Category Archives: Local Life

A look, in photos, of latest area events, local everyday people and places.

Focus: Getting Festive at Rumson’s Tree Lighting

It’s a tradition. Every year, Rumsonites gather, socialize, listen to some music by the Deane-Porter Third Grade Chorus and Tim McLoone & The Shirleys, dance a little, drink a little hot cocoa, nibble on some homemade cookies and celebrate the start of the holiday season with the tree lighting at Victory Park.

The tradition continued on Sunday evening. Spirits were high and all seemed to have a festive time.

Take a look … (and don’t forget to CLICK to ENLARGE!)

— Elaine Van Develde

Retro RFH Football Field Joy Ride

A retro Sunday drive of sorts on the RFH football field circa 1977
Photo/George Day

Sometimes there’s just more to tackle on the football field than one another and a ball. And sometimes the goal is to fumble and ride with something besides the game — like an old car, RFH friends and a little cruising to play the field in a different way.

Continue reading Retro RFH Football Field Joy Ride

Supreme Retro RFH Show

RFH Freshmen Follies ’74 and the Diana Ross and The Supremes act.
Photo/George Day

It’s show time tonight at RFH.

Fall is the time of the year that the stage is set for the first theatrical production of the school year.

This year at RFH, that production is Sherlock Holmes. 

But, back in 1974, something else was a stage happening besides the Tower Players’ show. It was a more, let’s say, talent diverse stage extravaganza involving anyone in the freshman class in one or a few group and/or solo acts. It was the RFH Freshmen Follies.

Continue reading Supreme Retro RFH Show

Retro RFH Tower Players Show Time

This was a rehearsal for Neil Simon’s ‘Plaza Suite’ at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School circa 1976. Photo/screen shot of RFH yearbook.

Oh, it’s show time at RFH on Friday with the opening of the Tower Players’ fall production of Sherlock Holmes.

One thing that’s elementary, as Sherlock says, is that going on with the show is a time honored tradition at RFH. Remember?

So, these Retro Pics of the Day offer a glimpse back to rehearsals for the Tower Players’ production of Plaza Suite circa 1976.

Yours truly was in the cast . And it was a “memorable” experience considering that my co-star — a very nice guy who at an RFH reunion told me he was unwittingly duped into doing the show and had no desire massive stage fright — dropped five pages worth of lines and left me circling the stage with a dessert cart rambling like Edith Bunker on an especially menopausal day. Not a cue to be picked up. Ten minutes later, which is eternity for a floundering actor on stage, he picked up a line or two, just in time to end the scene.

Rehearsal for Plaza Suite circa 1976.
Photo/RFH yearbook

Thanks to Dan Olshansky for dropping those lines. It was the start of some hardcore actor improv training and a not-so-glamorous, but nonetheless professional and loads of fun, longtime career in the field. So, it’s not the lines that count, it’s the character — or something like that.

Now, two more nights left for “Line please!”

Cheers to the cast of Sherlock Holmes! And cast, please don’t really break any legs.