LAGUNA BEACH, CA (CelebrityAccess) – Tony Award-winning producer of Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen and longtime Disney Theatrical Group executive Steve Fickinger died suddenly at his home in Laguna Beach. He was 62. A cause of death was not specified. His death was announced by his niece, Jessica Roy.

Born in Illinois, Fickinger was a UCLA graduate and the first-ever recipient of the Carol Burnett Musical Award for performance excellence.

After twenty years with Disney, which began as a temp worker in their mail room, he became Director of Creative Development for Walt Disney Feature Animation, overseeing such projects as Mulan, Tarzan, and Lilo and Stitch. From 1992 – 2012, he was Vice-President of Creative Development for Disney Theatrical Group, supervising six Broadway shows, including The Lion King and Aida. Fickinger also oversaw Aladdin and Newsies on Broadway and the national tour of High School Musical.

After leaving Disney, he became an independent producer with FickStern Productions. He was among the top producers of Dear Evan Hansen, which would go on to win six Tony Awards in 2017. Deadline reports that he was in meetings with Warner Bros. at the time of his death and had a production deal. Other projects in development included the show Live at the Crescendo Club: An Evening with Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Pearl Bailey.

Four siblings survive him and their spouses (Joan and Bill Frazier, Jan and Dennis Roy, Michael and Emily Fickinger, and Ellen Fickinger), nieces, nephews, and nephews-in-law (Jessica Roy and Joe Magdalena, Charlotte Roy and Sandy Albert, Andrew Frazier, Kathryn Roy, Carolyn Roy, and Joey Fickinger).

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