Guest User 7/20/23 Guest User 7/20/23

[Free Lance-Star] '42nd Street' dances into Riverside Center for the Performing Arts

A show within a show has arrived at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts.

“42nd Street” — based on an iconic 1932 novel-gone-film starring Warner Baxter and Bebe Daniels — débuted yesterday and will run Wednesdays through Sundays through Sept. 10.

And, by all indications, its gearing up to be a showstopper.

Guest User 5/18/23 Guest User 5/18/23

[Free Lance-Star'] Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' lights up Riverside stage

Technicolor is in the show’s name and, indeed, it’s shaping up to be a colorful spectacle like few others in the ‘Burg.

The nonstop, light-spectacle-of-a-musical that is “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” opened at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts yesterday and runs through July 9.

Guest User 3/16/23 Guest User 3/16/23

[Free Lance-Star] Chasing the American dream: 'Ragtime the Musical' rolls into Riverside Center

What has a nice ring to it? Twenty-five years after opening on Broadway, “Ragtime the Musical” will hit the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts stage during the theater’s very own 25th anniversary year.

The show — full of raw emotion and commanding tunes — débuted at Riverside yesterday and runs through May 7.

Guest User 1/11/23 Guest User 1/11/23

[Free Lance-Star] Make a break for 'Escape to Margaritaville' at Riverside

The 25th season at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts is kicking off with a big ole party.

That party comes in the form of Jimmy Buffett’s “Escape to Margaritaville,” which is loaded with sunny vibes, hints of romance and, oh yes, Buffett jams that span the classic to obscure spectrum. The show débuted at Riverside on Wednesday and runs through March 5.

“This is a show that has been doing incredibly well in regional theaters, primarily because it’s so laid-back and has a charming little message in the end,” said Patrick A’Hearn, producing artistic director at Riverside. “Besides, who doesn’t love a little fun in the sun, music and margaritas?”

Guest User 11/16/22 Guest User 11/16/22

Theater preview: Riverside Christmas Spectacular brings home the holidays

If it’s not beginning to look a lot like Christmas just yet, take a look at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts and think again.

Yesterday, the Fredericksburg entertainment staple kicked off the 2022 stint of its Christmas spectacle, which runs Wednesdays through Sundays through the end of the year.

Guest User 9/14/22 Guest User 9/14/22

'Ghost the Musical' comes to life at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts

It’s a big week for Riverside Center for the Performing Arts.

On Sunday at 6:30 p.m., the organization will host a special “Celebration 25” gathering. The event will reveal the six shows to take the main stage in 2023 for Riverside’s landmark 25th season (Hint: There will be three shows making a Riverside return and three new ones). Intimate performances, silent auctions and light refreshments will round out the vibe of this first-of-its kind event.

But, before we fast-forward to next year’s happenings, Riverside’s 24th season is still in full swing and its latest show—“Ghost the Musical”—débuted Wednesday. The full rock musical runs through Nov. 6 and promises to be a vocal and visual spectacle.

Guest User 7/21/22 Guest User 7/21/22

'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner' pays a visit to Riverside Center

The title of the show asks a simple question: “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”?

Well, based on Riverside Center for the Performing Arts’ newest big stage production, a lot of locals really should be joining them for dinner for an experience to remember.

The play—concocted by Todd Kreidler and based on the smash 1967 drama-meets-comedy film starring Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn—opened on Wednesday and runs through Sept. 4.

Guest User 11/10/21 Guest User 11/10/21

[Free Lance-Star] ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ arrives at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts

You’ve seen the Judy Garland classic on the big screen. And now, you can experience the magic locally onstage.

“Meet Me in St. Louis” and all of its uplifting, turn-of-the-century-infused charm débuted at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday and runs through Dec. 31. Shows will take place Thursday through Saturday evenings with matinees on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Guest User 9/16/21 Guest User 9/16/21

[Free Lance-Star] 'Bright Star' musical beams into Riverside after 18-month wait

It’s happening, folks.

Nearly 18 months after being postponed and with its set literally tucked aside at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts since, “Bright Star” and all of its bluegrass glory is a go.

The nostalgic, feel-good musical with a score by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell kicked off its local stint on Wednesday and runs through Oct. 31.

Guest User 6/2/21 Guest User 6/2/21

[The Free Lance-Star] Blast from the past: Riverside returns to the stage with 'Marvelous Wonderettes'

The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked absolute havoc on so many aspects of our lives—certainly including the privilege to enjoy live theater and, for the countless folks ingrained in the theater world, doing what they were born to do.

With hopefully our darkest days behind us, light and hope are noticeably emerging. And, that light is absolutely beaming through the halls of Riverside Center for the Performing Arts and in the form of its latest production.

“The Marvelous Wonderettes” is live and on Riverside’s main stage through July 11.

5/1/20 5/1/20

[The Free Lance-Star] 'Bright Star' awaits Riverside audiences upon its return

In mid-March, Riverside Center for the Performing Arts was riding an incredible high.

The regional theater was closing a record-breaking run of the feel-good classic “Grease.” It opened on Jan. 8 and ran through March 15, carrying the highest grossing sales and attendance of any production in Riverside’s nearly 24-year history.

Flash forward to today. A once-thriving theater’s stage is dark, its infectious buzz has been nearly silenced and there’s a show in the queue that is ready whenever the world is.

1/13/20 1/13/20

[Free Lance-Star] 'Grease' at Riverside: It's got groove, it's got meaning

If you’ve been sticking with that New Year’s diet, you’ve probably avoided greasy things like the plague.Kudos to you.But there’s a totally fulfilling type of grease landing in the ’Burg that’s super-nourishing to the soul, is faced-paced entertainment goodness and won’t destroy your resolution. The musical “Grease” opened at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday and runs through March 15.

12/4/19 12/4/19

[Free Lance-Star] The 'Riverside Christmas Spectacular' brings holiday happiness

If you haven’t quite caught the holiday spirit yet, let’s change that. Whether you’ve been a complete Grinch up to this point or you’ve simply bottled up all of your Christmas excitement to release it after Thanksgiving, there’s a new show at Riverside to bring us all oodles of joy. The “Riverside Christmas Spectacular” kicked off Wednesday and runs through Dec. 29.

10/31/19 10/31/19

[Free Lance-Star] 'Annie' comes to Riverside Center for the Performing Arts

Carol Burnett and Aileen Quinn starred in the beloved 1982 film. Andrea McArdle, Reid Shelton and Dorothy Loudon starred in the Broadway original.

And now, “Annie” has landed at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts with some stars of its own. The musical opened at the Fredericksburg venue on Wednesday and runs through Nov. 17.

8/5/19 8/5/19

[Free Lance-Star] Riverside Center for the Performing Arts sets course for 'South Pacific'

When “South Pacific” first débuted on Broadway, it was an immediate hit.

That was in 1949, pulling on the reflective heartstrings of audiences who had World War II fresh on their minds.

Flash forward to today: While WWII is long gone, many of the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein musical’s poignant messages still hit home. The show owns the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts stage through Sept. 15.

6/4/19 6/4/19

[The Free Lance-Star] Riverside's 'The Pirates of Penzance' gets a Fredericksburg-themed hook

Arrrrr, matey. Let’s go on a pirate-filled adventure, shall we?

Don’t worry, this one isn’t dangerous or life-threatening like you’ll find off the Somalian coast. Instead, it’s a beloved comic operetta hitting a local stage and being customized with familiar places and people galore.

Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance—The Rascals of the Rappahannock” opened at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday and runs through July 7.

6/3/19 6/3/19

Riverside stages rebooted musical version of Alice Walker's 'The Color Purple'

What is Fredericksburg’s favorite color?

Well, through early May, it’s shaping up to be purple.

“The Color Purple” made its regional début yesterday at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts and runs through May 5.

5/19/19 5/19/19

[Free Lance-Star] Riverside lets loose the Broadway classic 'La Cage aux Folles'

Remember “The Birdcage”?

The 1996 instant-classic-of-a-flick, starring Robin Williams and Gene Hackman, left audiences in tears—both laughing and reflecting on love in its many forms.

Now the musical version of this wonderful story is making its way to the ’Burg. “La Cage aux Folles” owns the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts stage through early March.

10/21/18 10/21/18

Discover the charm and grandeur of Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' at Riverside

“Song as old as rhyme ... Beauty and the Beeeeaaaaaaaaast!”

You know the lyrics. You’ve seen the iconic Disney flick. And now, it’s time to experience it live.

Through Nov. 25, “Beauty and the Beast” and all of its timeless glory is at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts. Directed by Riverside’s producing artistic director Patrick A’Hearn, this one is full of storybook and “once upon a time” charm.

7/26/18 7/26/18

Free Lance-Star: Get in line for Riverside's latest musical treat: 'A Chorus Line'

Periodically we all have an audition.

These auditions can come in the form of a job interview, passing an important test or meeting all of your spouse’s BFFs. It can be grueling.

Well, performers, dancers and actors go through auditions all the time. And there’s an iconic musical coming to town focused on that process as well as the unique folks that typically comprise it.

The time-tested and iconic Michael Bennett production “A Chorus Line,” with music by Marvin Hamlisch, owns the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts stage through Sept. 16.

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