Sara Bareilles got a little help from her friend.
During the Tony Awards’ annual In Memoriam segment, the Waitress alum and ceremony host Cynthia Erivo performed “Tomorrow” from the musical Annie while the faces of members of the theater community who have passed away during the last year were displayed behind them.
The final honoree to be shown during the June 8 segment was that of Gavin Creel, a beloved Broadway actor who died of a rare form of cancer in September at the age of 48.
Gavin had been a close friend of Sara’s after working on Waitress together, and as the stage lights faded to black during the award show, Cynthia and Sara could be seen holding hands as they looked at Gavin’s face before Cynthia turned and held Sara close in a hug, the latter having grown visibly emotional.
The Wicked star continued to comfort Sara, rubbing her back and sharing a few words with her before the award show went to a commercial break.
Also honored during the segment were late stars and theater powerhouses such as James Earl Jones, Maggie Smith, George Wendt, Linda Lavin and Quincy Jones.