Theater Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Potomac Local News

Published July 3, 2025 at 1:30PM | Updated July 4, 2025 at 9:43AM

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.

Win Tickets to See Next to Normal at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 2, 2025 at 3:36PM | Updated July 4, 2025 at 12:48PM

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.

Fredericksburg

Next to Normal Brings Bold, Emotional Story to Riverside Stage This Summer

By Uriah Kiser

Published June 26, 2025 at 2:30PM

The Riverside Center for the Performing Arts will launch its summer season with Next to Normal, a Tony- and Pulitzer-winning musical that blends rock music with raw emotion to tell the story of a family navigating the stormy waters of mental illness and grief.

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Manassas

Legally Blonde the Musical Hits the Stage in Manassas

By Potomac Local News

Published June 26, 2025 at 1:15PM

MANASSAS, Va. – Elle Woods is heading to Harvard Law — and to the local stage!

Pied Piper Theatre, the youth division of the ARTfactory in Manassas, is bringing the high-energy musical Legally Blonde to life on Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28, from 7 to 9 p.m. Based on the 2001 hit movie and the novel by Amanda Brown, the show follows Elle, a stylish sorority queen who proves she’s more than just a pretty face when she enrolls at Harvard to win back her ex — and ends up finding her true self instead.

Fredericksburg

Catch These Must-See Shows Before the Curtains Close Sunday

By Potomac Local News

Published June 20, 2025 at 2:30PM

Coker as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. [Photo: Suzanne Carr-Rossi]

This weekend marks your last chance to catch two standout productions on local stages before the curtains close for good.

At the ARTfactory in Manassas, Lend Me a Soprano wraps up its run with performances through Sunday. This fast-paced farce, written by Ken Ludwig, offers a hilarious backstage comedy that’s been praised for its sharp direction, standout cast, and intimate setting. According to a review from the ARTfactory, the show “delivers big laughs in a small space” and makes the most of its cozy venue to pull audiences into the operatic chaos. Tickets and details are available at virginiaartfactory.org.

Features

Step Inside the Kit Kat Club for Cabaret at the ARTfactory

By Potomac Local News

Published May 28, 2025 at 8:00AM | Updated May 28, 2025 at 2:01PM

MANASSAS, Va. – The ARTfactory is inviting audiences on a journey back to 1930s Berlin with its new production of Cabaret, opening this season at the Wind River Theater. 🎭

Known for immersive theater experiences, the ARTfactory will transform the performance space into the smoky, seductive Kit Kat Club — the setting of the iconic musical. Audiences will step into a world where glitz, music, and freedom clash with rising political darkness.

Podcast

Tug Coker Talks To Kill a Mockingbird at Riverside Center | Potomac Local News Podcast

By Potomac Local News

Published May 28, 2025 at 7:55AM | Updated May 28, 2025 at 3:48PM

Coker as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. [Photo: Suzanne Carr-Rossi]

In this episode, Tug shares insights into his career, which spans TV, Broadway, and film, and talks about his return home to perform in this iconic American play. He opens up about his roots in Fredericksburg and what it means to come back and perform for a local audience. The conversation also touches on the relevance of To Kill a Mockingbird in today’s society and how theater continues to serve as a powerful medium for community connection and the exchange of ideas.

Listen to the full interview below and get your tickets to see To Kill a Mockingbird at Riverside Center:

Features

War, Protest, and Family: New Musical Into the Sun Hits the Vint Hill Stage This June

By Jazbia Chaudhry

Published May 15, 2025 at 8:00AM

A new musical exploring war, resistance, and family takes center stage in Vint Hill this June. Into the Sun runs June 6–7 at the Journey Theater.

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Features

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.”

Features

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.

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