Andrew Leonforte Receives 2015 Bob Fitzsimmons Award

The 2015 recipient, of the Bob Fitzsimmons Scholarship is Andrew Leonforte, a senior at Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, NY.

Andrew Leonforte has been an avid member of the Archbishop Stepinac Drama Club since his freshman year. Much like Bob Fitzsimmons, Andrew's tenure in the club is marked by his zeal for all things theatre. With his roles as an Clarence, the Angel in It's A Wonderful Life, Max Jacobs in The 20th Century; Passarino in Phantom of the Opera, Northbrook in Mary Poppins, and Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol: The Musical, among so many others in other local theatre companies, Andrew creates such vivid characters that long remain in the minds and hearts of audience members.

But, beyond his work on the stage, Andrew is also known for his leadership role within the Stepinac theatre community. He is the one who rallies the troops! His enthusiasm for each show trickles down to every cast member. Andrew is always willing to lending a helping hand in any facet of the production and does so with great fervor and passion. So for his stellar contributions to all facets of theatre at Stepinac HS and for living his life in Bob Fitzsimmons' tradition (giant talent with an even bigger heart), we award Andrew Leonforte the Bob Fitzsimmons Memorial Scholarship!

The Scholarship is given annually to a college-bound senior who has excelled in the theatre arts programs while attending Stepinac High School. The prestigious Arts Scholarship is named after Bob Fitzsimmons, a graduate of Stepinac High School, who died suddenly at the age of 37 in March of 1992. He was the Public Relations Director of the Westchester Broadway Theatre, as well as a gifted actor, producer, writer and a director of shows at WBT and at numerous theatres throughout the County.

The scholarship was established in his name by the owners of Westchester Broadway Theatre, Bill Stutler and Bob Funking, the entire employee staff of WBT, and the many friends and relatives of Bob Fitzsimmons. Under the auspices of WBT, Allan Gruet, (former WBT Public Relations Director, who replaced Bobby Fitzsimmons) and George Puello spearheaded two fundraisers. The first & most successful fundraiser was held at WBT, the second was held at Stepinac High School. Mr. Puello was responsible for directing & producing the entertainment portion of the events, while Mr. Gruet handled the ticketing for the fundraisers & the continuing administration of the self-sustaining scholarship. Over the years, along with the assistance of producer Bob Funking, Allan has continued to manage the scholarship, making it possible to present the award consistently each year. In recent years, Frank Portanova, Vice Principal of Stepinac High School, has been extremely helpful and cooperative, making some financial donations to the fund to help ensure the life of the scholarship. He also is responsible for selecting the student winner for this highly competitive award. Since its inception, $25,000.00 in scholarships have been awarded. Unfortunately, due to the current financial climate, the Scholarship is no longer self-sustaining and monies need to be raised to ensure the continuation of this award. The annual scholarship in Bob's name is our collective way of keeping alive the memory of our dear friend, Bobby Fitzsimmons.

Pictured: Andrew Leonforte in a Stepinac Drama club production. Photo by Frank Portanova.

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