June 14 was not the day when twin sisters Ruth and Susan Freedner—pillars of the Arts Project of Cherry Grove (APCG), with more than four decades of theatricals under their belts—actually turned 70. That happened last December. But Flag Day was the day when Ruth and Susan celebrated this milestone with a gala afternoon birthday party at Cherry’s, attended by some 200 people—myriad members of the Freedner clan, APCG colleagues, and many other Grovites.
Partway through the afternoon, SallyAnn Piacentino, Lee Sharmat on tuba, Eric Coyne, Sherri Rase, and Wendy Lewis on tambourine led us all in singing, to the tune of “We Are Family,” “We are Freedners, too/All of us and Susan and Ruth!”
Hors d’oeuvres came out of the Cherry Lane Café kitchen; virgin piña coladas and other, stronger beverages flowed forth from the bar; and the climax of the afternoon came with a huge birthday cake with “Celebrating the 70’s” inscribed on it.