Kyle Jean-Baptiste said he had always dreamed of playing the role of Jean Valjean in "Les Miserables." Baptiste joined the cast of "Les Miserables" in May, just shortly after graduating from Baldwin Wallace University, in Ohio. At first he was to play the constable and Courfeyrac, along with being an understudy for Jean Valjean. But he made his Broadway debut when Ramin Karminloo took vacation and he stepped up to fulfill his dream role.

On July 23, the 21-year-old African-American actor went on as Jean Valjean. Not only did his dream come true but he also made history. Baptiste was the first African-American to play Jean Valjean as well as being the youngest man to do so. The show that night was billed with the Twitter hashtag #blackValjean. Jean-Baptiste couldn’t hide his excitement and tweeted “Today I go on as my dream role, no words. Guna remember this night.”

His last performance as Jean Valjean was on August 27. On Friday night, August 28, following the show’s evening performance at the Imperial Theatre, he died after falling from a fire escape.

Jean-Baptiste is important to those of us here in college and at every stage in our life, because he stayed with something he loved and was truly passionate about. In college it is hard to stay passionate when people constantly tell you that you’ll never make a living with the major you are choosing.

On his website he says that, “acting and singing have become an extension of who I am, and I strive to use my gift to influence and inspire others. I am now shooting for the stars and trying to reach my goal of becoming the best stage and screen actor that I can be."

I speak for all of us when I say that he really did use his gift to influence and inspire others. Imagine all the children and parents who saw this man break molds of the theatre world, think of the positive message it sends to those who may be wondering if they could ever make a difference in the world.

Jean-Baptiste wasn't the first African-American to break a mold in the theatre world. In May, Norm Lewis became the first-ever African-American actor to take on the lead role of "The Phantom of the Opera." There are many other actors and actresses who have broken the racial boundaries that musical theatre has, when it comes to certain roles. My hope for broadway, in the future, is for color to not be a barrier against the role someone is auditioning for.

~Let him rest, heaven blessed. Bring him home.~