[NEohioPAL] RIP- Lucia Colombi

[Christopher Fortunato]

It's sad to hear Lucia Colombi passed away.
 
The first Colombi I knew was Christopher Colombi, Jr., who was JCU '64 and came back to school in 1984 when I graduated to do a play with current JCU students.  He also brought  fellow JCU alum Bernard Canepari with him.  The Colombis contributed greatly to the arts scene in Cleveland.  There are pictures of them in displays at the Kent State Drama Department where they studied.
 
I shall miss Lucia, who cast me in my Ensemble debut in "A View From the Bridge" a few seasons ago.  I appreciated her fine direction and learned a lot from her how she developed a whole project and saw things  differently from her perspective than an individual character in a play would see things.  Lucia seemed to envision the play three or four movements ahead of us much in the way a top athlete could see down a field on the way to a touchdown or basket.  Her insight was an education for me.  It was also wonderful working at the Brooks where the Playhouse cast was using the Drury for "Streetcar."
 
At the time we did "View", Lucia was not feeling well, but she was ably supported by her husband, Martin Cosentino, whom I enjoyed working with.  (My late mother was a Cosentino, and I don't doubt we may have a common ancestor somewhere.)  Martin and Lucia's relationship reminded me, a bit, of my own parents- my father assisting my (now) late mother in her endeavors while she was in decline.   On top of being ill and directing the play, Lucia made a sumptuous feast of lasagna with all the accoutrements of a fine Italian dinner for the cast and crew.
 
Lucia, you were ill off and on for several years.  Now, you are no longer ill; you are now in Heaven where you can have Ensemble Theatre in perpetuity.  May you rest in peace with your wonderful brother, Christopher, and we'll be getting our monologs ready to audition for you once we get up there.
 
Love,
 
Christopher Fortunato
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