Scott Renzoni, an actor, poet, and bookseller who most recently worked at the Bookstore in Lenox, Mass., died January 9. He was 53. "It is with deep regret and sadness that we must report the passing of our great friend and esteemed colleague, Scott 'Renzo' Renzoni," Matt Tannenbaum, owner of the Bookstore, posted on Facebook. "An actor, poet, mimic, bookseller, and bartender, Renzo will be sorely missed by the Bookstore, Shakespeare & Company, and the surrounding arts community."
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As an Equity actor, Renzoni performed at numerous theaters in New England, including Shakespeare & Company, Majestic Theater, Lost Nation Theater, and Vermont Stage. His many other roles included Judevine, a play by David Budbill. With David's daughter, Nadine, he co-ran the Literary Estate of David Budbill, a Facebook page honoring the late poet and playwright.
Renzoni's poetry was published in multiple outlets, including a recent poem selected for the 2023 Fish Anthology by former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, with whom he had a close friendship.
"Suddenly, we have lost a good man," Collins posted on social media. "Renzo Scott Renzoni was a faithful follower of The Poetry Broadcast, an actor, poet, bartender, and Jeopardy! champ, and he was and a pleasure to spend time with. Renzo had a wry sense of humor and he always saw the double meanings in language. My wife, Suzannah, and I were fortunate to spend time in his company in Lenox, Mass., and I was happy he came to see me read in Albany last month. I will miss him greatly."
Renzoni's obituary noted that his "love of the arts was built on a lifetime of voracious reading. He owned many hundreds of books and loved bookshops. In the 1990s, he worked at City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco, Calif.... One of the world's great trivia mavens, Renzo was a four-time Jeopardy! champion in 2004."
In a post earlier this week, Tannenbaum noted: "Thank you all for your kind words about our dear friend Renzo. While a memorial is being planned for February, we do plan on raising a glass to him at our next event on Sunday, January 26th, 4 p.m. here at The Bookstore."