Riverview Theatre Company joined Tom Steffens to help celebrate his twenty years as a church member/organist/music director at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Woodstock on Sunday, February 21. Tom and his musical friends and family came together for an evening of jazz, musical theater favorites, Irish/Celtic music, and original compositions. Over $3,000 in free will donations was collected during the concert to support the congregation's Latino Outreach Program! A wine and cheese reception followed the concert.
For more information regarding this event, the Latino Outreach Program, the musicians or Riverview Theatre Company, please call 815.354.7796 or email us.

Feedback (posted 7/28/08)

Thanks so much for putting together this theater company.

I went to the play last night, partly to show support for the first ever "Play in the Park", hopefully there will be many more, and partly to see your group (well, and Shakespeare play!).

I was most impressed. Usually when you go to a community theater play, there is one actor who is a clinker, and I never saw that. Wonderful performance.  Even though, sitting in the back, it was hard to hear, my 8 year old son enjoyed it too, getting the biggest belly laughs at the comic relief of the character Bottom, and other choice moments. I went thinking we'd be lucky to get to intermission, but we made it all the way through.

I was surprised to have never heard of your group, and really wished I could have seen the play at what must have been the quieter performance on the lake. As one who has been, let's say, more of a patron of the arts, than a actor, and seen professional plays in New York, Chicago, and community theatre all over the Chicago suburbs, I have sung in high school choral groups, and community choirs, as well as done some light stage work in high school, and some tech work in high school, as well as after graduation.  I was dismayed when we moved from Schaumburg to McHenry, to see the closest thing to regular community theater was only in Woodstock. I not only wanted to attend, but perhaps get involved, or eventually, get my son involved. I know there are a couple other opportunities for kids, but not for adults. It was a wonderstroke to get the performance in the park, for advertising alone, for your troupe.

Anyway, keep up the good work. I hope to check out more plays, and perhaps get involved in the future, in between raising a family and my day gig. Congratulations.

PS I go to the weekly summer jazz concerts at the gazebo, and the sound system they have gets them over the amazing number of motorcycles and noisy cars, I know it's expensive, but your play was so good, it's a shame we in the back missed so much of it, more mics / amplification is needed. I still loved it, it was like watching a Spanish TV station, when you don't know the language, you still get something out of the music, lighting, sound, facial expression, body movement, special effects, but you know you are missing something! 8*)

Thanks.
~ Donald Malzahn