Bret Hanna-Shuford, a Broadway performer and co-founder of the social media account BroadwayHusbands, died at the age of 46 on Saturday in Orlando. He passed away following a battle with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and T-Cell Lymphoma, an immune disorder linked to T-cell cancer.
Early Life and Education
Hanna-Shuford was born in Beaumont, Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in theater from Wagner College in 2001.
Stage Career
Hanna-Shuford's Broadway debut was in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. His additional Broadway credits included ensemble roles in Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid (where he also understudied Flotsam and Prince Eric), Wicked (also understudying Dr. Dillamond and the Wizard), Amazing Grace, and Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour.
He also performed in national tours of Dreamgirls and South Pacific. Regionally, he worked at theaters such as Theatre Under The Stars Houston, Paper Mill Playhouse, Asolo Rep, and Alabama Shakespeare. His stage work extended to performances on the Disney Cruise Line and appearances in Actors’ Fund benefit concerts for productions including The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, A Wonderful Life, and On the Twentieth Century.
Screen and Vocal Performances
On screen, Hanna-Shuford appeared in the film The Wolf of Wall Street. His television credits included roles on the soap operas All My Children, Guiding Light, and As the World Turns, as well as appearances in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2018), The Good Fight (2020), and Only Murders in the Building (2023). He also performed vocally with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, and the Fort Worth Symphony.
Personal Life
Bret Hanna-Shuford met Stephen Hanna in 2007 while working in Broadway productions, and they married in 2011 at Greenwich Town Hall in Greenwich, Connecticut. Together, they co-founded the social media account BroadwayHusbands, which documented their experiences as LGBTQ parents. Their son, Maverick, was born in 2022. The family had recently relocated to Orlando, where Bret Hanna-Shuford began graduate studies at the University of Florida.
Published Work
Penguin Workshop optioned Hanna-Shuford to author a children's book titled Good Night, Break a Leg. Illustrated by Elena Hager, the rhyming picture book focuses on a child whose fathers are Broadway performers, with its publication projected for this summer.
Survivors
Bret Hanna-Shuford is survived by his husband Stephen Hanna, their son Maverick, his parents Preston and Deanna, and his brothers Todd, Eric, and Bart.