Keep up to date with the arts events in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.
The Indie Street Film Festival is set to start in Red Bank today.
The inaugural event featuring the screenings of more than 75 different independent feature and short films will be shown at various locations throughout the borough’s downtown through July 10.
A group of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) seniors giggled, gossiped, reminisced and complimented one another’s artwork.
It was Wednesday night — the night of the RFH Art Show. It was one of the last events they would attend together as RFH students. Graduation is soon — the end of an era for the Class of 2016.
“You’re graduating soon. Are you going to cry (realizing the end of your high school years)?” asked Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect. “Yes, I think so,” one senior girl said as she blushed and started to get a bit teary eyed. The bittersweet ending sentiment was contagious. “Yeah, we are,” another chimed in with a sad grin, glancing at her friend.
And they put their arms around one another and smiled for a picture.
There were lots of moments like that at the RFH Art Show. And there were students of all grades taking in the art, realizing the end of an era as seniors and the beginning as freshman and everything in between.
The students conveyed their personalities and experiences in various art mediums. Take a look at the gallery below for a glimpse into the evening.
Good luck, RFH seniors!
— Elaine Van Develde
The annual Knollwood School Spring Concert, featuring a selection of classical to rock music played by fourth- through eighth-grade vocal and instrumental musicians, was a hit, judging by the audience’s reaction.
Students, staff, and volunteers at Forrestdale School in Rumson celebrated the annual Evening of Fine Arts on May 26.
“The Evening of Fine Arts allows our students to showcase their many talents,” Forrestdale School Principal Jennifer Gibbons said. “The energy in the building is so high as a result of the excitement the parents and esteemed guests get from each and every student’s artistic contributions.”
The event featured student artwork and music. A roster of student pianists — Norah Anderson, Gray Barnum, Louisa Barnum, Sydney Carroll, Hannah Duprey, Madeleine Ganun, Grace Harvey, Tyler Izzo, Tristan Izzo, George Kressler, and Hayden Marciszewski — provided a musical greeting as visitors entered the school’s lobby.
Artwork by fourth through eighth graders was featured in the hallways, cafeteria, and lobby. Visitors enjoyed art dubbed Aboriginal Animal Art, Fish Bowls with Melted Glass, Snow Globes, Chuck Close Self-Portraits, Kimmy Cantrell-Inspired Clay, Zentangles, Hokusai Waves, Durer Rhinos and more.
Performances by the Junior Choir and Beginning Band were featured in the school’s all-purpose room. The Junior Choir, directed by Barbara Leutz, sang “Peace in Twelve Lanuages,” “Reflections of a Lad at Sea” (The Captain’s Mate, Thoughts of Home, The Ghost Ship) and “Two Sea Chanteys” (Cape Cod Girls, Sleepy Sailor). John Lebitsch led the Beginning Band through “Popcorn Prelude,” “Slideways,” and “Hard Rock Blues.”
Parent volunteers helped prepare and hang the artwork for the PTO-sponsored event.
— Edited press release from the Rumson School District
The annual Deane Porter School Art Show is highly anticipated by the Rumson community. This year was no exception.
Original work by students in kindergarten through third grade was showcased on the evening of May 19.
“The annual Art Show is a fantastic event that showcases the creative, imaginative, and beautiful work of the Deane Porter students,” Deane Porter Art Teacher Robin Yaeger said. “My students work hard in the art room week to week; and having the opportunity to show the community their masterpieces is a very rewarding experience for them and for me.”
Featured projects by grade level:
• kindergarten — paper sculptures, Chinese lanterns, stuffed fish, Monet landscapes, and self-portraits in which students imagined themselves as kings and queens;
• first grade — turtle sculptures, Chinese dragons, self-portraits in Starry Night by Van Gogh, and weavings;
• second grade — ancient Egyptian portrait masks with digital cartouches, African-inspired masks, coil pottery, and Picasso portraits;
• third grade — Dia de los Muertes sugar skulls, Kimmy Cantrell faces, slab pottery, and Matisse-inspired collages.
Digital art was featured once again, as Deane Porter has received additional iPads for use by art students in all grades. The iPads were purchased through a PTO grant.
— Edited press release from the Rumson School District
It was all about learning the creative process that spurs a successful writer when New York Times bestselling author Gordon Korman visited sixth and seventh graders at Forrestdale School in Rumson recently.
Continue reading New York Times Bestselling Author Visits Forrestdale
Chef Rossi, the RFH girl gone self-made anti-chef/caterer, blogger and author of the recently-debuted The Raging Skillet made her own kind of special splash on network television over this past weekend in a spot on ABC news about fun kiddie snacks — and she wasn’t talking about dishing up anything healthy.
After all, she is the anti-chef. So, true to form, an unfiltered Rossi talked about some salty sweet snacks that probably had health-conscious mommies trying to feed their kids kale and broccoli disguised as chicken fingers scrambling for the remote while drooling.
It’s all about repurposing and lifting the lowbrow up a notch, as she puts it, with Rossi’s recipes. Doing things like serving peanut butter and bacon sandwiches among a platter of cascading orchids is part of her foodie purpose.
Rossi talked about those peanut butter and bacon sandwiches, a potato chip, Snickers and marshmallow casserole, chocolate-dipped pretzels,chocolate dipped chips rolled in crushed Froot Loops, pastrami reuben tacos with Michelle Charlesworth.
Yes, there was a little blackout and, yes, she did say that about the casserole. Oh, and P.S., she said as soon as they were done everyone glommed onto the snacks like kids to an Good Humor truck with free ice cream. Well, maybe not quite like that, but close.
For more information on Chef Rossi and to order her book, click here.
It was a triple threat with a promise to deliver funds to a good cause. Present and future Broadway stars sang, danced and acted their hearts out on stage at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) last week to raise money for homeless youth.
Performers came from Broadway and several area high schools in a show that ended up bringing in $30,000 for Covenant House of Asbury Park.
The high school students involved came from RFH, Red Bank Regional, Shore Regional, Howell, Henry Hudson Regional, Colts Neck, Freehold Regional. And Kick Dance Studio and Lakehouse Music Pros performed as well.
Emceed by Broadway’s Brian Walters, the Broadway stars on stage were: Rob Evans, Rebecca Pitcher and Carter Calvert.
Take a look at the slideshow above for a glimpse into the evening. If you’d like to donate to Covenant House, click here for more information.
— Elaine Van Develde
“It is wonderful to see the musicians and performers at the concert and listen to their selections,” Fair Haven’s Knollwood School Principal Amy Romano said recently about the school’s annual Chamber Music Recital.
Call it a night of fun, entertainment and charity RFH style.
It was the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Talent Show and it showcased 18 student acts on April 7 with the proceeds from the show donated to the American Cancer Society.
“A great variety of music and talent, coupled with creative hosts and judges’ commentary, made this year’s talent show the best one yet!” RFH Student Council Advisor and Spanish teacher Yannell Maglione said.
Of the 18 acts, three were chosen by judges Bill Grillo, RFH music director, and Stefania Flecca, English teacher.
In the end, first prize was awarded to the group that performed David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust, featuring Paddy Ahimovic and Matt Bavuso. Katie Person claimed second prize with her dance performance to Sinner. Third prize went to Anthony Cinko and Tristan Kilper performing Nothin’ on You by B.o.B. and Bruno Mars.
The cast of student performers for the evening …
• Joe Esposito, Rob Lenza, Joe Monte, and Noah Sullivan – Grand Theft Auto by Fall Out Boy;
• Mia Sourlis – I’m Yours by Jason Mraz;
• Fiona Lenahan – Original Piece;
• Julia Handerhan and Rogan McGarvey – Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd;
• Ally Calvanico, Emily Cooner, Leigh Forsyth, Jenny Greener, Brian Incremona, Rachel Makstein, and Bailey Newsome performing a mashup of Love Yourself and Photograph;
• RFH Dance Team Members – Dance Mix;
• Max Connery – piano piece;
• Kate Gagliardi – This Is Gospel by Panic! At the Disco;
• Paddy Ahimovic, JC Liang, and Kate Sustick – Tears Dry by Amy Winehouse;
• Michael Frissora – No Such Thing by John Mayer;
• Sophia Maita and Jen Sandoli – Can’t Make You Love Me by Bon Iver;
• Stephen Appezzato, Calvin Bruno, Henry Manelski, and Anthony Paolantonio – Naïve by The Kooks;
• Emma Singleton – Fix You by Coldplay;
• Matt Bavuso and Peter Hogan – Mrs. Handerhan, a rendition.
This year’s Talent Show was hosted by RFH seniors Olivia Teevan and Danny Trocchia and physical education and health teacher Eric Zullo and organized by the Student Council.
— Edited press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School
Night of FUTURE Broadway Stars, a musical event benefitting homeless youth in Asbury Park, will rock the auditorium at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School on April 14 at 7 p.m.
By Elaine Van Develde
“I want you to know that I am so sorry I didn’t make the effort to get to know you in high school,” a Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) graduate said to classmate Chef Rossi last Thursday after the reading and signing of her book, The Raging Skillet: The True Life Story of Chef Rossi … at River Road Books in Fair Haven. “I’m ashamed to say that I was one of those girls. And, yes, I was afraid of your Sex Pistols t-shirt.”
That was Lisa Malle Pritchard fessing up — owning who she didn’t even realize she was or if she even was. But who it was didn’t really matter to Rossi. It was what she said and when she said it that mattered.
The comment came in a very modest tone from that one blushing RFH prepster sandwiched in one corner of the room that was filled with RFH grads, the defunct but ever-enduring Barn Theater’s tribe, and a few nouveau admirers from afar and now close up.
In a real turnabout in perspective and persona from RFH 1970s, when she was the one who dropped many a jaw, the comment was met by touched, gape-mouthed Rossi and a demure “Oh, my God. Wow. Thank you so much for that. Moments like this make it all worthwhile. Can I give you a hug?”
And she did.
It was one of those awww/aha moments. For Rossi, the anti-chef, anti-preppy who was and is immersed in both worlds by default and devastating talent, things had come full circle with her homecoming. She was home again and everyone was feeling at home with her.
The moral of the Rossi story, which is one she promises there will be yet another book to explain and cook to, is that, yes, you can come home.
And not only can you come home, but you should, as she sees it.
“The real truth is that I wasn’t all those things that you were so afraid of back then,” the raging anti-chef said, pointing out that there was plenty of “Oreo crack” left to munch on. “I was just a little Jewish girl who liked Barbara Streisand.
” … Luckily, I was blessed with an enormous amount of chutzpah and a filthy mouth.”
Yes, you can come home, according to Rossi, especially this home. The theory is a Wizard of Oz sort of combo. It has something to do with always having had the power and not having to look any farther than your own back yard for what was in your heart all along — or something like that.
As Rossi put it, aside from her life highlight moment of Susan Sarandon eating her sun dried cranberry on the money spot (go ahead, figure that one out) …
“I’ve been going around the country on this book tour, but this is the stop that really pulled at my heartstrings. I graduated from RFH. I’ve got a lot of my buddies here today. So, even though I ran away from (this) home, got sent to live with the Chassids and other stories along the way, you know, every time I come back here I do feel like I’m coming back home. You’ve made that all possible.”
And so Rossi’s story goes, because, as someone in the audience piped up, “We love you,” followed by a usual cast (of characters) party at Barnacle Bill’s.
Home. Sweet … Oreo Crack and sea salt brownies.
Check out the slideshow above for a glimpse into the evening with Chef Rossi.
For more information, see her website by clicking here.
You can also buy her book at River Road Books in Fair Haven.
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