VERO BEACH — Bubbling over in excitement and boundless energy, children eagerly led parents and grandparents to the Riverside Children’s Theatre Spring Fiesta for a day filled with free family fun, including performances, hands-on activities, the ubiquitous bounce house, and other wholesome entertainment.
The event has been made possible since 2000 through a gift from the McCabe Foundation in memory of Agnes Wahlstrom. Additional support this year came from Diane and Lee Fentress.
“The McCabe Foundation gave us the grant to do something free every year to showcase what we do. People can stay all day,” said Linda Downey, RCT educational director.
“We have people who send thank-you notes because they enjoyed it so much. It’s really a nice low-key event that finishes up the main season and starts the summer.”
Performances took place throughout the day, alternating between the Agnes Wahlstrom and Anne Morton Theatres.
The day began with budding thespians, vocalists and dancers showcasing their multiple talents, with performances that lit up the stage, watched by adoring parents, grandparents and lots of squiggling younger siblings.
“Two of my students are up there,” said Fran Venziano, a teacher at Community Pre-School, watching as adorable ballerinas ranging in age from 3 to 5 shyly showed off pirouettes and pliés.
“I have a special place in my heart for this theater. My daughter Cassandra grew up here; she’s in college now.”
Mandy and Clint Petty had given 4-year old Emma Petty a bouquet of pink carnations – which perfectly matched her nail polish – after her creative dance performance, but the leotard-clad Emma announced another talent when she said, “I like singing.”
Outside, at the shaded activity tables, volunteers helped the little ones make noisemakers (accompanied by a few skeptical looks from parents) out of decorated paper bags and rice, pinwheels, googly-eyed frog cups, puffy caterpillar clothespins, and fiesta plates with streamers.
Just like at theme parks, interns wandered the crowd dressed as favorite childhood characters, including Rapunzel, Belle, Ariel, Pocahontas and Jasmine, posing for photos with their adoring fans.
“Once you sit in our chairs, the audience gets to pick what we paint,” said Tiffany David of Childlike Productions, describing an unusual interactive twist to the de rigueur face painting.
Other children watched in awe as balloon artists magically created animals, poufy floral bracelets, hats and fanciful creatures.
“I want a dinosaur; I want a pink dinosaur!” giggled 6-year old Karina Daniels, hopping with excitement.
In other performances, interns from Riverside Children’s Theatre On the Go entertained with Totally Red – an updated take on Little Red Riding Hood.
The one-man show Pirate Goody and the Magic Chest, was followed by the Christopher Tracy Magic Show. Another On the Go troupe closed out the afternoon with a performance of Miss Nelson is Missing.
RCT On the Go began last August, funded through a grant from Quail Valley Charities, and takes theatre primarily to elementary schools with selections based on classic and modern literature, with actors chosen for their ability to encourage interactive audience participation.
Riverside Children’s Theatre, the educational and youth-oriented arm of Riverside Theatre, offers age-appropriate after school and summer programs and services to give children an opportunity to participate on stage and back stage through in house productions.
