Robert Cutrofello

The bright beautiful spirit of Robert Cutrofello left our embrace on Saturday morning at home. Bob’s sudden and unexpected passing has left his family inconsolable, and his school community deeply saddened.

Bob leaves his wife Elizabeth, son Cole and their 16 year old family cat Fluffy . Survivors are his wonderful sister Karen DePalma of New Jersey, niece Andrea DePalma of Woodbury, CT, and nephew Alex DePalma of San Diego, CA. As well, he leaves his dear friends Tim Gallagher, Ira Herzog ( with whom he shared a life long love and frustration of the NY Jets) and Lincoln Turner.

A gifted, eloquent, and hilarious teacher, Bob spent many loving years mentoring and guiding his students. Many colleagues have shared that he was an inspiration to them, beautifully writing that he was a beacon of light and creativity to generations of students.

Affectionately known as “Cutch” and “Mr. C.” to his students, Bob had a way of igniting a love of written word and the stage. In every production from The Laramie Project to David Rimmer’s New York, students learned not just their lines and blocking, but how to be in community and care for each other. Bob encouraged his students to find ways to cultivate a bit of heaven on earth, especially in the places where they could not find it. Many of them have gone on to do just that. Bob cultivated a successful playwriting career having plays produced from Ashland, Oregon to Off Broadway.

His beautiful and bountiful embrace, the devotion and undying love he lived with his family began when he met his wife Elizabeth at the fountain outside Lincoln Center and continued in a small village in Russia where they brought home six-month-old Cole.

I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one.I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles.

We remember you. We remember love.

A Public Visitation will be held for Bob on Sunday, October 19 from 1 to 4 PM at the Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, 34 Main Street, Centerbrook, CT 06409. A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, October 20 at 11:00 AM, at St. John's Church, 161 Main Street, Old Saybrook, CT 06475. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Robert Cutrofello Memorial Fund. https://www.gofundme.com/f/robert-cutrofello-memorial-fund