North Caldwell Residents Earn Award For Supporting Theater In NJ

NORTH CALDWELL, NJ — A pair of North Caldwell residents have earned a “Star Award” in recognition of their contributions to local theater in New Jersey.

Earlier this month, the New Jersey Theatre Alliance hosted its annual “Curtain Call” event at the recently opened New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.

During the gala, two North Caldwell residents, Ruth and Arthur Fost, received a 2019 Star Award, which pay tribute to “leadership and generosity to the field of theatre.”

The alliance offered the following biographical information about the Fosts:

RUTH FOST – “Ruth Fost is the founder of Pushcart Players, a professional touring theatre company that produces theatre for young audiences. Ruth trained with Nikos Psacharopoulis at Circle in the Square Theatre in NY, worked in the Creative Drama program for children at Douglass College, was a Therapist in Speech and Creative Drama for Hearing Impaired children at Children’s Hospital, Philadelphia, and then taught Oral Communication and Drama at Seton Hall University. During these years, she also performed leading roles in more than 50 productions ranging from Simon to Shaw, Ionesco to O’Neill. In 1974 Ruth co-founded Pushcart Players where she co-authored, designed, produced, and performed in 24 productions over 42 years. She logged thousands of hours of on-stage time throughout NJ, across the country (including 2 performances at The White House), and abroad. Ruth’s affiliations and advisory roles are many, including advocacy and advisory organizations for arts education including Artsmart, NJTA’s Developing Theatre Program, Alliance for Arts Education/NJ, NJAEP, and ArtPRIDE. She has been affiliated with New Jersey Theatre Alliance since 1982. She has served in many capacities, including President for two terms, and has been devoted to its critical mission to nurture and support professional theatre in New Jersey.”

ARTHUR FOST – “Arthur Fost, MD graduated from Lafayette College, Jefferson Medical School, interned at Newark Beth Israel Hospital, and did his post-graduate work in Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital and University of Pennsylvania Hospitals in Philadelphia. He took further training to sub-specialize in Allergy/Immunology at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City. Dr. Fost began the practice of Allergy/Immunology in 1967 in Belleville, later expanding to Verona and Sparta, NJ. He was joyfully joined in practice in 1999 by his son, David, who Art now calls his “boss.” Art began the first Allergy Training Program in NJ at Children’s Hospital in Newark. He is Clinical Associate Professor at NJ Medical School. He is most proud of his [international] work over the years, including Ethiopia, Rwanda, Congo, El Salvador and Guatemala. Dr. Fost also did medical volunteer work in Israel during the Gulf War.”

“We were delighted to recognize Ruth and Arthur Fost with this year’s Star Award,” said John McEwen, executive director of New Jersey Theatre Alliance. “The long-standing generous support and friendship of this incredible couple and their dedication to theatre in New Jersey embodies the central values of our organization, including artistic excellence and a spirit of collaboration and generosity.”

“We are privileged to support the work of New Jersey Theatre Alliance,” Ruth Fost said. “We are touched and deeply honored by this recognition.”

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