Broadway producer Luigi Caiola passed away November 26. A real estate magnate in addition to his passion for theatre, his passing was confirmed by Broadway press agent Chris Boneau. Mr. Caiola was 64 years old.
After inheriting a thriving family real estate business, Mr. Caiola opted to invest much of his energy and resources into the culture of New York City, founding Caiola Productions with his sister Rose to guide the development of new works.
Since its formation, Caiola Productions has helped develop more than 50 Broadway shows, and won eight Tony awards for its work on Dear Evan Hansen, The Color Purple, Once On This Island, Company, All the Way, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and the recent revival of Parade.
As a gay activist who had survived the horrors of the AIDS crisis, Mr. Caiola was particularly proud of The Inheritance, which won the Tony for Best Play in 2021. Recent productions guided by Mr. Caiola's hand have included Prima Facie, The Piano Lesson, Harmony, Here We Are, and Rock and Roll Man. Earlier this year, Caiola Productions was awarded the Arts Ally Award from the Drama League.
Mr. Caiola was also a thriving philanthropist, serving on the Boards of New York City Center; The Bay Street Theater and Cultural Center in Sag Harbor, LI; the Friends Seminary in Manhattan where his three children attend high school; and Family Equality, an organization dedicated to creating a world where all loving families are recognized, respected, protected and celebrated. In addition, Mr. Caiola was a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Tyler Clementi Foundation, a group committed to ending bullying in schools and communities.
Mr. Caiola was predeceased by his father, Benny, and is survived by his mother Bettina, his siblings Alfred, Jaime, Benny, Bora, Rose, and Eddie, his partner Sean, and their three children Maria, William, and Adam.
A public service will be held at the Frank Campbell Funeral Chapel, 1076 Madison Avenue, Sunday, December 3. Funeral services will be at St. Ignatius Church, 980 Park Avenue, December 4 at 11 AM. Mr. Caiola's burial will be held at Ferncliff Cemetery, 280 Secor Rd. in Hartsdale immediately following the church service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Family Equality.
