His friend and fellow performer Debbie Allen also announced the news Tuesday on social media.
He fought this battle to live and be creative, impacting audiences and young people across the globe.
I had no idea what to do, but I knew I could dance, hetoldThe Hype Magazinein 2014.
Hinton Battle.Noam Galai/Getty Images
Being that I was the Scarecrow who had no brain, it worked and the crowd loved it.
The day after his debut performance, Battle was offered the role full-time.
His additional stage credits include turns in Bob FossesDancin,Dreamgirls,Chicago, andRagtime.
Stephanie Mills as Dorothy and Hinton Battle as the Scarecrow in ‘The Wiz’ (1975).Hulton Archive/Getty Images
In 2006, he appeared alongsideJennifer Hudson,Beyonce,Eddie Murphy, andJamie Foxxin the movie adaptation ofDreamgirls.
Battle continued working off stage withLove Lies, a comedy musical he wrote, produced, and directed.
