Retro Barn Theatre-Staged RFH Teaching Moment — Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect

A 1977 Barn Theatre production of Music Man with RFH teachers Mimi Hughes & Lloyd Gross
Photo/courtesy of Bonnie Deroski, Barn Theatre Facebook Page

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.

Oh, that didn’t happen on the RFH stage, but it sure did down the street at The Barn Theatre. And back in the 1970s and 80s, there were two teachers who were seen on the stage at The Barn quite often. Both were English teachers.

One, we all know (or us old folks anyway) was Mimi Hughes.

She brought the family along to audition and perform in many a show there. The Hughes theater legacy is known quite well in Rumson and beyond. In fact, it wasn’t until very recent years that the last theater bugged Hughes performed on the RFH stage before college. Who knows? We may just see more Hughes children on that RFH stage in the future. Or, there may be some performing afar. For instance, RFH grad Nan Hughes, known for her fabulous singing voice, recently performed with her daughter, Irene Poole, in their now hometown in Canada.

It all sort of started at The Barn, though, with the Hughes parents, Mimi and Mark. Mimi was the RFH English teacher, of course. In this production, daughter Nan was in the show in a role. There may have been others in the chorus, though. And, backstage, there was Mark III on lighting.

There were other RFH students in this show. There were the Rumson Kraft sisters and, likely, more in minor roles and chorus. Back in the 1970s days, juggling rehearsal time between the high school and The Barn, down the street on Avenue of Two Rivers, was quite common for those students and teachers bitten by that mammoth theater bug.

The other teacher? Well, that was another English teacher at RFH, also a favorite, Lloyd Gross. He was known as a fun, animated teacher in the high school and a frequent Barn performer.

The Retro Pic of the Day show featured is, yes, Music Man at the Barn in 1977. For those who are just now learning this little Rumson theater secret gem, Lloyd Gross is the one (off) center stage with the hat — the music man, himself.

Mimi Hughes can be seen in the backdrop. She’s the tallest of all the girls in the back row.

And there are a few RFH students surrounding her in the chorus. For one, her son, Patrick Hughes, then, as a kid, a future RFH student, is right up front and sort of center. Recognize any other students?

A duo of RFH teachers on stage. Hmmmm … Do you think that spells trouble … right here in Rumson city? More like heaven.

Both Mimi Hughes and Lloyd Gross have passed. Rest In Peace, teachers, friends and stage cohorts. Curtain’s always up on these memories.