[Free Lance-Star] Letter: Experience Broadway in Virginia

Apr 18, 2023

The current production of “Ragtime” at the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts in Fredericksburg is one of the best shows we’ve seen anywhere. The entire production is Broadway caliber, including the large, talented cast, singing, acting, dancing, live orchestra and elaborate set. The classic story is extremely moving and strikingly relevant to current issues facing our country. It focuses on three divergent families and how their lives converge over time. “Ragtime” is beautifully executed and is something special and memorable.

We’ve experienced many shows on Broadway, and the talent on the Riverside Stage consistently compares. Producing Artistic Director Patrick A’Hearn, a Broadway veteran himself, produces six shows per year at the center, including classic and contemporary large stage musicals and plays. The Riverside stage features Broadway veterans, including Emmy award winners and nominees, as well as a talented cadre of locally-based professional performers.

We love the convenience of attending shows at Riverside and are never disappointed. Our friends occasionally travel up the I–95 corridor and spend significantly more money to experience live theater. We choose to stay closer to home and stretch our entertainment dollars at Riverside.

We encourage all local residents to come out and support this unique live theater experience. Be sure to see the outstanding production of “Ragtime” at the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts before it closes on May 7. You will experience Broadway in Virginia.

Catherine and Tom Wood

Charles Town, West Virginia