A Standing Ovation for a Life Well-Lived

At 16, when most teenagers were worrying about getting a date to prom, Ron was playing in nightclubs in Philly and at the shore until 2 AM. He wielded a guitar like a second voice, playing with a number of local bands and soaking up the electric thrill of performing live. He would later joke, "I was lucky enough to spend the majority of my nights in front of a live audience, sometimes as a target but mostly performing." And that’s the essence of Ron Long—someone who would take the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and turn them into a punchline, someone who could take the stage in any form and make it his own. By the time he was 13, Ron had already figured out how to turn his passion into a paycheck. And, in true theatrical fashion, one of his early titles was "Prophet and full-time village idiot." Not many people can say that about their first job, but then again, not many people were Ron Long.

Through the 1970s, Ron performed in the touring O Henry Dinner Show as well as numerous community theater productions in South Jersey. By the mid-1980s, he was still going strong, playing with the band Jeez! alongside Michael and Helene Masiko. And just in case that wasn’t enough variety for him, he also took on DJ work, proving once again that the man had a knack for filling any space with music, laughter, and a little bit of mischief. But it was in 1988 that Ron took on a new challenge—he started a theater at Elaine’s in Cape May and transformed it into a full-fledged dinner theater. There, he created a legacy that would extend far beyond those walls. He wrote and produced numerous dinner theater shows, crafting titles like Evil Medieval, Spats and Muggsy, Blue Moon Café, UFO’s, Pirates of Plunder Island and Silver Dollar Saloon. His characters lived, breathed, and made audiences laugh night after night. And though Elaine’s is no longer a dinner theater, Ron’s creations endure. Many of his works are still performed by Riddlesbrood, and his characters continue to haunt the stage in the best way possible.

In 2010, Ron joined Riddlesbrood Touring Theater Company, adding another chapter to his storied career. Over the next nine years, he performed in an astonishing 146 shows, often alongside his son, Ryan. Together, they shared the kind of moments that only happen onstage—the kind that exist for an instant, then vanish into the ether, leaving only memories and the echoes of laughter.

Offstage, Ron was a loving father to his children: Ryan Long (Shannon), Rachael Litzenburg (Justin), Rebeccah Burnett (Rob), and Serina Steel (Chris). He may have spent his life in the spotlight, but when it came to his family, he never needed an audience—his love and devotion to them were as sincere as they come. He was a father who encouraged imagination, creativity, and the courage to step out onto the stage of life, even when the script was uncertain.

Cue the Applause: Ron Long Takes His Final Bow

Ron passed away on December 22, 2019, at the age of 69, leaving behind not just a family, but a legacy. He was the kind of person who made the world feel like a bigger, wilder, funnier place. And though the curtain has now fallen on his final act, his story is far from over. It lives on in the laughter of the audiences he entertained, in the stories he told, and in the performances of the Riddlesbrood Touring Theater Company! So, as we say goodbye to Ron, let’s do it in the way he would have wanted—not with sorrow, but with a nod, a wink, and maybe even a little bit of mischief. Because if there’s one thing Ron taught us, it’s that life is a performance. And he gave us one hell of a show. Thank you, Ron, for the music, the laughter, and the magic. May you take your well-earned bow on the greatest stage of all.

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