Shannon Tavarez
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Shannon Tavarez | |
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| Born | Shannon Skye Tavarez January 20, 1999 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | November 1, 2010 (aged 11) New Hyde Park, New York, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Acute myeloid leukemia |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2005–2010 |
| Website | shannonsshare.org |
Shannon Skye Tavarez (January 20, 1999 – November 1, 2010) was an American child actress and singer. She played young Nala in the Broadway theatre production of The Lion King by Walt Disney Theatrical.
Background[edit]
Shannon Tavarez was the only child of Odiney Brown, a human resources administrator,[1] and one of the daughters of a Dominican man with the surname of "Tavarez".[2] She was a native and resident of Bellerose, Queens,[3] and an honors student at P.S. 176 [4] as well as a student of vocals and piano at the Harlem School of the Arts.[5] She was chosen to play the role of young Nala after a cattle call audition at the Apollo Theater,[6] and she became one of two girls who split the role, with each of the girls performing four shows per week.
Illness and death[edit]
Several months after her September 2009 debut in The Lion King, she was forced to leave the show after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.[7] Because of her African-American and Dominican ethnic backgrounds, she faced much greater difficulty in attempts to find a match for a bone marrow transplant.[8] Alicia Keys, Rihanna, and 50 Cent recruited prospective donors from among their fans to help her find a bone marrow donor.[9] Her former co-stars from The Lion King also helped her by selling "Shine for Shannon" key chains and bracelets to raise money to help her mother pay for her medical bills.[10]
Tavarez was then able to find a partial bone-marrow donor match.[11] She subsequently had an umbilical cord transplant (prior to which she'd been undergoing chemotherapy[12]) because the doctors could not find a full bone-marrow-donor match for her.[13] She died on November 1, 2010, at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York, at the age of 11.[14]
The lights at the Minskoff Theatre, where The Lion King was playing, were dimmed in her memory on the night that she died,[15] and her funeral was held at Greater Allen A. M. E. Cathedral of New York.[16]
In a statement released following her death, her mother (who started Shannon's S.H.A.R.E Foundation a year thereafter) said that "Shannon's dream was to perform on stage, and that she did."[17][18]
References[edit]
- ^ "Shannon Tavarez, 11-year-old who starred in Broadway's 'The Lion King', needs bone marrow transplant". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "Lion King Actress Dies After Bone Marrow Match is Not Found". Fox News. 2016-12-11. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "Fundraiser honors the memory of 'Lion King' actress Shannon Tavarez, who drew 15,000 marrow donors". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ Lewis, Jessica. "LION KING Welcomes New 'Cubs'". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ Diamond, Robert. "Shannon Tavarez Passes Away at 11". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "Young 'Lion King' star Shannon Tavarez, 11, loses fight with leukemia". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "Broadway's 'Lion King' Star Dies of Cancer". ABC News. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "Lion King Actress Dies After Bone Marrow Match is Not Found". Fox News. 2016-12-11. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "Lion King's 11-Year-Old Star, Befriended by Alicia, Rihanna and 50 Cent, Dies of Cancer". E! Online. 2010-11-02. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "Broadway theater dims lights to honor actress". TODAY.com. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "Broadway turns out to help sick 'Lion King' actress". NBC News. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "Lion King Alum Shannon Tavarez Loses Battle with Leukemia at Age 11". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ "'Lion King' actress Shannon Tavarez to get transplant of umbilical-cord blood for leukemia treatment". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ Weber, Bruce (2010-11-03). "Shannon Tavarez, Nala in 'Lion King', Dies at 11". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
- ^ Young 'Lion King' star Shannon Tavarez recalled as 'selfless' day after death
- ^ Shannon Tavarez Lovingly Remembered at Funeral
- ^ Rihanna Mourns Shannon Tavarez
- ^ "Fundraiser honors the memory of 'Lion King' actress Shannon Tavarez, who drew 15,000 marrow donors". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2023-04-05.