Guest User 4/5/23 Guest User 4/5/23

[Free Lance-Star] America in motion: 'Ragtime' aims for the heart

It’s been a while since Riverside Center for the Performing Arts has had a large-scale production on its stage. Think “Les Misérables” or “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” or in recent memory, “Bright Star.” And what better way to roll out its 25th anniversary season than with “Ragtime,” a show that’s also hitting its own 25th milestone.

Just last week, stars from the original Broadway cast — including Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra McDonald — reunited for a one-night-only benefit concert in New York. Even if they weren’t lucky enough to catch that performance, local theatergoers have time to experience this epic heartbreaker, which is onstage at Riverside through early May.

Guest User 1/25/23 Guest User 1/25/23

[FLS] Review: Jimmy Buffett's 'Escape to Margaritaville' pours on the charm at Riverside

With these cold, gray days and talk of a wintry mix, a trip to Margaritaville sounds pretty nice right about now. The reality is that it’s not an actual place, but it sure feels like it at Riverside.

The performing arts center has been transformed into a piece of paradise in the Caribbean, where vacation-starved tourists, bachelorettes and colorful locals come out to play, hook up or just chill out. Jimmy Buffett’s “Escape to Margaritaville,” onstage through March 5, is a feel-good show wrapped in the sun-drenched sounds of the Key West-loving crooner.

Guest User 9/30/22 Guest User 9/30/22

[Free Lance-Star/Star Exponent] 'Ghost' gets a pop-rock spin in spirited Riverside show

“Ghost” may have been released in 1990, but this romantic heavyweight has been enjoying a long afterlife. The iconic film—starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and (ahem, Oscar winner) Whoopi Goldberg—aims for the heart as it illustrated the powerful bond between Molly and Sam, cementing it as one of the most epic cinematic love stories.

Kendric Walpole 8/8/22 Kendric Walpole 8/8/22

[Free Lance-Star] Theater Review: A well-done ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’ served at Riverside

After the light-hearted “Nunsense” earlier this summer, Riverside is going for meatier fare with “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”

Guest User 9/30/21 Guest User 9/30/21

[Free Lance-Star] Theater review: Beautifully moving 'Bright Star' shoots for the heart

After months and months of waiting in the wings, it’s safe to say that “Bright Star” was worth the wait. Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s feel-good bluegrass musical is finally getting its chance to shine at the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, and it is absolutely beaming with talent.

The Tony-nominated musical, which also enjoyed a brief run at the Kennedy Center, is giving local audiences an opportunity to experience this sweeping story about love and redemption, heartbreak and hope.

Guest User 6/17/21 Guest User 6/17/21

[Free Lance-Star Review] Sweet, silly 'Marvelous Wonderettes' hits all the right notes

Summer is almost here and there’s a certain radiant energy in the air as life is starting to feel a little normal again. And one bright spot can be found at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, with its new show “The Marvelous Wonderettes.”

The past year has been a long and challenging one, and this charming jukebox musical takes audiences on a welcome journey to another era—making you forget we’re living in pandemic at least for a little while.

10/9/20 10/9/20

[The Free Lance-Star] Bravissimo: Riverside's production of 'Souvenir' is music to my ears

Florence Foster Jenkins might be the world’s worst opera singer, but for me, she’s music to my ears.

“Souvenir,” onstage at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, is a charmer of a show about a wealthy socialite who simply wants to share her musical gifts with others and raise money for charities. There’s just a tiny little problem: She can’t carry a tune.

1/30/20 1/30/20

[The Free Lance-Star] Review: 'Grease' is a colorful ride through nostalgia at Riverside

“Grease” is getting a whole lot of lovin’ this year. With a TV spinoff in the works and a vibrant production at the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, this story about a group of teenagers living it up in small-town 1959 America continues to resonate.

1/23/20 1/23/20

[Free Lance-Star] Big emotions, big performances: A look back at theater in 2019

Another year, another decade.

With the incredible wealth of theater in the area, it’s impossible to see everything. Before launching into another year of shows, let’s take a look back at some of the works that left a big mark—or smile—with this reviewer. Here are some of my favorites:

6/3/19 6/3/19

A vibrant and powerful ‘Color Purple’ soars at Riverside

Over the past several months, the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts has brought an enchanting Disney tale (“Beauty and the Beast”), a rollicking Buddy Holly revue (“A Rockabilly Christmas”) and an endearing drag queen extravaganza (“La Cage aux Folles”). With its current offering and season-closer, “The Color Purple,” Riverside is going straight for the heart.

Audiences, be prepared to be put through an emotional wringer.

5/19/19 5/19/19

[Free Lance-Star Year in Review] 2018: a big and bright journey to the past

In 2018, I saw nearly 30 area productions (not to mention “Frozen” on Broadway and “West Side Story” sung entirely in Spanish while on vacation). That number is only a small dent in the incredible theater that was presented on local stages.

Here are a few of my favorites:

6/12/18 6/12/18

Free Lance-Star: 'Always ... Patsy Cline' is a heart-warmer and a hoot

Meeting your favorite singer is a dream for many, but for one lucky fan that became a reality and turned into a cherished friendship.

“Always … Patsy Cline,” now onstage at the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, shares the true story about how one divorced mother of two formed a special bond with a country music legend.

Playwright Ted Swindley weaves together more than 25 songs into this incredibly heartwarming and surprisingly funny show, starring Broadway actress Carter Calvert as the Winchester-born singer and TV icon Sally Struthers as super fan Louise Seger.

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