Steve Barton

Barton had, in the last years of his life, been battling with alcoholism and addiction to painkillers following chronic knee problems and had, only months before his death, started treatment for bipolar disorder. He was found dead at his apartment in Bremen, Germany on 21st July 2001 aged 47. While his death was initially attributed to heart failure, according to obituary information released by the press office for the New York production of The Phantom of the Opera, it was later ruled a suicide by the district attorney in Bremen after it was revealed an empty bottle of prescription heart medication was found at the scene.

In 1996 Barton returned to Vienna, where he took over the part of the Beast in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. In his final project, he originated the role of Graf von Krolock, a vampire in Jim Steinman's Tanz der Vampire, for which he won an IMAGE (International Music Award Germany) in 1998. Barton celebrated his 30-year onstage anniversary in 1997 during his run as von Krolock.

He played leading roles in West Side Story, Godspell, Romeo and Juliet, The Fantasticks, The Threepenny Opera, Oklahoma!, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Guys and Dolls, and Camelot, before playing the role of Munkustrap in the original Vienna cast of Cats, at the Theater an der Wien. At the Theater des Westens in Berlin he played roles in Guys and Dolls, Jesus Christ Superstar (as Jesus), La Cage aux Folles (as both Jean Michel and Albin/Zaza) and Robert in Company. In 1986 he originated the role of Raoul in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera in London, and in 1988 reprised that role in the original Broadway cast.

Barton was married to swing dancer and choreographer Denny Berry, who served as dance supervisor for the North American productions of The Phantom of the Opera, whom he met at college. A son, Edward, was born in Vienna in 1984; the couple separated at an unspecified later date. He was an Honorary Chairperson of the Steadman Hawkins Sports Medicine Foundation and an honorary member of the UTA Board of Education.

Steve Barton (June 26, 1954 – July 21, 2001) was an American actor, singer, dancer, teacher, choreographer and stage director, who found success in many English and German language productions.

Steven Neal Barton was born on June 26, 1954, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States, the youngest of three children of Tom and Mary Barton. He was raised in Nederland, Texas.