As the curtain opens for every Fair Lawn High School Masques production, the presence of the spirits of the theater watching from above can be felt. This was assured by Mr. Thomas M. Ratzin to any actor who felt nervous or alone on stage. A role-player himself, Ratzin performed as a devoted teacher, director, theater reviewer, founder and member of an improvisation troupe and, most importantly, a loving mentor to many. Ratzin's life, career in Fair Lawn High School, and legacy are all entities that will be remembered by all who come upon his stage.
Thomas Ratzin passed away at the young age of forty-five, but he did so with a very substantial life behind him. He was born on March 11, 1947 and lived in Fair Lawn, New Jersey throughout his life. He attended St. Anne's Elementary School and St. Luke's High School. He furthered his education at Montclair State University. After graduating, Ratzin studied for his Master's degree but it was never obtained.
Subsequent to Ratzin's education were his vocations. In 1969, Ratzin became an English teacher at Fair Lawn High School. He also assisted Constance Carlough, the drama teacher at the time, until 1970 when she was seriously injured in an automobile accident. Ratzin took over and became the new theatre "guru". At the same time Ratzin taught, he wrote reviews of Broadway plays for several local newspapers. Ratzin's continuous passion for theater then drove him to create "Unexpected Company", a small professional theatre company, which incorporated some of Ratzin's older students and other outside actors. This company toured the area and performed shows such as Spoon River Anthology and Scapino, then became more of a touring improvisation troupe. Ratzin's overall success, however, can be seen in the success of his students.
In 1970, Thomas Ratzin became the man of the theater at Fair Lawn High School. After teaching English the previous year, Ratzin began a new class called Acting 12. This class was for seniors who were serious about theatre and wanted to continue with it after completing high school, so Ratzin did not make it easy. The students had to be ready to work under any circumstances. The school year consisted of learning and practicing comedy, contemporary drama, classical theatre such as Shakespeare and Greek comedies and tragedies, then ending the year with musical theatre.
Ratzin went above and beyond merely teaching and directing the students; in 1970 he also created a small theatre community within the school, The Masques. While Ratzin was the faculty advisor and director to the club, the students did most of the work. He taught them how to work together as a team and brought together different types of students to become performers and crew members. Over 35 plays were performed by the Masques on Fair Lawn High School's stage under Ratzin's direction.
When Ratzin first began directing the shows, he chose to do more contemporary plays. Shows performed included The House of Blue Leaves, The Diviners, The Real Inspector Hound, and Ionesco's The Bald Soprano. Later, around 1976, Ratzin started to move on from these formally scripted plays. He arranged thematic shows, for which he is most famous. These shows were completely original, partially improvised, concentrated on one basic theme, and often had original music written by Ratzin incorporated in them. One example, High School, was based on the lives of students and teachers in high school. This particular show was special because it broadened theatrical boundaries by easing censorship to convey a more realistic portrayal of high school life. Other thematic plays organized by Ratzin include Wonderland, Wordplay, Whad'Ya Know, and Gear Machine. Another reason Ratzin chose to arrange these types of shows was to bring together an ensemble, rather than having one lead performer and other smaller parts. Ratzin brought his "ensembles" to the Buck's County Drama Festival. Year after year he would come back with a trophy for "best ensemble" and often "best director", proving how successful he and his shows were.
Unfortunately, Thomas M. Ratzin took his final bow early. He passed away on August 28, 1992 from intestinal problems. Four years later, in 1995, a group of Masques alumni decided to obtain the recognition he so deserved for his dedication to his students and the theater. Headed by Joe Degise, the committee faced the Board of Education and got the idea passed. On the second night of the Masque's spring production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, also staged by Ratzin in 1984, a ceremony was held where a plaque in Ratzin's honor was hung in front of the curtain. Mark Davis, also a former Masque and current resident of Fair Lawn, designed and carved the plaque. Joe Degise was the emcee of the event. Friends, coworkers, alumni and family also spoke and letters were sent in and hung around the cafeteria where a reception was held. To further recognize Ratzin's achievements, an annual scholarship with money donated by the Masques is given in his name to a deserving theatre student.
Ratzin's effect on his students is the reason why the Fair Lawn High School stage bears his name. Students from the Acting 12 class and Masques alumni have gone on to be successful actors, drama professors at renowned colleges, members of the music business, writers, and directors. These people who Ratzin have reached out to will remember him, as will Masques of the present, past and future. Now, Thomas M. Ratzin has joined the spirits of the theatre and will watch over the Fair Lawn High School stage so no actor ever feels nervous or alone.
Written by Rebecca Linick, President of the Masques 2003-2004
