Leave Lola and the Devil out of it. Whatever RFHers want, RFHers get …
And, back in the summer of ’75, they wanted summer stock theater. And they got it — a brutally fun load of it crammed into five dramatic dancing, singing, acting weeks among RFHers.
Continue reading Old News: RFH’s ‘Damn Yankees’ Summer Theatrics
Summer theater productions are opening once again all over the Rumson-Fair Haven area. This seasonal show time for locals has proven as popular as hitting the beach with buddies — OK, far away from the invasion of the outta town tourists.
Continue reading Retro RFH Summer Theatrics
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
“Consider yourself at home. Consider yourself one of the family. We’ve taken to you so strong …”
The line in the song from Oliver! captures the tenor of the actors’ bond in community theater. And it couldn’t be better encapsulated than in a photo of the cast of Oliver at the iconic Barn Theater in Rumson in 1972.
Continue reading Retro ‘Oliver!’ Show Time at The Barn Theater
It’s that time — dress rehearsal time for the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School’s (RFH) annual musical theater production. This year it’s Footloose. And as tech week winds down and things are fine-tuned, the cast settles into dress rehearsals, with that final dress rehearsal set for tonight.
Continue reading Focus: Dress Rehearsing RFH’s ‘Footloose’
Photo/courtesy of Jenifer Weber-Zeller
By nature, there are a lot of very theatrical things about a fun fall day at the beach with a buddy, especially when you’re an RFH student and theatrical sort.
Photo/RFH
Photo/Sally Van Develde
Our Retro Pic of the Day brings us back to shows at The Barn Theater, formerly on Avenue of Two Rivers in Rumson, in the late 1970s.
Pictured are a bunch of area high school students, from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional and other area high schools, performing a scene in Bye Bye Birdie.
It’s a bit blurry, due to the lack of focus, and perhaps unsteady hand, on the instamatic camera with the rotating flash cube, but it was one of many moments at the popular theater.
Do you know anyone in this picture? Check it out.
A theatrical kind of weekend is on tap in the Rumson-Fair Haven area, starting with opening night of the Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) production of Miracle on 34th Street on Friday.
Curtain time for the holiday classic is 7:30 p.m. on Friday with a Saturday show at the same time and a closing matinee on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Based on the classic 1947 movie and novel by Valentine Davies, the Tower Players’ version of the story of a white-haired bearded man named Kris Kringle and his embattled, tradition-inspired journey as a 34th Street Macy’s Santa, has been dubbed “part nostalgic throwback and part cutting-edge entertainment,” according to RFH staff.
Continue reading A Theatrical Weekend: RFH’s ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ Opens
Yes, Rumson-Fair Haven area theatergoers, there is a fall high school show.
The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Tower Players is aiming to make audiences believe in Santa Claus with its Dec. 12, 13 and 14 stage production of Miracle on 34th Street, The Play, a release from RFH said.
Based on the classic 1947 movie and novel by Valentine Davies, the Tower Players’ version of the story of a white-haired bearded man named Kris Kringle and his embattled, tradition-inspired journey as a 34th Street Macy’s Santa, has been dubbed “part nostalgic throwback and part cutting-edge entertainment,” by staff.
The show, according to the release, will feature 38 cast members bringing to life the original storyline of Kringle’s holiday trials and tribulations as he insists he is the real Santa.
The contemporary component of the RFH production manifests itself in large-scale dance numbers choreographed to a rock-based soundtrack, the release said.
The popular plot, the release said, unfolds like this: A kind white-haired man is asked by Macy’s bigwig Doris Walker to portray Santa in the famous flagship store on 34th Street in New York City.
Trouble starts to brew when the man, who says his name is Kris Kringle, claims that he is the actual Santa Claus. His claims are seriously doubted by Doris Walker and her daughter Susan, both of whom don’t believe in the existence of Santa Claus.
As Kris’ sanity comes into question, his danger of being committed to a psychiatric institution grows. Doris, concerned for Kris, enlists her friend and neighbor Fred Gailey to defend Kris in court. The highly practical Susan befriends Kris as well and, in doing so, end up with the most precious gift of all – something to believe in.
In the RFH production, Kris Kringle is played by senior Laurence Morales. Doris Walker is played by senior Emily Mangiavillano, with senior EIise Roncace as Susan Walker. Senior Andrew Maris plays Fred Gailey.
Also featured, in a ballet performance of toys coming to life, are sophomores Sara Safarian and Rachel Makstein.
The Tower Players’ Miracle on 34th Street, The Play is directed by Suzanne Sweeney, with choreography by Patty McCarron and costumes and props under the direction of Carole Malik.
Tower Players alumna Kasi Ann Sweeney is assistant director and Stefania Flecca is production coordinator. Sets, sounds and lighting are provided by Matthew Leddin and his 30-student crew, with set design contributions from the RFH Stagecraft class as well.
Tickets — $10 general admission and $6 for senior citizens, children and students — may be purchased by visiting the RFH website (rumsonfairhaven.org) or by contacting Play Production Coordinator Stefania Flecca at 732-842-1597, extension 826.
Tickets will also be sold at the theater box office in the auditorium lobby from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 24 and Dec. 1 and 4. Tickets will be sold an hour before each performance as well, based on availability.
Curtain time for the production’s Friday opening night on Dec. 12 is 7:30 p.m., followed by a show on Saturday at the same time and a closing matinee on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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