Notable Grads from FRHS District

[Marc LeVine]

Notable Alumni

Bonnie Bernstein (Howell HS) - ESPN Sports Reporter.[1]

Dan Klecko (Marlboro HS) - NFL football player and son of Joe Klecko.[2]

Jim Nantz (Marlboro HS) - sports commentator for CBS Sports.[3]

Tom Pelphrey (Howell HS) - actor, Guiding Light.[4]

Kal Penn (Freehold Twp. and Howell HS) - actor, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and now in Casino Royale w/ Daniel Craig

Tim Perry (Freehold HS) - Former NBA Star.[5]

Darrell Reid (Freehold HS) - Current Indianapolis Colts Defensive End[6]

Gregg and Evan Spiridellis (Marlboro HS) - two brothers who launched the internet media company JibJab.[7]

Bruce Springsteen (Freehold HS) - musician.[5]

[leelye]

Marc,

What about Scott Conover ? I believe he went to the Boro. He went on to Purdue and then played for the Detroit Lions and wrote a book called "Can I Play Too?"

and

Keith Brown who graduated in 1978 from the Boro and is Vice President of News and Public Affairs @ BET in NYC and also wrote a book "Sacred Bond" about black men and their mothers.

If I think of anymore, I'll let you know.

Leelye

[Marc LeVine]

Yes, I DO know Scott. Funny you mention him. He is now doing a weight loss commercial on TV featuring former NFL players. Scott was great for our town as a player. He started the Scott Conover Foundation, which raised money for disadvantaged youth and helped our local kids. Richie Caldwell, son of the late Cathy Caldwell, was his business agent.

I'm not familiar with Keith Brown, though. We should Google him and post the information for all to read.

I am certainly not the ultimate expert on all famous people from Freehold Borough. When I find something, I post it for the readers. I see that alot of the interesting stuff on our site gets bypassed by the readers in favor of the government and controversial stuff. Too bad. People is a good centralized repository for EVERYTHING FREEHOLD.

Let's keep finding prominent Freehold people and events and just keep adding to the list. I even stumped Kevin Coyne, our TOWN HISTORIAN, about a couple of things I found on the net.

Any progress with your "local issue" that you can see?

Marc

[Marc LeVine]

Jason Kutney whose family lives on Barkalow plays professional soccer for the Pittsburgh club.

Jason's parents, Rick and Debbie Kutney are great neighbors. Rick coached FSL for years and my son Steven played on Jason's team for a year or two. Rick was a really good coach. Great teaching fundamentals.

When Steven played soccer he must have been only 5 or 6 years old. He would never be around the ball. When we asked him why?

He answered, "I don't want to go near the ball with all those feet kicking." At the end of that season, Steven's soccer and sports career was over for ever.

Marc

[richardkelsey]

Actually -- thanks to Pat -- we were late for class senor year 138 times. I was darn lucky to graduate. Mrs. Moses's English class was first period, and she was not amused. Pat was the driver in his 1968 Belle Aire.

Pat was one of the best soccer players in the history of our school -- and that's saying a lot. I think he went to the NCAA finals his last year in college -- when he was about 30! LOL

If you see Pat ask him if he thinks the rain will hurt the rhubarb.

[Marc LeVine]

www.riverhounds.com/roster.php?player=38

Jason Kutney

[Marc LeVine]

Jason Allentoff
Birth name
Jason Matthew Allentoff
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Nickname
JMA
Chip
NBC Boy
JA
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Height
6' 2" (1.88 m)
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Mini biography

Jason Allentoff has been interested in film, television and radio broadcasting since the age of twelve. During his early years growing up in New York, Allentoff took an active interest in movies and television. Upon moving to New Jersey, Allentoff studied television, video production and theater acting at the Freehold Regional High School District's Fine and Performing Arts Center (FPAC) at Howell High School.

In the year 1998, he began working in the independent film scene as a production assistant on various films and documentaries. His directorial debut came in 2002 when he helmed Never Among Friends, an independent film made for $7,000, which he also co-wrote.

Allentoff has studied communications focusing on television, video and radio broadcasting at Brookdale Community College. He recently earned his Associates Degree in Broadcasting. In the Fall of 2005, he plans to attend Monmouth University to earn an Undergraduate Bachelor's Degree in Television and Radio.


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IMDb mini-biography by
Anonymous
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Trivia

On April 9th, 1999, he was invited to NBC News Studio 1-A to interview Katie Couric, Matt Lauer, and Jodi Applegate for his FPAC Video Production final. The documentary which was shown at a public performance won him an award for Excellence in the Field of Video Production from his High School.

Graduated from Freehold Township High School in 1999.

Received his first video camera at the age of 10.

Attended a two year video production class and acting program with Derek Gross, Cheryl Kurn, Adriana DeMeo and Tom Pelphrey.

He is an authority on James Bond movies and he collects 007 memorabilia.

At the age of 13, he met Desmond Llewelyn at the convention to launch GoldenEye (1995).

Was promoted to Assistant to Producer just three days into shooting on My Best Friend's Wife (2001). (w/ John Stamos & Jessica Walter - filmed in the Borough)

Was the first graduating class of the Howell Township Middle School in 1995.

Born on a Sunday at 4:44 P.M.

Inducted into the International Thespian Society on May 22nd, 1997.

Supports the letterboxing of movies and would never release a film in the pan & scan process.

Has idolized Albert R. Broccoli, the late producer of the James Bond films, since age nine.

Web site designer of the following sites: www.mcpolicepipes.com, www.cubbybroccoli.com, and www.foryourhealth.com.

His former girlfriend Katie Havens served as his assistant on Never Among Friends (2002).

Son of Bruce Allentoff

Brother of Brandon Allentoff

Cousin of 'Arielle Allentoff'

Nephew of 'Fred Allentoff'

Grandson of 'Lyla Allentoff'

Son of Ellen Allentoff

Started designing web sites as a hobby when he was 15. Since that time, he has designed over 20 professional sites.

Runs Slate Productions which makes documentaries, films, digital video features and web sites.

Met Jason L. Liebman, Lisa Gubkin, and Eric Pomerantz on the set of My Best Friend's Wife (2001). They all worked together on Never Among Friends (2002).

Worked as an intern at TV-79 in Freehold, New Jersey where he interviewed Congressman Rush Holt for a local cable access program.

He and the other students were banned from using the word "like" in his acting classes, this was to make them sound more intelligent during auditions.

Attended high school with actor Kal Penn. Allentoff appeared in an early video project Penn directed for a UCLA thesis film.

Worked at a computer company where he helped actor Peter Mark Richman fix his Apple Computer. The two have since kept in touch.

His inspirations to pursue filmmaking include Albert R. Broccoli, Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock, Joe Dante, Martin Scorsese and Robert Zemeckis.

Attended high school with Roger Troy Schneider, Ellen Carter, Paul Roskey and Lucas Slick. They all worked on 'Never Among Friends (2002)' together.


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Personal quotes
"If you watch films in the full-screen format, you are not watching films at all... just expensive television shows."

"If you are prepared to work your butt off in the film industry, someone is bound to notice."

"Movies are my life - I am so excited to be working in the industry and hope to get my big break soon."

"Film is not just about making money. It is an art and that is why I wanna go into this business. If I wanted to make lots of money, I would be an attorney."


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Where are they now
(January 2004) Writing a new screenplay titled Business Ethics. Pre-production will begin in 2005.

(January 2004) In early development on a feature film entitled Secret Janine, written by Kurt Scheffler, Produced by Brian Jude, and Directed by Mark Nistico. Allentoff will serve as co-producer on the project set to begin shooting in 2005.

(May 2004) Currently writing a screenplay called Business Ethics and working with the Slate Productions team on fundraising for the project.

(July 2004) Working with Funkstrand Films on a new indie film short entitled Half Past One. The film will be set to festivals at the end of the summer.

(February 2005) Working on a screenplay entitled Carolyn.

(May 2005) Working on a screenplay entitled Carolyn and interning at Radio Station WBJB-FM.

(June 2005) Writing a new independent film script entitled Union Avenue.

(August 2005) Writing a new screenplay entitled 'Business Ethics.'

(September 2005) Attending Monmouth University - majoring in Television and Radio Broadcasting.

(March 2006) Attending Monmouth University - majoring in Television and Radio Broadcasting. He can be heard on WMCX-FM 88.9 every Saturday on "The JMA Show," a show dedicated to movies and TV music.

[Marc LeVine]

Originally published July 30, 2003

Funny look at working world
comes to New York City stage
Jennifer Ostrega wrote,
will star in performances
at Independent Theater
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer


Jennifer Ostrega

MANALAPAN — A one-woman show written and performed by a native of Manalapan will return to New York City on Aug. 8.

Jennifer Ostrega is the author of Tower of Babble, which is described in press materials as "The show for every corporate fetcher and copy maker" and "A one-woman journey through the denizens of corporate America."

Ostrega will present her work from Aug. 8-24 at the New York International Fringe Festival. The play will be staged at The Independent Theater, 52 W. Eighth St., between Sixth Avenue and MacDougal Street, New York City.

"I’ve always been creative," said Ostrega, who is the daughter of Phyllis and Irwin Ostrega. "I never could fit the mold of what the ‘right answer’ was. That’s why I love improv comedy. There is a structure to follow, but within that there are refreshing limitless possibilities, no boundaries and permission to take things beyond the norm."

Focusing on the corporate phrase "Think out of the box," Ostrega said, "[It’s] funny, I think there is a kind of irony in that statement, because they really want you to think outside their box, within the constraints of the system. It’s like, dare to be creative, but don’t be too daring or creative because we can downsize you in a millisecond."

Growing up in Manalapan, Ostrega had her first acting class at the Battle-ground Arts Center, Freehold. At age 8, Ostrega played her first role as the wicked queen in a third-grade Clark Mills School production under the direction of teacher Lois Stevens.

She graduated from Manalapan High School in 1991. In her junior and senior years, the actress remembers her daily bus trip to Howell High School, where she studied acting in the Freehold Regional High School District’s Fine and Performing Arts program.

"Fine and performing arts was great in high school," Ostrega said. "I couldn’t wait to jump on the bus and eat my lunch on the ride over to Howell. I studied acting there, and I loved it."

Ostrega attended Rutgers University, New Brunswick, and earned her bachelor’s degree in theater in 1995.

"They suggested getting life experi­ence, and so I began commuting into New York City, taking some acting classes and doing internships at prestigious entertain­ment companies," she said. "I started tak­ing classes with a guy who is now the head writer on Letterman, and I purchased Truth in Comedy and was inspired to move to Chicago."

While in Chicago, Ostrega began study­ing comedy as a performer in improv guru Del Close’s Chicago’s Improv Olympic.

"I wound up studying under (actor) Jeremy Piven’s dad, Byrne Piven," the actress said. "He trained John Cusack and some other favorite actors [of mine]."

Ostrega said the "go get life experience advice" is important for an actor, and if she hadn’t veered off the straight path of just be­ing an actor, she wouldn’t have gotten into writing and creating her own show.

Last year Ostrega was identified by NBC’s artist development series as an up-and-coming comedic performer.

She is a member of the 52nd Street Project and an actress with the Yankee Repertory Company, a featured company at the New York International Fringe Fes­tival.

"Yankee Rep has afforded me leading roles off-off-Broadway," said Ostrega. "They produce soon-to-be-published plays from up-and-coming writers. It’s a talented bunch and a great theater company to come home to."

The actress has transported her comedic style from coast to coast and back again. Tower of Babble has previously appeared in New York City and Los Angeles.

Tower of Babble represents the latest sampling of Ostrega’s growing repertoire of original character monologues that weave comedy into truthful moments that resonate with any working person.

Performances are scheduled for Aug. 8 (10:45 p.m.), 10 (2 p.m.), 15 (5 p.m.), 17 (6 p.m.), 20 (8:30 p.m.), 23 (noon) and 24 (2 p.m.). Tickets may be purchased for $15 by calling the box office at [phone].