebb's 'And The World Goes Round.'

She was also inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame in 2017, along with her 'Ragtime' co-star, Audra McDonald. The singer who made her Broadway debut in 'Big River,' playing Mary Jane Wilkes, is now being remembered by all the Broadway members who are sending out their love and gratitude to her on social media.