Features - Page 20 of 140 - Potomac Local News

Red Carpet Ready: Riverside Theater Honors Cast of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

Published May 8, 2025 at 2:00PM

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Broadway is meeting the ‘Burg this weekend as Fredericksburg native Tug Coker takes center stage as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird at the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts. The show opened Wednesday, May 7, and a special red-carpet celebration is set for Friday, May 9.

Coker, who was raised in Fredericksburg and graduated from Fredericksburg Academy, brings an impressive résumé to the Riverside stage. Known for his roles on Broadway and on hit shows like The Office, Billions, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, this marks his first professional performance in his hometown. He studied theater at the College of William and Mary and played professional basketball overseas before pursuing acting full-time.

The Addams Family Musical Haunts the Stage at Manassas Park High

By Potomac Local News

Published May 2, 2025 at 12:36PM

MANASSAS PARK, Va. – The Manassas Park High School Theatre Department is bringing a delightfully spooky classic to life this week with performances of The Addams Family Musical. The show runs from May 1 through May 4 and promises an evening filled with laughter, eerie tunes, and all the charm of the famously offbeat Addams clan.

In a post on social media, Manassas Park City Public Schools invited the community to enjoy “a spooktacular night of laughter, music, and macabre fun,” encouraging folks to snag tickets before they disappear. The musical, based on the iconic characters created by Charles Addams, follows the family’s hilarious antics as daughter Wednesday falls in love with someone “normal.”

Fredericksburg’s Own Tug Coker Stars as Atticus Finch in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ at Riverside

By Uriah Kiser

Published May 1, 2025 at 3:06PM

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Broadway actor and Fredericksburg native Tug Coker is stepping into one of the most iconic roles in American theater—Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird—as he makes his hometown stage debut at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts. The production runs May 7 through June 22, 2025.

Adapted from Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird is set in 1930s Alabama and follows young siblings Scout and Jem as they navigate childhood under the watchful and moral guidance of their widowed father. The calm of their small town is shattered when Atticus Finch, a respected local attorney, defends a Black man falsely accused of a violent crime. Riverside describes the play as “timeless and lingering,” exploring “prejudice, compassion, and the courage to do what is right.”

Furry Friends of Ferry Farm Tour Set for June 7

By Jazbia Chaudhry

Published May 1, 2025 at 1:00PM

STAFFORD, Va. – The Ferry Farm neighborhood will host its first “Furry Friends of Ferry Farm” guided walking tour on June 7, 2025, beginning at 9 a.m. The 1.3-mile loop will showcase pets from the neighborhood and encourage donations for the Stafford County Animal Shelter. The event is free and will start and end at Ferry Farm Elementary School.

Participants will walk from Pendleton Road to Mercer Lane, Wakefield Avenue, Jefferson Street, and back to Pendleton Road, with stops to admire pets at various homes. At the tour’s conclusion, attendees will vote for a “Crowd Favorite” pet, with a prize awarded. The Stafford County Animal Shelter will also be present with adoptable pets.

Prince William County Library Goes Viral with Gen Z-Inspired Video

By Uriah Kiser

Published May 1, 2025 at 9:00AM | Updated May 2, 2025 at 2:55PM

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – A short video created by a team at the county’s Prince William Public Libraries has taken the internet by storm, garnering more than 2.7 million views across social media platforms and capturing the attention of viewers from as far away as California.

At the center of the viral sensation is Gregg Grunow, the branch manager at Bull Run Library, who stars in a 12-line comedic reel written entirely in Gen Z slang. The video’s unexpected popularity has thrust both Grunow and the library system into the social media spotlight.

Dunkin’ Honors Dale City Volunteer Firefighters with Sweet Treats and Surprise Gift

By Potomac Local News

Published April 30, 2025 at 3:53PM

DALE CITY, Va. – In honor of National Volunteer Month, Dunkin’ showed appreciation for local heroes at the Dale City Volunteer Fire Department by delivering a sweet surprise on Saturday, April 26, 2025.

From 10 to 11 a.m., firefighters at Station 13 on Hillendale Drive were treated to free coffee, donuts, and $5 Dunkin’ promo cards. The event highlighted Dunkin’s ongoing commitment to recognizing community service and supporting first responders who go above and beyond.

Triune Entertainment Announces 2025–26 Theater Season Lineup

By Jazbia Chaudhry

Published April 29, 2025 at 11:00AM

PRESS RELEASE:

Triune Entertainment Presents its Highly Anticipated Next Season of Theatre

Manassas Celebrates Railway Heritage at 31st Annual Railway Festival

By Potomac Local News

Published April 28, 2025 at 9:00AM | Updated April 28, 2025 at 1:20PM

MANASSAS, Va. — Trains will take center stage once again as Manassas hosts its 31st Annual Railway Festival on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

The family-friendly event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., spanning the historic downtown area between the train station parking lot and Harris Pavilion. Attractions include model train exhibits from groups like the National Capital Trackers and the Piedmont Railroaders, as well as safety displays from Amtrak and VRE.

New Historic Markers Shed Light on Occoquan’s Past

By Potomac Local News

Published April 28, 2025 at 8:00AM

Overlooking Occoquan [Photo: Occoquan Town Instagram page]

OCCOQUAN, Va. — Two new historical markers have been installed in Occoquan, highlighting little-known aspects of the town’s early economic and environmental history.

Funded by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC), the markers are located near the Mill House Museum and Mamie Davis Park. The project is part of a broader effort to add interpretive signage along the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, which runs through the town.

Karen Jonas Brings New Album ‘The Rise and Fall of American Kitsch’ to Sunken Well in Fredericksburg This Saturday

By Mike Salmon

Published April 24, 2025 at 2:00PM | Updated April 25, 2025 at 6:16PM

The polka dot curtain and the calendar hark from an earlier time.

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – On the album cover of Karen Jonas’ “The Rise and Fall of American Kitsch,” released in August 2024, Karen is depicted holding a drink and a bottle of liquor, sporting a neutral expression and a few tattoos here and there. Throw in a 1960s floor-model television set, an ashtray, a religious statue, and an electric guitar, and it all screams “kitsch,” from the day when it was hip to be kitsch.

Jonas and a photographer tossed around a couple of ideas before settling on the art for the cover. “We were thinking about it for a couple of months, it was fun,” she said.