Reprise from 2016, just because we think more people need to remember summer theater fun at the old classic — The Barn Theatre …
Summer is in full swing. School’s out and kids are embarking on summer activities.
Back in the 1970s, teens were actually singing about it … in summer theater at The Barn Theatre in Rumson.
Continue reading Retro Rumson Barn Summer Showtime
Call it a staged RFH teaching moment with the The Music Man and company.
With the upcoming RFH production of Mama Mia gearing up and in rehearsal, thoughts turn back to some shared staged moments between RFH students and teachers.
Continue reading Retro Barn Theatre-Staged RFH Teaching Moment
Just one week ago, the RFH Tower Players were opening their final show of the school year — Footloose. The RFH shows of this era are always billed as Tower Players plays, because, of course, it’s the drama club. But, in the age of the RFH Tower Player dinosaur, playing with the Tower Players was a bit different.
There have always been two productions, a fall drama and a spring musical. The fall drama was a Tower Players play. Tower Players only were auditioned and cast. The spring musical a different, more school-wide production. It was billed as an RFH show, with auditions open to anyone in RFH, casting dance and vocal choruses, lead and supporting role actors and all.
Continue reading Retro RFH Tower Players Play Time
The time has come for all Rumson Barn Theatre buddies to gather once again.
Once upon a time, there was a crew of theater folk in their teens and early twenties who gathered regularly at The Barn in Rumson. They did shows, tech and bonded very quickly as the best of lifetime friends.
The proof is in the contact and gratitude for one another’s show folk mentality to this day.
One crew is reuniting on Saturday.
So, the Retro Pic of the Day honors that gaggle of Barn Theatre kids.
There are a couple of old (and I mean that in the kindest way) Rumsonites in this classic shot taken by fellow theater gal, Ann Toronto McNamara circa the early 1980s.
Recognize anyone? Here’s to old theater friends and bonds and, well, the notion that, according to a David Bowie song used in one of the shows, “We can be heroes, just for one day
We can be us, just for one day!”
Here’s to our theater heroes! Stay tuned for the reunion photos!
— Elaine Van Develde
With the recent revisiting of Chef Rossi to her RFH and Barn Theatre roots, images of a show she worked on were once again conjured up.
It was a David Bowie/punk rock-inspired children’s theatre show done at The Barn in 1979 (or was it ’80?) that offered a colorful twist on the Cinderella story — Cinderella: A Flash Fantasy.
Set to Bowie, B52s, Blondie and a little Rocky Horror Picture Show music, memories of the show came spewing forward last week as most of the cast reunited at Rossi’s book signing.
It offered a special memory for Rossi, who was quickly adopted by this theatre tribe when she didn’t quite fit in with the status quo at RFH. Her bud Jeni Weber Zeller brought her to The Barn and she never left.
She worked tech crew on the show and made lifetime friends. A lot of people did, including this editor. In fact, Rossi’s book signing/reunion ended much like a typical cast party at Barnacle Bill’s decades later.
So, the Retro Pic(s) of the Day offers a glimpse back to that time at The Barn and that show.
Guess who? Yes, it’s me as the Tina Turner evil step sister trying to cram that glass slipper on. Oh, and that’s Anne Toronto McNamara offering some help.
“We were children doing children’s theater,” said the show’s Cinderella, Andrea Puscell last week. Somehow I don’t think this show would fly as children’s theater in today’s climate. Ironic.
The show also featured many RFHers. Check out the program. Do you know what Bowie song was played for the curtain call?
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