I am very saddened to announce that musical director Lloyd Nicholson passed away unexpectedly this morning in Ottawa. Lloyd was working on the remount of the Playhouse’s production of The Drowsy Chaperone at the National Arts Centre, which is scheduled to open on Friday, October 16. Lloyd was set to musical direct Dirty Rotten Scoundrels on his return to Vancouver later this month
Lloyd was the personification of musical theatre in Vancouver. I’ve known and worked with him for 25 years and his knowledge of and passion for the artform was a continual source of inspiration for me.
In addition to his many productions with the Playhouse, including Oliver! and Fiddler on the Roof, Lloyd was Artistic Director of Royal City Musical Theatre and was on the faculty of Studio 58, where he also served as musical director for many productions.
The Drowsy Chaperone, which earned multiple Jessie Richardson awards this June and a nomination for Lloyd for significant achievement in musical direction, marked a pinnacle in his exceptional career. Lisa Lambert, who wrote the music and lyrics for The Drowsy Chaperone, was so impressed with his musical arrangements that she recommended that the Melbourne Theatre Company contact Lloyd for advice on the Australian premiere. As well, the NAC/Citadel remount gave him a triumphant return to Edmonton, where he began his life in theatre at the University of Alberta.
As great a loss as this is to our community, I am so grateful that Lloyd was doing what he loved most and having a wonderful time with the Drowsy Chaperone company when he passed away. I’ve never seen him so happy and relaxed, and I’m thrilled that he lived long enough to receive this national and international recognition for his work.
Max
3 Comments
My condolences not only to The Vancouver Playhouse but to Musical Theatre across Canada. Lloyd inspired me to return to Musical theatre many years ago and i feel privileged and honored to have worked for him. His passion for the art and his ability to achieve perfection from all that surrounded him, was second to none.
He will be sadly missed, but never forgotten.
Emilio Salituro
Muse Artist Management
I have known Lloyd for 20 years and have never seen him happier as seeing him conducting our little show in Ottawa. He was a master of his craft and how lucky I was to know him and be one of his many students of musical theatre. I say that because when you worked with him you were always a student. And he was such a brilliant teacher to all of us. Everything I know about Musical Theatre I learned from him. He will be missed but his spirit lives on in every one of us whose lives he has changed. God Bless you Lloyd. Wherever you are I know there is music and it is being played with perfection. Love Jay
Well said Jay, A lovely guy, great energy, great loss. Condolences to all his family and friends.