Josh Grisetti, a Broadway performer who also appeared in the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, died by suicide at age 44, his friends and representatives said.
The announcement came late Sunday in Instagram posts from fellow actors Rob McClure and Sierra Boggess. Grisetti’s agent, Rick Ferrari, confirmed the death to Entertainment Weekly on Monday, saying he was "absolutely devastated." Survivors include his wife, Mackenzie Grisetti.
Stage credits and teaching career
Grisetti was known to theater audiences for several Broadway roles and for his work as an educator. Colleagues pointed to his performances in Something Rotten!, in which McClure played his brother both on Broadway and on tour, and to his 2015 Broadway appearance opposite Boggess in It Should Have Been You. In addition to his stage work, he served as a tenured associate professor at the University of California, Fullerton, leading the undergraduate musical theater program.
| Role/Association | Context |
|---|---|
| Something Rotten! | Co-starred with Rob McClure on Broadway and on tour |
| It Should Have Been You | Starred opposite Sierra Boggess in 2015 on Broadway |
| UC Fullerton | Tenured associate professor; headed undergraduate musical theater program |
Final weeks and public reaction
About two days before his death, Grisetti left a production of Legally Blonde that he was directing at the Trentino Music Festival in Fiera di Primiero, Italy, stepping away prior to opening night for what were described as personal reasons. His last Instagram post included images and a video of the cast holding up a photograph of him while calling out their support.
“We love you Josh!”
Tributes from peers and former students were immediate and heartfelt. McClure wrote that he was left with a "shattered heart," saying he was not ready to understand the loss and offering support to Grisetti’s family. Boggess described the news as arriving "with the deepest grief," calling his loss heartbreaking and noting the affection colleagues held for him. Ferrari told E! News that Grisetti’s students at Cal State Fullerton "cherished him," and that he shared his gifts generously.
- Age at death: 44
- Confirmed by: Agent Rick Ferrari; announcements from Rob McClure and Sierra Boggess
- Survivors: Wife Mackenzie Grisetti
Students and fellow performers described Grisetti as an influential teacher and a lively presence in rehearsals and classrooms. Messages pouring in noted his capacity to bring humor and thoughtfulness to his work and relationships, and many recounted how he had affected their careers and development.
Grisetti’s death adds to a recent spate of losses within the theater community that has prompted renewed conversations about mental health resources for performers and educators. University administrators, theater companies and colleagues often coordinate support for students and casts after such events, though statements about institutional responses were not included in initial reports.
As details continue to emerge from friends and representatives, colleagues have urged privacy for Grisetti’s family while celebrating the contributions he made to stage and classroom alike.
