Throughout the course of live theater, there have been a number of cases of actors accidentally taking their own lives during scenes.

Throughout the course of live theater, there have been a number of cases of actors accidentally taking their own lives during scenes. 

In 2016, actor Raphael Schumacher tragically hung himself while reenacting a hanging scene on stage. 

The stunt left him in a coma, and shortly afterward, doctors declared him clinically deceased.

Schumacher changed the play's script at the last minute, the directors of the theater company told Italian newspaper Il Giorno: "The original monologue included a fake gunshot but he eventually decided for the hanging -- without telling us."

The incident occurred during an interactive performance in Pisa, Italy. Schumacher was performing a monologue from Frank Wedekind’s Spring Awakening alone in a courtyard in front of just one spectator. The performance ended with Schumacher placing his head in a noose. The actor was discovered unconscious and seriously oxygen-deprived by a second spectator, reportedly a medical student, who rushed to his aid.

Schumacher had reportedly changed the ending of the scene himself. The original monologue included a fake gunshot, but he decided to use a hanging scene instead, without informing the directors of the theater company. This unexpected change led to the tragic accident, as the safety measures in place were not designed for a hanging scene.

Following the incident, an investigation was launched into the theater’s safety procedures. The prosecutor’s office is looking into the circumstances of the incident. Both his mother and close friends have ruled out suggestions Schumacher took his own life. It is understood the focus of the investigation will shift from grievous bodily harm to culpable homicide (manslaughter). The main assumption remains it was a tragic accident on stage.