Steve Rothman, Robert Ryley, Louis Robison 

Slideshow below  is Class of 1968 Reunion

Ceremony - Steve Rothman Class of 1968

We are very proud to have 2 new additions to the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame, Steve Rothman and Robert Ryley! We coordinated with the reunion committee of the Class of 1968 to do the induction ceremony the same weekend as the reunion so their peers and classmates could be a part of the honor. Members of the RHS Class of 1968 celebrated their 50th reunion November 2-4, 2018. Classmates attending the reunion participated in a variety of activities: a guided tour of the school; Howard Millman's, the former Artistic Director of Florida Asolo Theatre, re-enactment of author MacKinlay Kantor's original 1968 commencement address; a tailgate party before attending the Sarasota-Riverview football game; and a dinner dance at the Stoneybrook Golf & Country Club. In addition to these activities, Hall of Fame Board member Michael Sweeting, a childhood friend of both Steve and Robert, was honored to give a speech detailing why they were selected and welcome them to the Hall of Fame.

STEVE ROTHMAN is a Tenured Full Professor of Theatre in the Department of Theatre and Dance at California State University, Los Angeles having joined the faculty in 2001. He is best known by West Coast Theatre audiences for his work as founder and artistic leader of the revitalized Pasadena Playhouse. He also served as artistic director of the Sacramento Theatre Company.


His directing career has taken him across the country and around the world, including a 2008 production of Harold Pinter's BETRAYAL in Florence, Italy for the Florence International Theatre Company. His American Resident/Regional Theatre credits include more than 100 plays in 16 different States for 40 different theatre companies. He is especially proud of his work on numerous world premieres including SPARKY AND THE FITZ starring Academy Award winner Eli Wallach at the George Street Playhouse in New Jersey, LEARN TO FALL starring France's award winning clown/artist Buffo at The Attic Theatre in Detroit, GILLIGAN’S ISLAND, THE MUSICAL for Chicago's Organic Theatre and FATHER, SON, AND HOLY COACH for the Santa Monica Playhouse to name just a few.


Included among his most recent directorial work is his 2017 production of CAT’S PAW for Actor’s Co-op here in Los Angeles. Other recent work was his March 2015 production of AMERICAN BUFFALO for Deaf West Theatre. The play was named a “Critics Choice” by the LA TIMES, LA WEEKLY, and BACKSTAGE. The show was just revived for a December 2017 production at CATCO in Columbus, Ohio where it received critical and audience acclaim. Mr. Rothman has been collaborating with Deaf West Theatre since 1994 and his other American Sign Language (ASL) productions with the company include: OF MICE AND MEN, ORPHANS, WHAT ARE YOU…DEAF?, and PINOCCHIO.
Other notable work includes his residency in the summer of 2013 at Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, Massachusetts where he directed both the World Professional Premiere of LEAP YEAR in addition to the play ACCOMPLICE. His theatre awards include winning Florida's Carbonell Award for "Best Director" for GOD’S MAN IN TEXAS at Florida Stage as well as a Los Angeles Dramaloge win for his direction of an American Sign Language production of ORPHANS for Deaf West Theatre. And most recently (November 2017) he won the 2016-2017 STAGE SCENE LA award for “Outstanding Direction, Drama/Intimate Theatre” for his work on CAT’S PAW at Actor’s Co-op. For American television, he spent two seasons directing episodes of THE NEW WKRP IN CINCINNATI.


At California State University, Los Angeles, he served as the two term Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance and he received the 2012-2013 Award as "The Outstanding Professor of the Year." In spring 2015 he was granted a sabbatical award and both taught classes and created an original 8 episode sitcom at The Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts in Sweden. Mr. Rothman is a proud 35 year member of The Society of Director's and Choreographers (SDC) where he served for 8 years on their Executive Board. He has been a member of the Director’s Guild of America (DGA) for 25 years. Additionally Mr. Rothman is an invited member of the National Theatre Conference (NTC), a former 8 year Tony Award voter, a member of the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers (ATPAM), a Trustee of the Pension and Health Fund for the Society of Stage Director’s and Choreographers, and serves on the Advisory Board for the British Academic Journal COMEDY STUDIES.


Steve's most fun production continues to be his son Will "Banno" Rothman who provides him with the best living theatre possible.

Ceremony - Robert Ryley 

We are very proud to have 2 new additions to the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame, Steve Rothman and Robert Ryley! We coordinated with the reunion committee of the Class of 1968 to do the induction ceremony the same weekend as the reunion so their peers and classmates could be a part of the honor. Members of the RHS Class of 1968 celebrated their 50th reunion November 2-4, 2018. Classmates attending the reunion participated in a variety of activities: a guided tour of the school; Howard Millman's, the former Artistic Director of Florida Asolo Theatre, re-enactment of author MacKinlay Kantor's original 1968 commencement address; a tailgate party before attending the Sarasota-Riverview football game; and a dinner dance at the Stoneybrook Golf & Country Club. In addition to these activities, Hall of Fame Board member Michael Sweeting, a childhood friend of both Steve and Robert, was honored to give a speech detailing why they were selected and welcome them to the Hall of Fame.

     ROBERT RYLEY was born in Norwalk, Connecticut on August 7, 1950. His dad worked for Electro Mechanical Research, who relocated the Ryley family to Sarasota in 1957 when RMR brought the Space Program to Sarasota. Bob grew up surfing and fishing Sarasota’s beaches and living a south Florida youngster’s life. During high school, Bob worked as business manager of the “Rampage”. His responsibility was to call on local merchants and convince them that they needed to tune into the high school market by advertising in the newspaper. He was also a member of the “Key Club” and would attend luncheons with speakers from the South Central Florida business community.

     After high school, Bob worked in construction as a laborer. However, his full time attendance at Manatee Junior College changed his entire life. On a dare from a friend, Bob read for a part in a play, got the part and started being engrossed by theatre. Acting, lighting, sound, sets, and the accomplishment of pulling off a production got his creative juices flowing. By the time Bob got to the University of Florida, he decided to take theater to the Industrial level and went for a major in Broadcasting and a minor in Speech and Theatre. He worked for WUFT, the college TV station and learned the jobs that were involved in running a Television station and doing remote productions. Bob applied for and received a scholarship that paid his tuition and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Broadcasting with Honors.

   Bob returned to Sarasota after Graduation and attended Radio Engineering Institute in Sarasota where he learned enough electronics to pass the test for an FCC First Class Radio Telephone License. This allowed Bob to operate a TV transmitter. Later, he was hired as a production engineer at WXLT Sarasota. During his tenure with WXLT,  he learned to integrate commercials with programming, both syndicated and Network, produced commercials and directed the local news.

     Passing through Atlanta, on the way to a Mountain vacation, Bob stopped at WTCG TV to see a colleague from the University of Florida. Bob was introduced to the chief engineer of the station, and asked to come to work for Ted Turner and his independent UHF station. Bob worked in Sports production from 1975-1976.  In 1976, Bob left Atlanta to work at KITV CHANNEL 4 - Honolulu, Hawaii. Two years later, Bob returned to Atlanta and a thriving WTBS as a Video Tape operator/editor. He worked on many different types of productions, from wrestling which was staged in the WTBS studios, to commercial productions for many clients including Delta Airlines, the Presidential campaign of Jimmy Carter, and James Brown’s “Future Shock”. Bob became a slo-motion replay operator and a technical Director for NFL, NBA, NHL and many college sports. In 1981, Bob was offered an editing position in Los Angeles with Prime Time Post. Prime Time Post was a computer assisted Edit Facility in Hollywood. Bob’s videotape experience garnered a job editing and assisting editors on many shows and specials including “The Peoples Court”, and music videos for many artists. In 1984, became a freelance videotape operator, editor and replay specialist.

     From 1984 to the present, Bob has  had the opportunity to work on major telecasts all over the world and many national shows and sitcoms and has won 6 Emmys and been nominated for many programs including the following: 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul Korea-Emmy award with NBC Sports-Diving and Water Polo, 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona Spain with NBC Sports-Boxing
, 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France with CBS Sports- Hockey, 
1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway-Emmy with CBS Sports- Hockey. Bob also worked on NFL Sunday for 17 years. including many playoff games on site and 5 Super Bowls.  In addition, Bob has worked from 1994 to present on "Wheel of Fortune" and from 2015 to the present as an Editor on "Jeopardy".

Louis Robison

     Dr. Louis Robison graduated with the class of 1968, the first desegregated class & Riverview High School, and something Dr. Robison considers a milestone in his life. While at Riverview, he was a member of the track team, setting a school record that stood for a decade, and a section leader in the Kiltie Band.

     After graduating, Robison earned his B.S. in History at Florida A & M University, then earned his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of South Florida. This led to a lifetime commitment to education. He has served as a principal, assistant principal, and interim principal at schools in both Sarasota and Manatee Counties. In fact, Dr. Robison was Riverview's interim principal for a year and a half. During that time, he led the efforts to raise the school grade from a C to an A.

     Dr. Robison has also been adjunct faculty at Argosy University, Bethune-Cookman University, State College of Florida, and Florida Southern College.

     Robison's leadership abilities extended beyond our public school system. He was on the Florida Bar Grievance Committee for the 12th Judicial Circuit. He gave

conference presentations at New College of Florida from 2005 to 2010 and was also a presenter at the National Conference of the 21st Century in Orlando in 20€

Community service is also a big part of Robison's legacy. He served on the Board of Directors of the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota County, and chaired

the Heart Bake for the American Heart Association, raising $240,000. Robison also lent his time and talents to the Brotherhood of Men Mentoring Group, NAACP, and Rotary International.

     He now lives in Hawaii after dedicating his professional life to helping educate and inspire children.

 

Academic

Riverview High School – Class of 1968

      RHS Track & Field Team: 440 team went to states: school record for 10 years

      Concert and marching Kiltie band; section leader

Florida A& M University- Class of 72; B.S. in History

University of South Florida – MA in History

University of South Florida - PhD

 

Professional

National Association of Secondary Principals

Life member of the Florida A&M alumni association

NAACP

Brotherhood of Men Mentoring Group

Board of Directors - YMCA

Board of Directors – Boys & Girls Club; Sarasota County

Rotary International

 

Personal/Professional

Dr. Robison has spent his adult life in the Sarasota and Manatee school systems. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award during his first year of principalship. He raised the school grade from a C to an A.  He has served as principal, assistant principal and interim principal in numerous schools in both counties.  He was the interim principal at Riverview High School from January 2000 until June 2001.   He considers his being in the first class of desegregation a milestone in his life.

 

He has been an adjunct faculty member at Argosy University, Bethune Cookman, Manatee Community College, and Florida Southern College.  He was the Director

Of Middle Schools in Manatee County. 

 

He has had many opportunities serving in leadership positions in both Sarasota and Manatee Counties. He was on the Florida Bar Grievance Committee for the 12th Judicial Circuit.  He gave conference presentations at New College from 2005 to 2010.  He was also a presenter at the National Conference of the 21st Century in Orlando in 2001.

 

Charitable

In 2001, Dr. Robison chaired the Heart Bake for the American Heart Association. They raised $240,000.  He has also been active in the Sarasota County Boys & Girls Club serving on the board of directors.