The Class of ’74
Retro Baby Boomer Soap Opera, 1971-1974. A weekly dramedy about high school in a (fictional) wealthy Fairfield County, CT commuter town. Younger listeners may not believe half of what they hear, but that’s okay, because eventually they’ll get it: that a world without cellphones, personal computers, social media and streaming video was like living on a different planet. Written and narrated by novelist Laura Van Wormer.
Listen on:
Episodes
Thursday Apr 17, 2025
Thursday Apr 17, 2025
The premiere episode of a period dramedy, depicting the ups and downs of teenage life in a wealthy suburb of New York City, 1971-1974. The town of Brighton, CT is fictional, but emblematic of several charming Fairfield County towns that became too rich, too white and too bizarro for their resident children to fully cope with.
This episode paints a vivid portrait of how the town of Brighton came to be, from its rustic beginnings in the 17th century through its transformation into a thriving bedroom community for top-flight Manhattan business executives. Amidst this backdrop, we meet the Schyler family, and accompany their 15-year-old daughter, Cynthia, on her first day of high school, where the listener begins observing what teenage life was like before cell phones, the Internet and social media.
The adventures and misadventures of teenagers in this extraordinary town of privilege are alternately hilarious and subliminally frightening (as every baby boomer you know will attest) but the emotional complexities and social dynamics of teenage insecurities and relationship challenges still ring true today. Novelist Laura Van Wormer is writing this serial specifically for podcasting, to share an all-new story with listeners in a closer, more intimate way. AND TO HAVE SOME FUN!
Monday Apr 28, 2025
Monday Apr 28, 2025
The halls of Brighton High quickly fill with mystery, intrigue, adventure, romance and chaos, to say nothing of baffling new acquaintances, bullies and a creepy vice principal.
Watch Cynthia navigate the labyrinth of social dynamics and school bureaucracy with great flair, wit and charm. Teenage rebellion has never been so funny and entertaining.
The Class of '74.
bumper music: “Bring The Energy” by Soundroll, from Uppbeat.io
end of episode music: “Hollowed Night” by Morning Mist, from Uppbeat.io
Saturday May 03, 2025
Saturday May 03, 2025
We're STILL on the first tumultuous day of school at Brighton High, September 8, 1971. It is another rock and roll episode of colliding good kids and bad kids, students, falculty, police, and mysterious neighbors.
Bumper Music Bring the Energy" by Soundroll @ uppbeat.io
Ending Music "House on the Hill" by Weary Pines @ uppbeat.io
Monday May 05, 2025
Monday May 05, 2025
Join novelist Laura Van Wormer as she introduces THE CLASS OF ’74, a serialized story inspired by her 50th high school reunion. The story begins in 1971 and follows the misadventures of teenagers in high school, ending with their graduation in 1974.
In this debut hello to listeners, Laura explains how seeing her baby-boomer classmates triggered the desire to entertain them with an ongoing story set in the time of their younger lives, and how she came to expand that idea to offer it to all baby boomers.
"Everybody needs more fun in their lives," Van Wormer says, "so let's have it together."
Friday May 09, 2025
Friday May 09, 2025
This week, we dive into the 1971 mysteries surrounding Mrs. Watson's behavior, Victor Wronski's attack on Evan Whittaker, and Mrs. Schyler's devotion to her electric skillet.
Bumper Music: "Bring the Energy" by Soundroll @ uppbeat.io
Ending Music "Levitation" by Floor Model @ uppbeat.io
4 days ago
4 days ago
Brighton High's got some problems brewing, but Cynthia's popularity is not one of them.
4 days ago
4 days ago
Cynthia and Mimi secretly watch The Dick Cavett Show; Cynthia's triumphant arrival at the second day of school is marred by suspicion and the alphabetizing of home room situates her between the “Black Cloud of the Family" (beautiful cheerleader Betsey Satterfield) and blonde Adonis, Clay Seton.
Note: This is the complete version of Episode #5 which a technology glitch prevented from fully loading.
Bumper Music: "Bring the Energy" by Soundroll @ uppbeat.io
Ending Music: “Good Lookin’” by All Good Folks @uppbeat.io
Boomers Are Going to Have a Blast.
Everybody Else Won't Believe Half of What They Hear, But Eventually They'll Get it...
That a world without cellphones, personal computers, social media and streaming video was like a different planet. In the first place, understand that in the early 1970's everything took FOREVER. In the second, the supervision of children was a hit or miss operation. And third, if someone didn’t answer their telephone, that someone could be shopping at the store, lying murdered on the floor of the garage, or eating escargot in Paris, nobody ever really knew for sure because there were no such things as answering machines, either.
Many public figures appear in The Class of ’74, but any resemblance between Laura's made-up characters and real-life people is inadvertent. However, it is entirely intentional that baby boomers will be reminded of incidents from their misspent youth, realize just how far they have come in this life, and understand all they have to be grateful for today.
So everybody sit back and relax - alone or with friends - and have fun at Brighton High with The Class of '74.
Author/Narrator, Laura Van Wormer
When I was very little my mother used to tear out a picture from a magazine and ask me to tell her a story about it. I knew then whatever it was I was doing it was something I wanted to do forever because it felt magical. That's the way storytelling has been for me ever since.
This podcast marries everything I've ever been interested in, from the TV/Radio program at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, my editorial tenure at Doubleday, my freelance writing for Lorimar, my 14 novels, my venture into a tech start-up--even spending 30 years piecing together the true life story of an 18th century actress turned countess!
What could more joyful than writing a story about high school in the early 1970's, knowing I DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK AND LIVE IT AGAIN! Talk about making me grateful for my life today! Talk about an attitude adustment regarding aging! And it all began with the 50th reunion of Darien High School, class of '74. Love you guys!