Features

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Riverside Center for the Performing Arts is two weeks into its run of The Sound of Music, and ticket sales are already tracking alongside one of its biggest recent hits, Jersey Boys.

More than 6,000 tickets have been sold with eight weeks remaining. Jersey Boys drew more than 11,000 during its run in 2024.


Features

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – The hills—and the Riverside stage—are alive with The Sound of Music as the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein classic officially opens today in Fredericksburg.

The cast and creative team at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts say they’ve “poured their hearts into every note, step, and scene,” according to a Facebook post announcing the show’s debut. The production tells the inspiring story of Maria and the Von Trapp family, brought to life through cherished songs like “Do-Re-Mi,” “My Favorite Things,” and “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.”


Features

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – International opera and musical theater performer Kelly Glyptis is returning to her roots this month, starring as Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts.

Glyptis, who grew up in Manassas and graduated from what was then Stonewall Jackson Senior High School—now Unity-Reed High School—called the opportunity to perform back home “really special.” She previously toured with The Sound of Music in 2018 and now steps fully into the role for a limited run that begins August 20 and continues through October 26. Glyptis is scheduled to perform through October 6.


Features

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — The Riverside Center for the Performing Arts is tuning up for a year of music, nostalgia, and dance as it formally launches a new concert series featuring tributes to Motown, Jerry Lee Lewis, and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra—with even more to come in 2026.

Artistic Director Patrick A’Hearn confirmed the lineup will bring a variety of genres to Riverside’s mainstage beginning in August, alongside a newly adopted strategy of shorter theatrical runs to make room for more live music.


News

A brand-new theater troupe for young audiences is making its debut this weekend with a playful spin on a classic fairy tale.

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Features

As Next to Normal prepares to close on August 3, the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts is already looking ahead—unveiling the first details of its 2026 season, which promises to blend musical nostalgia, literary beauty, and patriotic charm.

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Fredericksburg

I went in cautiously. I love musicals, but I knew the subject matter—mental illness, trauma, and grief—would be heavy. Still, after interviewing the whole cast on our podcast (the most guests I’ve ever had at once!), I had a feeling this show would be something special.

Before the performance began, the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board spoke to the audience during dinner service—an unusual but fitting gesture. Their message on mental health services set the stage for the powerful experience ahead.


Sponsored

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Potomac Local News is giving away free tickets to one of the most powerful shows of the summer—Next to Normal at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts—and entering is as simple as filling out a form.

This summer, Riverside presents a bold and emotional musical that explores the story of a suburban family facing the challenges of bipolar disorder, grief, and mental health recovery. Set to a gripping contemporary rock score, Next to Normal is a Broadway favorite and winner of three Tony Awards and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.


Features

MANASSAS, Va. – A dragon, a swamp, and a whole lot of heart are taking over the stage at All Saints Catholic Church this summer as the Upper Room Theatre Ministry prepares for its biggest production yet: Shrek the Musical.

Celebrating nearly 25 years since its founding, the Upper Room Theatre Ministry has transformed from a small church program into a regionally recognized theater experience. What began in 2000 with just 14 cast members in Godspell has become a summer tradition that draws talent from across the Mid-Atlantic and fills seats with thousands of theatergoers from around the region.


Sponsored

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Potomac Local News is giving away free tickets to one of the most powerful shows of the summer—Next to Normal at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts—and entering is as simple as filling out a form.

This summer, Riverside presents a bold and emotional musical that explores the story of a suburban family facing the challenges of bipolar disorder, grief, and mental health recovery. Set to a gripping contemporary rock score, Next to Normal is a Broadway favorite and winner of three Tony Awards and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.


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