Riverside Center for the Performing Arts

In “They’re Playing Our Song” now at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, Carson Eubank and Ashlee Waldbauer command the stage with a dynamic energy that transports the audience into the heart of the comedic journey. Eubank’s portrayal of Vernon Gersch, a wisecracking composer in search of a new lyricist, is solid, and his piano playing is so authentic that you’d swear he’s actually at the keys (which he proved he could really do at the Stafford County Business reception held at The Riverside on Wednesday, April 24, 2024).

Meanwhile, Waldbauer’s portrayal of Sonia Walsk, who experienced early songwriting success and is and is in awe of Gersch’s accomplishments, exudes energy, pulling the audience right into the passenger seat of his car on the dramatic drive out to Long Island and on to her moving rendition of “I Still Believe in Love,” (with which Waldbauer also wooed the crowd during an impromptu performance at the business reception).

Snow, ice, or wind won’t deter audiences from experiencing this award-winning musical’s phenomenal music, memorable characters, and captivating storytelling.

“Jersey Boys” chronicles the evolution of four blue-collar children who became one of the greatest success stories in pop music history – Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Winner of Best Musical at both the Tony Awards and Olivier Awards, the show provides an intimate look behind the scenes at the 40-year friendship that propelled these young talents from the streets of New Jersey to the heights of stardom.

The Riverside Center for the Performing Arts is decked out for Christmas,  and its Christmas show reminds us what it means to be kind this holiday season.

The performance house is celebrating its 25 years in 2023 and is showing “Miracle on 34th Street” for its annual Christmas show. “Miracle on 34th Street” gets everyone in the holiday spirit.

Never having visited the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts before, I was unsure what to expect. Theaters always conjure images of damp, dark, old, and slightly threadbare interiors, with their glory days a dim and distant past.

However, this is not the case for the Riverside Center. Its bright interior conveyed none of that, and the welcome by the staff added to the warmth of the atmosphere. In keeping with the play’s setting in the Deep South, the three-course menu complimented southern cuisine and culminated with a generous portion of fennel cake, which would not have been out of place in any county fair.

The players returned to Riverside Center for the Performing Arts to present “42nd Street,” a story about a girl who moves from a small town to New York City to find fame on Broadway.

Riverside’s production of the high-energy show stars Andrea McArdle as Dorothy Brock, the seasoned star hired to make the fictitious show in the play, “Pretty Lady,” a hit. The iconic McArdle has appeared in several Broadway plays, including her heart-winning performance in the title role of “Annie” in 1977, a major musical based on the comic strip “Little Orphan Annie.”