Robert "Rob" Rosiello, Jr., Theatre Artist and Mentor, Passes Away at 52

Robert "Rob" Rosiello, Jr., a beloved theatre artist, mentor, and friend, has passed away. He was born on April 16, 1972 and passed away on March 26, 2025. He was 52 years old. 

An accomplished actor, director, and playwright, Rob’s passion for the stage illuminated every project he touched. He lent his immense talents to theatres such as Town and Country Players, in Buckingham and Old Academy Players in Philadelphia, and he was the Executive Director of R5 Productions. Rob left a lasting mark on the arts community. A recipient of the prestigious Princess Grace Foundation playwriting grant, Rob was a gifted storyteller and a dedicated mentor. He shared his love of theatre with young artists and students at Lower Merion High School and Montgomery County Community College, inspiring the next generation with his wisdom, wit, and unwavering encouragement.

He had planned to begin his doctoral candidacy in theater at Bowling Green, in the coming year. Rob was a proud graduate of Villanova University, having received a Masters of Arts and Theatre as well as a part of the Barrymore award winning Best Ensemble for Angels in America. He recently celebrated the publication of his book, Boys Do Cry, a testament to his literary passion and storytelling prowess.

Beyond the stage and the page, Rob cultivated a vast and loving family of friends. From his time in Provincetown, the place he often referred to as his real home and where he deftly managed all aspects of entertainment at The Crown & Anchor, to his time with SPI Marketing in NYC, where he worked with Absolut Vodka to promote RuPaul’s Drag Race events across the country, his kindness, humor, and vibrant spirit left an indelible impression on all who knew him.

At the time of his passing, Rob was employed by SUNY College of Optometry, as Associate Director of Communications and Marketing. Rob is survived by the love of his life, his husband, T. Mark Cole, and the countless friends who are his family. In place of flowers, Mark asks that donations be made in Rob’s memory to the Matthew Shepard Foundation or the Princess Grace Foundation, continuing his legacy of love, advocacy, and artistic excellence.