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!

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."

It's still only the first day of school in September of 1971, but the halls of Brighton High are quickly filled with with mystery, intrigue, adventure, potential romance and absolute chaos for Cynthia Schyler and 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