Terrence McNally death: Tony-winning playwright dies aged 81 after coronavirus diagnosis

His works include ‘Love! Valour! Compassion!’ and ‘Master Class’

Terrence McNally with his husband Tom Kirdahy at the 2019 Tony Awards in New York City. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)

Terrence McNally has died aged 81 of complications due to the coronavirus.

The Tony-winning playwright died on Tuesday at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota, Florida, a spokesperson told Deadline.

McNally collected four Tonys throughout his career, including two Best Play awards for Love! Valour! Compassion! and for Master Class. His other two Tonys were in the Best Book of a Musical category, for Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime.

His other works include Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, The Full Monty, The Ritz and Lips Together, Teeth Apart.

In recent years, McNally wrote the book for the musical theatre adaption of Anastasia (2016) and authored the play Mothers and Sons (2014).

His works explored the topics of human relationships, at times through the lens of homophobia, AIDS, and love.

He received a Lifetime Achievement Awards during the 2019 Tonys.

McNally was a lung cancer survivor with chronic lung disease. He’s survived by his husband Tom Kirdahy.

Many paid tribute to McNally and his work after the news of his death broke on Tuesday.

“Heartbroken over the loss of Terrence McNally, a giant in our world, who straddled plays and musicals deftly. Grateful for his staggering body of work and his unfailing kindness,” Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote.

Author John Scalzi tweeted: ”We’re going to lose a lot to this thing before it’s over, money the very least of all.”

Actor and playwright Jeremy O Harris said the news of McNally’s death had left him “broken”.

“This is so dark,” he wrote. ”I met Terrence when my friend James Cusati-Moyer starred in his play Fire and Air @classicstage. His kindness and candour were unmatched. RIP TERRENCE. You were a gift.”