The theatre world is in mourning following the death of cherished Broadway star and social media influencer Bret Hanna-Shuford. He was 46 years old.
A courageous battle against rare illness
His husband, ballet dancer Stephen Hanna, shared the devastating news on Instagram on Saturday, January 3. Stephen confirmed that Bret passed away peacefully surrounded by family in the early hours of the morning. The performer leaves behind his husband and their three-year-old son, Maverick.
The actor and singer, known for roles in major productions like Wicked, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast, was diagnosed with an aggressive and rare form of cancer last summer. He was fighting T-Cell Lymphoma, a deadly blood cancer, while simultaneously battling another rare condition called Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), which attacks the body's immune system.
A final Christmas and an outpouring of love
Bret spent his final months in and out of hospital. On Christmas Day, just over a week before his death, he and Stephen posted an optimistic photo wearing matching bobble hats. The image showed Bret looking frail with a feeding tube, but the couple expressed hope for the new year. Sadly, his condition deteriorated rapidly afterwards.
The news prompted an immediate and heartfelt flood of tributes from friends, fans, and former colleagues online. One fellow Little Mermaid cast member wrote: "My sweet time with Bret will live in my Mermaid memory forever." Another tribute praised "the art he gave and the joy he brought to our stages," while others offered support to Stephen and young Maverick.
Financial struggles and a legacy of joy
A GoFundMe page was set up last August to help the family cover mounting medical bills and living expenses after Bret was forced to stop working. The campaign highlighted the financial strain of fighting such a rare illness and remarkably raised $315,000. In a video posted on December 17, Bret thanked supporters and revealed frustrations with his insurance company, which was complicating access to a new, expensive treatment.
Beyond the stage, Bret was one half of the popular social media account Broadway Husbands with Stephen, sharing their family life with fans. He also had a film credit, appearing in Martin Scorsese's 2013 hit The Wolf of Wall Street.
Stephen Hanna's moving statement concluded with a promise: "Our hearts are broken but we will continue to make him proud of us." The theatre community and his many followers now join the family in grieving the loss of a talented performer and devoted father.
