Thomas Ratzin became the faculty advisor and director
of The Masques in the fall of 1970, one year after joining the faculty of Fair
Lawn High School. He directed more than 35 plays until his death during the
summer of 1992. These included classics, such as Shakespeare's A Midsummer
Night's Dream and O'Neill's Ah, Wilderness, and contemporary
works, such as House of Blue Leaves and The Diviners.
Perhaps he will be best remembered for the original
thematic plays, based on improvisation, which were created by the members of
The Masques with his guidance. These include Wonderland, High School,
Wordplay, and Whad'Ya Know?
Under Mr. Ratzin's direction, The Masques received
many awards, most notably at the annual Bucks County Drama Festival in New
Hope, PA. Although his productions were often cited for their originality and
quality, none received greater recognition than the 1991 original production Ancient
Voices, which was based on tales, legends, and myths.
In 1996, during a new production of A Midsummer Night's
Dream, the auditorium stage was named in Mr. Ratzin's honor to
commemorate his body of work at Fair Lawn High School.
For a complete listing of plays directed by Mr. Ratzin (or directed by students under his
guidance), please see the listing of Past Productions.
After his death, a fund was begun in
Thomas Ratzin's name which was to provide an annual scholarship for exceptional
theater students. Since the original fund was consumed, the Masques have
donated money to the fund in his name to continue the scholarship.
