Chris Peluso, Broadway actor with roles in ‘Mamma Mia!’, ‘Wicked,’ dead at 40

Chris Peluso, a stage actor who had roles on Broadway in “Mamma Mia!” and “Wicked,” died Thursday. He was 40.

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Peluso, who also appeared in “Miss Saigon” in London’s West End, had stepped away from acting last year to seek treatment for schizoaffective disorder, the Los Angeles Times reported. Peluso’s family confirmed his death to Playbill this week but did not disclose his cause of death.

Peluso played Sky in “Mamma Mia!” and starred and was an understudy for the role of Fiyero in several tours of “Wicked,” according to Playbill. He also starred in the off-Broadway production of “The Glorious Ones.”

Peluso’s alma mater, the University of Michigan, also posted a tribute on its musical-theater department’s Instagram page.

“The Michigan Musical Theatre family is heartbroken as we announce the passing of our dear family member/alum, the loving, charismatic, and divinely gifted Chris Peluso,” wrote Linda Goodrich, the department’s interim chair, in the Instagram post. “Our hearts go out to his family.”

Peluso made his Broadway debut in the 2004 Tony-winning revival of “Assassins” as an understudy for the part of the Balladeer, the Times reported. He also appeared as an understudy in “Lestat” and “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”

Peluso’s biography on the Artists and Beyond website stated that the actor was pursuing a master’s degree in therapeutic counseling. He said he was seeking the degree, in part, “to help students navigate the anxieties inherent in a career in the arts.”

In 2015, Peluso moved to London in 2015 to star in the lead male role in “Miss Saigon,” which earned him a Tony Award nomination in 2017 when the performance was revived on Broadway, the Times reported.

Peluso is survived by his wife, Jessica Gomes, their daughter Aria Li Gomes-Peluso, and their son, Caio Lian Gomes-Peluso, according to Playbill.

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