But then he points to the fabulous costumes and choreography that accompanied "Cats" in season nine. Not to mention the artistic achievement of "Evita" and the sparkle of the youngsters who starred in the theater's productions of "Oliver!" and "The Sound of Music."

"In terms of the caliber of presentations, it has exceeded my expectations," said Wehman.

"In terms of the absolute number of challenges that take place, that has also exceeded my expectations," he said, laughing. "Sometimes I walk out here and look at the grounds and think, 'This is a miracle.'"

He gives a lot of credit to the facility's original investors, who believed in the project and were willing to spend money upfront to make sure the theater and convention center were state-of-the art. At least 10 current employees, from stage technicians to box-office associates, have worked at Riverside since Day One, Wehman said.

The team operates like a tight-knit family, he said, despite the facility's growing profile. Actors auditioning for parts hail not just from Fredericksburg but from New York, Philadelphia and North Carolina. Reviewers travel a considerable distance to see the shows as well.

It didn't hurt that in 2010, Riverside was the only theater in the Mid-Atlantic region to be licensed to stage "Chicago."

It was similarly good for business when actress Sally Struthers of "All in the Family" fame agreed to star in the theater's season 14 opener, "Hello, Dolly!" Every performance was sold out--and each ended in a standing ovation.

'A LOT OF SHENANIGANS'

Theater officials say they expect "Anything Goes" to be popular as well. The story follows a young Wall Street broker who stows away on a cruise ship in the hope of winning one particular passenger's heart. He gets help from Halenda's character--along with a few fugitive gangsters.

Several Riverside veterans round out the cast, including Kim Fox Knight ("Hairspray" and "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas"), Mason Reich ("Cabaret") and Robert Beard ("Fiddler on the Roof"). The show is directed by Justin Amelio with choreography by Penny Ayn Maas, who also choreographed "Cabaret."

Come prepared to have a good time, said Halenda.

"It's a tongue-in-cheek vaudeville farce. There's a little bit of love, mistaken identity, a lot of shenanigans. There's tap-dancing. There's singing, love ballads and comedy. Nothing deep," she said. "It's like an ice cream cone--sweet, light and fluffy."

Edie Gross: 540/374-5428
Email: egross@freelancestar.com