Luigi C Caiola

It is with profound sadness that the family of Luigi Caiola announces his passing on Sunday, November 26, 2023. He was 64 years old. Luigi was a positive force who truly lit up every room he entered and spread joy to all he knew. Manhattan has lost one of the stars who made this city shine.

Luigi was one of the Managing Members of B and L Management LLC, a real estate development company that focuses on multi-family residential projects. Founded by the late Benny Caiola in 1974, B and L owns and operates residential and commercial properties throughout New York City. Luigi and his siblings worked diligently to carry on the legacy they inherited from their loving parents. Luigi earned his MBA in Accounting and BA in Finance from Iona College. He had a brilliant mind for business and an enormous heart that ensured that much of what he earned helped provide opportunities for others.

Luigi loved all the culture that his city had on offer. He believed in fostering and sharing it. In 2011, Luigi partnered with his sister Rose in pursuit of their mutual passion for theater. They formed Caiola Productions, an eight-time Tony Award winning entity that aided in the development of over 50 Broadway shows. Their Tony Award winners include: 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, one of the shows Luigi was most proud of was The Inheritance, which won the Tony for Best Play in 2021. Most recent productions include Prima Facie, The Piano Lesson, Harmony, Here We Are, and the AUDELCO winner for Best New Musical, Rock and Roll Man. Luigi was a true champion of the theater as evidenced by Caiola Productions being awarded the 2023 Arts Ally Award from the Drama League. Luigi’s absence will leave a significant void in the heart of Broadway.

Luigi’s work ethic was only bested by his philanthropy. He was a generous contributor to numerous organizations and charities. He served 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, Luigi was a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Tyler Clementi Foundation, a group committed to ending bullying in schools and communities.

Luigi will be dearly missed by his devoted partner Sean and their three children, Maria, William, and Adam; his children were the light of his life. He was a loving son to Benny Caiola who predeceased him. He is deeply mourned by his mother Bettina Caiola, siblings Alfred (Jaime), Benny (Bora), and Rose (Eddie), along with heartbroken aunts, uncles, nieces, cousins, nephews, colleagues, and a multitude of friends. Family was everything to Luigi and he considered all those he loved to be family. Luigi’s kindness, thoughtfulness, intellect, charm, charity, and boundless loyalty enriched the lives of all who knew him.

The family will be receiving visitors at Frank Campbell Funeral Chapel, 1076 Madison Avenue, Sunday, December 3 from 2pm – 8pm. Luigi’s funeral service will be at St. Ignatius Church, 980 Park Avenue, Monday, December 4 at 11am. Burial at Ferncliff Cemetery, 280 Secor Rd., Hartsdale, NY immediately following the church service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Family Equality.