Michael McGrath, Tony Award winning actor from Worcester, dies at 65

Michael McGrath, whose stage career began in grammar school at St. Peter's in Worcester and continued to include a Tony Award in 2012 for "Nice Work if You Can Get It" on Broadway, died Thursday at 65.

The Associated Press reported that McGrath's agent Lisa Goldberg said he died in his home in Bloomfield, New Jersey. No other details were announced.

McGrath excelled in zany musicals, as Worcester audiences got to see in 1991 in the former Foothills Theatre production of the madcap "A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine." A review in The Worcester Telegram & Gazette said, "Michael McGrath as the lawyer Serge B. Samover (a.k.a. Groucho Marx) was a revelation."

In a 2007 review of “Follies” at City Center in New York City, The Associated Press said McGrath “exudes a pugnacious, good-time Charlie conviviality that also hides insecurities. The actor also moves with the confidence of a born hoofer, particularly in his 'The God-Why-Don’t-You-Love-Me Blues.' "

Offstage, McGrath was known to be friendly and engaging.

Susan M. Smith, who co-founded Foothills with her late husband Marc P. Smith, said Friday that "whenever Michael was cast in a production at Foothills, Marc was always confident that he'd be dealing with a consummate professional and a person who was a pleasure to spend time with offstage as well."

In 2005 McGrath won a Drama Desk Award and received a Tony Award nomination in the category of best featured actor in a musical for his role as the coconut-clopping servant Patsy in the musical comedy "Monty Python's Spamalot."

“Very saddened to hear that Michael McGrath our first and most beloved Patsy in ‘Spamalot,’ has passed away,” wrote Monty Python member and "Spamalot" creator Eric Idle. “Warm hugs to all the ‘Spamalot’ family and very happy memories of a lovely man.”

In 2012, McGrath won the Tony for best actor in a featured musical role, playing wise guy Cookie McGee in “Nice Work If You Can Get It” starring Matthew Broderick and Kelli O’Hara.

When his name was called, it didn't sink in right away, McGrath said in an interview with the Telegram & Gazette. “It was kind of a surreal, white room moment,” he said. “Everything sort of went a little blank. I didn't expect to hear it to tell you the truth.”

In his acceptance speech, McGrath said “I'd like to thank my mom and dad, brothers and sisters all watching up in Worcester, Massachusetts, right now.”

McGrath was born in Worcester and graduated from St. Peter's High School in 1976. Besides school shows he acted with the Worcester County Light Opera Company. He attended the Boston Conservatory, leaving after three months to "jump" into his acting career, as he put it.

But to develop his talents, McGrath also studied voice and acting with Jerry Newby in Worcester, a locally well-known teacher who had enjoyed a Broadway career before being sidelined by arthritis while still in his prime. “I learned a lot from him about being a pro and what it takes,” McGrath said.

McGrath did summer stock at Theater-by-the-Sea in Rhode Island, a national tour of "Robber Bridegroom," and had a three-year run in the Boston production of "Forbidden Broadway," where he met his wife,actress and Worcester native Toni Di Buono.

McGrath was in over a dozen Broadway shows including “Plaza Suite,” “She Loves Me” and “Tootsie,” as well as on television as the sidekick to Martin Short on “The Martin Short Show.”

After he had begun to find success in New York, McGrath returned to Worcester to perform at the Foothills Theatre in Marc P. Smith's play “Retrofit” in 1988, and also was part of the ensemble cast in the Foothills' production of the musical “A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine” in 1991. “It was a great thrill after years in New York to come back to Worcester as a professional,” he said.

McGrath blew out his knee during the run of "Spamalot," but returned to the fray.

On his 50th birthday, "My wife threw a big party for me, so that was great. But I tell you, dancing is getting more and more difficult for me. I've been at it so long. I think my dancing career is pretty much at its end. I think I'll start leaning toward straight comedy, although if my dance career is over it's great to go out on a `Spamalot,' " McGrath said.

"Michael McGrath was as wonderful offstage as he was on,” wrote actor Michael Urie in a tribute. “Adorable, mischievous, brilliant. His loss cuts deep, but I will continue to take everything he taught me wherever I go.”

McGrath is survived by Di Buono and their daughter, actor Katie Claire McGrath.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester's Michael McGrath went from grammar school stage to Broadway