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The great life of Charles Creath
Everywhere you looked at musical theater in St. Louis, Charles Creath was there.
He was the musical director for the St. Louis Black Repertory Co. for more than 35 years, contributed to musical productions across the country and served as an international ambassador for gospel music. Mr. Creath died after a short illness Friday (Dec. 25, 2020) at age 68.
A keyboard player, Mr. Creath performed as recently as Nov. 14 at the Black Rep’s Fifth Annual Gala. In May, he played in a remote performance of Fats Waller’s “Black and Blue” in an Arts United STL fundraiser to support the Regional Arts Commission’s Artist Relief Fund to support performers who lost work because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The month before that, he won the St. Louis Theater Circle Award for outstanding musical director for the Black Rep’s revival of “Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope.”
That was also the first show he worked on at the Black Rep during the 1983-84 season, said the company’s founder and producing director Ron Himes.
“He was a musical genius. He could play anything, and he played everything. He was a tremendous gospel church musician, tremendous jazz musician. He could pick up any Broadway score and play it,” he said.
“We had done several productions of ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ together, and he could play that whole show without the score. He was just an incredible arranger, composer and all-around great musician,” Himes said.
All proceeds from Charles Creath Family Fund will go directly to the family to help support them in this great time of need.
Everywhere you looked at musical theater in St. Louis, Charles Creath was there.
He was the musical director for the St. Louis Black Repertory Co. for more than 35 years, contributed to musical productions across the country and served as an international ambassador for gospel music. Mr. Creath died after a short illness Friday (Dec. 25, 2020) at age 68.
A keyboard player, Mr. Creath performed as recently as Nov. 14 at the Black Rep’s Fifth Annual Gala. In May, he played in a remote performance of Fats Waller’s “Black and Blue” in an Arts United STL fundraiser to support the Regional Arts Commission’s Artist Relief Fund to support performers who lost work because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The month before that, he won the St. Louis Theater Circle Award for outstanding musical director for the Black Rep’s revival of “Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope.”
That was also the first show he worked on at the Black Rep during the 1983-84 season, said the company’s founder and producing director Ron Himes.
“He was a musical genius. He could play anything, and he played everything. He was a tremendous gospel church musician, tremendous jazz musician. He could pick up any Broadway score and play it,” he said.
“We had done several productions of ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ together, and he could play that whole show without the score. He was just an incredible arranger, composer and all-around great musician,” Himes said.
All proceeds from Charles Creath Family Fund will go directly to the family to help support them in this great time of need.
Organizer and beneficiary
Lisa Creath
Beneficiary