Charismatic Twin Cities actor Adam King dies at 63

Adam King at the butcher in 'Fiddler on the Roof' at Artistry.

Singing actor Adam King had an outsize presence on certain Twin Cities stages.

A journeyman performer with a distinctive bass voice, King played patriarchs and major domos in plays and musicals over the last several decades.

He died Saturday, Nov. 17, at 63. King was diagnosed with lymphoma in March, according to his sister Karen King-Brooks, of Scottsdale, Ariz.

"It was very fast," she said.

King was frequently cast in shows such as "Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Fiddler on the Roof." He acted at venues such as Theatre in the Round, Nimbus, Lake Shore Players and the Minnesota Jewish Theatre.

"Because of his big stature, you might get the impression that he's standoffish and gruff, but he was exactly the opposite," said music director Anita Ruth, who worked with King on "Guys and Dolls" and "Fiddler" at Artistry in Bloomington. "Adam was really a sweet guy. And what impressed me most about him was how supportive he was of the theater community."

King was born in Sioux City, Iowa, to broadcast executive Roland King and philanthropist Muriel King. He grew up in St Louis Park, where he graduated high school. He studied business and theater at the University of Minnesota, and combined both after school, making his living in broadcast advertising and marketing for such companies as KQRS, Northern Lights Broadcasting and, lately, TPT, Twin Cities public TV.

"He was a kind and gentle man," said director David Mann, who cast King in "Twelfth Night" at Theatre in the Round in 2006. Mann described King as a "workhorse actor who was always ready and willing to dive into the play and give his all."

He was an avid sports fan, and had a long friendship with the late Twins great Kirby Puckett.

"He was a charismatic person with a great heart," said sister King-Brooks.

Besides his sister and father, of St. Louis Park, King's survivors include a brother, Daniel King, of the Twin Cities.