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Courage looks different under stage lights. We sit down at Chino Hills High School’s theater to unpack how a training-first program turns nervous auditions into confident performances, and how a tight-knit ensemble carries each other through missed cues, costume malfunctions, and the rush of opening night. With director Kerry Rupe at the helm and students Anthony, Drake, Angie, and Shelby sharing the mic, we trace real journeys from backstage to center stage—and the life skills that stick long after the curtain falls.

We dive into the choices that built a powerhouse program: closing some productions to class members to strengthen commitment and shared vocabulary, then keeping the spring musical open to discover hidden talent school-wide. The team breaks down how ambitious titles like Little Shop of Horrors, Newsies, Puffs, and Legally Blonde come to life with serious sets, lighting, sound, and costumes. You’ll hear why tech isn’t background—it’s a character with its own voice—and how stage management and design develop leadership, empathy, and precision. Along the way, students explain how theater became their community, contrasting the scoreboard pressure of sports with the ensemble mindset that meets people where they are and grows them.

We also explore how the program reaches beyond the stage. From the Princess Tea fundraiser that doubles as long-form improv training to PR crews mixing hallway posters with TikTok and Instagram, this group treats outreach like part of the craft. Cross-school partnerships boost attendance and celebrate a bigger truth: there’s room for everyone when the goal is great theater. As Little Shop heads into tech week, energy runs high, ticket sales climb, and students reflect on dancing, timing, and playing iconic roles with fresh choices. It’s a portrait of arts education at its best—bold shows, steady mentorship, and a culture that turns fear into fuel.

If you care about student creativity, community theater, or the behind-the-scenes alchemy that makes a musical sing, hit play and share this one with a friend. Subscribe, leave a five-star review, and tell us: what moment first made you fall in love with the stage?

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A storm rattles the windows, the timetable is no comfort, and a ghostly locomotive refuses to be just a rumor. We’re bringing Arnold Ridley’s The Ghost Train to life with a bold 1930s aesthetic—think noir shadows and comic-book color—that turns a small station into a pressure cooker where fear and wit trade jabs. Sage Patel walks us through the vision: why an old thriller still lands today, how a tight room can hold thirteen distinct voices, and why the train itself must feel alive through sound, light, and clever stagecraft.

You’ll meet Jamie Putnam, who crafts Miss Bourne with tenderness and steel, and Craig A. Jackman, leaning into the mischievous curiosity of Teddy Deacon. Together we dig into how people perform bravery when they’re stranded with strangers, how costumes can telegraph independence or insecurity, and how props become actions rather than decorations. We also pull back the curtain on the ensemble’s casting surprises, a scenic design inspired by Dick Tracy’s saturated world, and the invisible heroes who make suspense sing: lighting, sound, carpentry, and front-of-house. Community theater is the engine here—mentors teaching tools and timing, techs shaping breath and silence, and a crew that treats every detail as story.

If you’re local to the Inland Empire, come ride with us: The Ghost Train runs January 16–31 at Chino Community Theater. Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30, with a gala after opening Friday, a two-for-one phone-only special on Saturday, and a Sunday talkback with the cast and crew. Grab your seats at chinocommunitytheater.org or call 909-590-1149. Enjoy the episode, share it with a theater-loving friend, and leave a rating and review to help more people find the show.

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This holiday story gets new gears. We sit down with the Riverside Community Players team bringing a steampunk A Christmas Carol to life—complete with in‑the‑round staging, layered costumes, and a cast that looks and sounds like Riverside. From the first “God bless us” to the final curtain, the conversation uncovers how a first-time director balances reverence for Dickens with the courage to reimagine the world he wrote.

We talk through Sage’s path back to the stage, the decision to lean into steampunk aesthetics, and the practical realities of building a show where minimal sets and 360-degree sightlines demand bold blocking and clean storytelling. Kit Wilson shares his approach to Ebenezer Scrooge—mining classic performances without echoing them, researching 1843 London to ground the character’s arc, and finding the moment where regret turns into change. We also spotlight Tiny Tim, played by Jasper, whose enthusiasm and resilience bring rare authenticity to a role that carries the play’s soul.

Behind the scenes, the creative engine hums: meticulous costume design that fuses Victorian texture with industrial flair; prop choices that do the heavy lifting when scenery stays lean; and a rising scenic designer crafting a modular world that moves as fast as the story. An assistant director with movement training helps the ensemble build truthful relationships, so every corner of the house sees intentions as clearly as words. Expanding the cast unlocks fresh voices and sharper narration, while a commitment to diversity ensures the stage reflects the Inland Empire community it serves.

If you love theater that honors tradition and still surprises, this one’s for you. Hit play, get inspired, then grab your tickets to A Christmas Carol at Riverside Community Players. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a spark of holiday spirit, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find the show.

December 5-14 

Riverside Community Players: 4026 14th St. Riverside, CA 92501

Box Office: 951-686-4030

www.riversidecommunityplayers.com 

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A small stage, a big cast, and a 1940s reset bring fresh heart to Miracle on 34th Street as we explore belief, courage, and community. We share how volunteers, teachers, and first-timers shape a classic into something intimate, warm, and alive.

• why we chose Miracle on 34th Street and set it in the 1940s
• how a large ensemble, kids to grandparents, powers the show
• Doris Walker’s arc as a frank, working single mother
• crafting Fred Gailey’s warmth and courtroom grit
• Jack’s return after 30 years and finding Kris Kringle’s truth
• building Macy’s and the courtroom on an intimate stage
• period costumes, carols, and 1947 radio pre-show
• the teamwork culture that defines community theater
• key creatives and crew shaping sets and flow
• show schedule, opening night gala, and talkback

December 5-20 Friday/Saturday 7:30pm Sat & Sunday Matinee 2:30pm

Get your tickets now. This will sell out. Call 909-590-1149 or visit ChinoCommunityTheater.org

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Power is easy to claim and hard to carry—especially when the rules fall away. We take you inside a bold staging of Lord of the Flies led by a first-time director who turns rehearsal into a living workshop on leadership, morality, and what it means to build a tribe. The twist: two full casts, one male and one female, telling the same story from different lived experiences to expose how gender, socialization, and pressure shape our choices when the conch hits the sand.

You’ll hear how the production was designed from the ground up to center actor growth. Blocking rehearsals united both casts, then split into scene studies anchored by written questions that forced clarity: What do I want? What stops me? What breaks inside me when I cross a line? The team’s most intimate exercise—letters written as the characters before the crash and after rescue—unlocked risky, grounded performances. Tears flowed, choices sharpened, and even the youngest cast members found language for grief, responsibility, and change. Around them, a veteran crew—producer, assistant director, stage manager, designers, and fight/movement coach—built an island that feels alive, from the carved light to the hum under the silence.

We also open the door on auditions and casting, where the goal wasn’t to mimic the book but to discover truth. Actors arrived with monologues that revealed who they are; callbacks measured preparation and chemistry rather than speed alone. The message was steady and freeing: you are worthy, and this is about the story we build together. As opening night approaches, the ensembles own their lines, their intentions, and their bond. See both casts and compare how power forms, fractures, and—sometimes—finds its way back to compassion.

Subscribe for more behind-the-scenes stories, share this with a theater friend, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Then grab tickets, choose your cast nights, and tell us: where did you see the island change?

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What happens when dreams wait too long? This timeless question drives Lorraine Hansberry's masterpiece A Raisin in the Sun, now coming to life at Chino Community Theater under TonI Lynd's passionate direction.

Set in 1950s Chicago, the play follows a family whose members each nurture distinct dreams while sharing cramped quarters in a run-down apartment. As director Toni explains, "Each one of the family members has a dream to get out of there and to go on with their life, and I think most people can relate to a dream." The title itself comes from Langston Hughes' poignant poem asking what happens to dreams postponed—do they "dry up like a raisin in the sun?"

The production features a remarkable ensemble cast bringing authentic fire to their performances. JoJo, making his CCT debut as Walter, shares his approach to a complex character who is "very unlikable in many moments" yet undergoes profound transformation. Tachi, playing the maternal figure, draws from her experiences as a mother and her observations of older generations to create a richly nuanced performance. "I think about myself and my son and how I want him to pursue his dreams, and what parents have to sacrifice," she reflects, highlighting the universal themes that make this play resonate across generations.

Behind the scenes, meticulous attention to detail brings 1950s Chicago to our stage. From an authentic vintage stove to period-appropriate furniture and costumes researched by Kathy Miller, every element transports audiences into the Younger family's world. The production also features special events including an opening night gala where audiences can meet the cast and Sunday talkbacks for deeper conversation about the play's themes.

Don't miss this powerful American classic running September 12-27 with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2:30pm. Reserve your tickets now by calling 909-590-1149 or visiting chinocommunitytheater.org and witness the magic that happens when community, art, and timeless storytelling come together.

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Dive into the fascinating world of forgotten theatrical treasures with our premiere episode of Steps to the Stage Inland Empire! We're pulling back the curtain on Agatha Christie's "Towards Zero," a mystery play with a remarkable history that vanished from the stage for decades after its American debut in the 1940s.

Director Christopher Diehl and cast members Emma Kuhn and Veronique Poutre' take us behind the scenes at Riverside Community Players, now celebrating its astonishing 101st season. Together they unravel the mystery of how this Christie gem disappeared from theatrical history after being commissioned for Broadway during World War II. What makes this production particularly special is its rarity - unlike Christie's well-known works, this play has been performed only a handful of times since its rediscovery.

"Towards Zero" turns the traditional murder mystery formula on its head. Rather than beginning with a murder and following the investigation, it builds methodically toward the crime itself. As one character poignantly observes within the play, "Murder mysteries are done all wrong - the murder should be at the end, not the beginning." This meta-commentary on the genre predates similar self-aware approaches by decades!

The drama unfolds entirely outdoors on a cliffside estate called Gull's Nest, where a famous sportsman has uncomfortably invited both his current wife and his ex-wife for a holiday visit. The tension between these women, portrayed brilliantly by our guest actresses, forms the emotional core of a story filled with atmospheric elements and psychological depth. Staging this outdoor setting in Riverside's intimate theater-in-the-round creates a uniquely immersive experience where audience members sit mere inches from the unfolding mystery.

Whether you're a dedicated Christie enthusiast or simply love discovering hidden theatrical gems, join us for this production running August 29th through September 14th. Experience a side of the Queen of Mystery you've never seen before, and discover why community theater continues to be the beating heart of performing arts in the Inland Empire.

www.riversidecommunityplayers.com

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Step into the whimsical world of Dr. Seuss as 7th Street Community Theatre presents "Seussical the Musical," a production where imagination takes center stage and the boundaries between reality and fantasy beautifully blur.

This episode of Steps to the Stage takes listeners behind the curtain with the creative team bringing this beloved show to life. At the heart of this production is Mickey Estrella, making her directorial debut with the very show that sparked her theatrical journey as a child performer in 2013. Now studying directing at Hofstra University, Mickey returns to her theatrical home to guide a new generation of performers through the colorful worlds of Horton, JoJo, and the Cat in the Hat.

"This show is about having fun and creativity and where your imagination can take you," Mickey explains, highlighting the production's focus on childlike wonder and unbridled creativity. Working alongside co-director Xochitl Neri and musical director Juan Valazquez, the team has assembled a diverse cast of performers ranging from age 4 to 20, creating a vibrant ensemble that embodies the spirit of community theater.

The conversation explores fascinating technical elements, from the rotating set pieces that transform between Whoville and the Jungle of Nool to the deliberately stylized costumes that suggest character without overpowering the performers. Juan discusses the challenges and joys of working with varied musical styles, while the team celebrates the production's remarkable preparedness – having completed full run-throughs three weeks before opening night.

What emerges is a beautiful story of theatrical mentorship and growth, where performers become directors, students become teachers, and community theater fulfills its mission of nurturing talent that returns to enrich the very place where their artistic journey began. Don't miss "Seussical the Musical" running August 8-23 at the Chino Community Theatre – tickets are selling fast for this celebration of creativity, community, and the power of imagination!

Experience the magic for yourself! Grab tickets at ChinoChildrensTheater.org, follow @CCCTbuzz on social media, or support these emerging artists by calling the box office at 909-590-1149.

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What happens when actors become directors? The latest episode of Steps to the Stage takes you behind the scenes with the creative team of "Urinetown the Musical" as they prepare for opening night at 7th Street Community Theatre.

Co-directors Luke Hooganraad and Marcy Pinedo share the exhilarating and sometimes overwhelming experience of their directorial debuts after years of performing on stage. "There's definitely moments where I forget that I'm the adult in the room," Marcy laughs, highlighting the unexpected responsibilities that come with creative leadership. Their journey from receiving a random text message about collaborating to now seeing their show's title on the marquee reflects the organic way artistic partnerships form in community theater.

Musical Director Joey Rice and Choreographer Maddie McGowan offer fascinating insights into the show's eclectic musical style and movement vocabulary. Joey describes the score as "a parody of musicals in general," while Maddie explains how the constantly shifting musical genres have allowed her to experiment with everything from gospel-inspired choreography to jazz movements.

The team dives deep into "Urinetown" itself - a dark political satire about capitalism, environmental collapse, and revolution. Set in a dystopian world where severe water shortages have led to corporatized bathroom access, the show uses humor and musical theater tropes to explore serious themes about social control and activism that sometimes focuses "too hard on slogans without getting to the actual heart of the matter."

What makes this conversation particularly resonant is hearing how community theater serves as an incubator for artistic growth. From performers who thought they were "done with theater forever" after high school finding new creative avenues, to the supportive mentorship that helps first-time directors navigate production challenges, the episode beautifully captures how local theaters build tomorrow's creative leaders.

Join us for this delightful conversation and then experience "Urinetown the Musical" yourself July 5-19 at 7th Street Community Theatre. Get tickets at chinochildrenstheater.org or by calling 909-590-1149.

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Dive into the enchanting world of "The Mole Hill Stories" with director Jesse Pyle as she unveils the creative journey behind Chino Community Theater's latest production. This magical bilingual adaptation transforms three beloved children's tales by Lois Ehlert into a celebration of friendship, nature, and cultural diversity.

What makes this production truly special is its focus on developing new talent. Half of the twelve-member cast are making their theatrical debuts, while student directors Sebastian Olguin and Maya Mansour guide individual segments under Pyle's mentorship. The production features a vibrant, interactive set inspired by the original book illustrations, with creative solutions like slides and climbing elements that bring the stories to life for performers and audiences alike.

Behind the scenes, the show represents a beautiful intersection of generations. Four-year-old Jasper Pyle performs alongside experienced young actors, while student designers create lighting that transforms the moon and sun with the flip of a switch. The collaborative nature of community theater shines through as families work together both onstage and off—designing costumes that capture character essence rather than literal representations, building innovative set pieces, and crafting ambient soundscapes that enhance the storytelling.

"The Mole Hill Stories" offers the perfect introduction to theater for audiences of all ages. With three interconnected tales presented in bite-sized segments, the production creates an accessible, engaging experience that celebrates both English and Spanish language traditions. Whether you're bringing children to their first live performance or seeking a unique Father's Day outing, this production runs for just two weekends (July 13-22) and promises to be a feast for the eyes and imagination.

Experience the magic for yourself! Grab tickets at ChinoChildrensTheater.org, follow @CCCTbuzz on social media, or support these emerging artists by calling the box office at 909-590-1149.

 June 13-21

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