By Elaine Van Develde

When it comes to show biz, sometimes in the RFH area, sometimes it’s a family affair. Sometimes it just is.

Sometimes people just catch the bug at an early age. Sometimes it happens in high school or even a little later. Then it spreads rampantly — through the family.

And sometimes an entire family becomes known for its talent on stage. Sometimes even in the same venue in the same show. Sometimes the talent gets passed on from moms and dads to brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, nieces and nephews.

You get the idea. Well, that kind of thing happened with the Hughes family of Rumson. Right now, Matt and Liam Hughes are getting set to star (along with Eli Rallo and Kate Sustick) in RFH’s production of Bonnie and Clyde.

Decades ago (OK, I won’t stress how many), it was Matt and Liam’s dad, Paul, who was getting set to hit the stage in Fiddler on the Roof around this time of the year (OK, it was 1978). Paul played Perchick. And, ironically, it was another Hughes, Nan, who played his love interest, Hodel.

Even well before that, Mrs. Hughes (Mimi, who was also an English teacher at RFH) was gracing the community theater stage at The Barn Theater in Rumson, around the corner from RFH. And the kiddies joined Mom in many a show there and others on their own.

The family was in several from the time they were little to their teens. Mark, for instance, played this editor’s husband, or the mayor, in Bye Bye Birdie. Patrick was in shows and Nan, well, Nan was in shows at The Barn even before her RFH starring roles.

So it goes. A show folk tradition — passed down from mother, to sons and daughter and, again, from father, aunt and uncles to sons.

So, the Retro Pic(s) of the Day offers a few looks back at this merry band of show folk all in a family.

Here they are again. Time to go on with the show!