Bob was an irresistible force in the fabric of the local acting community. A frequent partner with Oscar Nominee Richard Jenkins both in local theater and at Trinity Rep in the ’70s, Bob also founded The Rhode Island Shakespeare Theater (TRIST), especially esteemed for its Shakespeares in the park. Colonna grew up in show biz. Bob Hope was his godfather. It was a part of him, and to Rhode Island, he was the epitome of the classical actor, the figure of compassion and gravitas who could probably pull off any role in the world of theater, and who served as a mentor, teacher, coach, and inspiration for so many, across generations, in the RI theater community.
Trinity Rep hosted a memorial for Bob on July 17 (you can still view the livestream on Motif’s Facebook). Multi-OSCAR-nominated actor Richard Jenkins tributed Bob, calling him a natural comedian and “walking Vaudeville-history Wikipedia,” He described the experience of directing Bob, as he had numerous times over the year: “He always kept trying. He was good – really good, smart, funny. Sometimes his jokes didn’t land, and he was hurt. He was a little sad. He was a human being. He was Bob. And it was beautiful.” Speaking of directing him as Willy Lowman in Death of a Salesman, “The lesson he taught me – if you are going to be an actor, if you choose this life, it’s a life-long struggle to get better. He was amazing in the role, and it happened before my eyes, so I am forever grateful for that lesson.”
Bob’s son, Joe Colonna, came to town to share memories of his father. “The first show I ever saw was in this theater. It was Jack the Ripper; I was seven and regularly left to play around backstage.” He adds, “My dad was a great friend and mentor to literally thousands of people. It would be inaccurate to say he was a great father in the traditional sense – he enjoyed a state of perpetual childhood, filled with playfulness and curiosity. At some point, it became obvious that one of us was going to have to grow up, and by unanimous vote, we decided it was me. However he was always there to listen, give feedback and support, and talk openly about his successes and failures, and lessons learned along the way. He learned to be a great grandfather to his four grandchildren… He helped me (I hope) to become a good friend, husband, father, and person.”
“I wasn’t comfortable with myself,” a middle-aged Bob Colonna himself says in archival video footage shared at the memorial. “I used to practice voices when I was a kid – I don’t know where it came from, but the message in my head was, ‘You, yourself, are not good enough. You have to be on, you have to entertain.’ It’s why I tell so many jokes. Even this interview would have been unthinkable 10 years ago.” In overcoming that, he connected with audiences and friends in new, emotionally raw ways that led to lasting impacts.
Other speakers included Diane Orson and Sheryl Dold, with playful musical interludes by frequent Bob collaborators Steve Snyder, and Rick Adam.
The memorial attracted a who’s-who of local theater professionals, a resonating testimonial to how many lives Bob touched and inspired, with wit, craft, or his investment in exploring the human condition.