Duncan Sheik, ‘Barely Breathing’ Hitmaker and ‘Spring Awakening’ Stage Composer, Dies at 56

Duncan Sheik, who had a pop smash with “Barely Breathing” in the mid-1990s but then found his biggest success — and multiple Tony wins — with the long-running stage musical “Spring Awakening,” has died at 56.

The New York Times reported that his death was confirmed by his mother, and that he died of organ failure. Sheik had previously been reported to be in critical condition in a Manhattan hospital.

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The death came shortly before the opening of a new musical for which he penned the score, “Memoirs of Amorous Gentleman,” an adaptation of Moyoco Anno’s manga graphic novel. The first preview is set for Sept. 25, with the opening scheduled for Oct. 15.

Sheik’s self-titled debut album in 1996 generated “Barely Breathing,” which reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 but felt like it peaked much higher, as the single had a surprisingly long tail and lingered on that chart for 55 weeks.

Sheik grew disenchanted with the music business and successfully turned his attention toward theater with “Spring Awakening,” which opened off-Broadway in 1996 before reaching Broadway later that year, where it ran for more than two years. launching the careers of young actors including Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff.

The show won eight Tony Awards, including two for Sheik, for the score (shared with the musical’s book and lyrics writer) and for orchestrations.

“Spring Awakening” got a revival on Broadway in 2015 and is due for an off-Broadway production in November of this year.

More to come…