Alas, Poor Yorick… RIP Vincenzo Tortorici (1968-2012)
I have sad news to relate…Â Vincenzo Tortorici, known to many in the clown world as Enzo, has suddenly passed away.
The early info I have from his facebook page is that he had a sudden heart attack, and he died suddenly. He was 44 years old.
I featured Enzo in a review in 2010 –a review of his kids’ show the WOW show.
I had actually met him over 20 years ago, and although our paths never crossed much, every time I met up with him it was a delight. It was if we’d never missed a beat. And although he wasn’t a part of my everyday life, I am just devastated by this loss. Partially from the sense of “it could have been me”, but also he was such a talented guy, and brimming with vitality, and projects, and ideas. It’s hard to imagine him unvital.
As a performer, he was a renaissance man– a clown, actor, puppeteer, musician, juggler- he could do it all, and all of it very well. He was funny, he was smart, he was creative.
He was also a sensitive guy, and a seeker– you can read his blog here to see that:
http://stumblingtowardcentered.blogspot.com/
or check out his website to see some video:
http://www.polytropic.org/Home.html
I haven’t seen an obit yet, and I’ll post it when I do.
Interview with Enzo from 2010
http://www.stagebuzz.com/2010/09/clown-fest-interview-vincenzo-tortorici.html
He was planning on being at the NY Clown Festival this year to perform, and I am hoping that they will have some kind of tribute for him.
In the meantime, it is perhaps trite, but these words from Shakespeare are not wrong (and Enzo would certainly appreciate them)
Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow
of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy
And from a different part of the play, also trite, but also true.
Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince:
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
Read another remembrance of Enzo.- “Get Off This. Get On With It.”
Pingback: RIP Vincenzo Tortorici- Remembering Vince.
VINCENT (“VINCENZOâ€) J. TORTORICI, 44, of Decatur, GA passed away suddenly of a heart attack on August 28, 2012. Vince was born in Cleveland, OH on July 6, 1968. He had lived in the Atlanta area since 1977 and was a graduate of Marist School and Emory University. Since 1990, Vince had been a professional actor, entertainer and international educator including among many endeavors, his work as the Program Director of Big Apple Clown Care Unit of Atlanta at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, his role as an Artistic Associate at Georgia Shakespeare Festival, his performance as his characters, Dr. Giacoma Pucci, Enzo the Clown, Bruno Machiavelli, and his teaching and performances worldwide for Theatre Arts Programme Symposium, International Schools Theatre Association (“ISTAâ€), in conjunction with the International Baccalaureate Curriculum – in, among other places, the United States, England, France, Canada, Istanbul, Belgi
um, Sweden. He saw his miss
ion to be a transformational force in the world through the creative alchemy of puppetry, clowning, teaching, myth and fun.
Vince is survived by his son, Giovanni, 14, life partner Leslie Suson and her children, Joshua, 14 and Jordan, 11, his parents Anthony J and Antoinette Tortorici, brother Anthony Jr. (Annette), sister Angela (Frank), nieces and nephews Joey, Nick, Lauren, Marisa, Francisco, Olivia and Antonio, his former wife and mother of Giovanni, Autumn Conway.
The family will be receiving visitors Thursday, August 30 from 3:00 pm until 8:00 pm at Fischer Funeral Care, 3742 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Atlanta, GA 30341. A burial mass will be held 10:00 am Friday, August 31 at Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church, 1350 Hearst Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30319 followed by interment at Decatur Cemetery, 299 Bell Street in Decatur, GA 30030. A Celebration of Vince’s Life will be held at 2:00 pm at Central Congregational United Church of Christ, 2676 Clairmont Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Vince’s name to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, 1687 Tullie Circle NE Atlanta, GA 30329 (Vince was the director of their clown care unit.)
Thank you for this testimony to my friend. Â Vince touched many, many lives. Â The measure of life is not the number of days lived, but the number of days remembered. Â Vincenzo ensured that many of my days will always be remembered.
Del– thanks for the obit– I looked for it online, but couldn’t find it.
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