Keith Baker News

Bristol Riverside Theatre announces its 2018-2019 season including a world premiere musical, a Neil Simon comedy, an American classic, a one-woman tour-de-force, and a stirring contemporary drama by an Obie Award-winning playwright.  The new season features The Rivals with book and lyrics by Peter Kellogg and music by Stephen Weiner; The Sunshine Boys by Neil Simon; On Golden Pond by Ernest Thompson; Erma Bombeck: At Wit's End; and The Christians by Lucas Hnath.

Bristol Riverside Theatre ends its mainstage season triumphantly with the farcical period-piece musical Triumph of Love, based on the play by Marivaux, with book by James Magruder, music by Jeffrey Stock, and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead on May 1-20. Directed by Keith Baker, music directed by Douglass Lutz, and choreographed by Stephen Casey, the ensemble cast features Jake Delaney, Joy Franz, Adam Hoyak, Alex Keiper, Rebecca Robbins, Danny Rutigliano, and Carl Wallnau.

It's 'Springtime for Hitler' and all his outrageous cohorts in the new production of The Producers now playing at the Bristol Riverside Theater, Bristol Pa.

Bristol Riverside Theatre presents Lonesome Traveler: The Concert on April 11-15.  This stirring concert version of the acclaimed Off-Broadway musical showcases the enduring power and popularity of American folk music in the last century.  The show celebrates the music of great folk artists including Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Peter Seeger and the Weavers, Gordon Lightfoot, Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan, The Byrds, Donovan, Cat Stevens, Don McClean, James Taylor, and Van Morrison, with a special tribute to Leonard Cohen.  Complete with period costumes and multimedia projections, this unforgettable concert event features romantic duets, patriotic songs, church hymns, union anthems, and songs of protest, moving from the 1920s to the 1960s and beyond, from the front porches of Appalachia to the nightclubs of San Francisco and New York.

Bristol Riverside Theatre presents the ever-popular musical The Producers with book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan and music and lyrics by Mel Brooks on March 6-April 1. The multiple Tony-award winning musical is directed by Keith Baker, music directed by Douglass Lutz, with choreography by Stephen Casey and starring Danny Rutigliano and Michael Doherty and featuring Nicole Benoit, Fred Inkley, Morgan W. Reynolds, Jo Twiss, and Danny Vaccaro. The ensemble features Luke Bradt, Kathryn Brunner, Nicole Calabrese, Zachary J. Chiero, John D. DiFerdinando, Becca Goebel, Louis Jannuzzi III, Lauren Krigel, Patrick Ludt, Niklaus Patrick Miller, James E. Ofalt, Dominick Sannelli, Erika Wasko, and Keith Watford.

Bristol Riverside Theatre heads into the new year with Donald Margulies' Pulitzer Prize-winning classic Time Stands Still January 23-February 11. Directed by Susan D. Atkinson, the ensemble cast includes Laura Giknis, Eleanor Handley, Michael Satow, and Danny Vaccaro.

Bristol Riverside Theatre takes the chill of winter out of the air with its heartwarming holiday concert An American Christmas Songbook, running December 7-17, 2017. Music director Keith Baker and the BRT Concert Band present traditional carols and new arrangements of popular holiday songs sung by BRT favorites Demetria Joyce Bailey, Philip Chaffin, Maggie Griffin-Smith, Luke Grooms, Amy Spencer, Keith Spencer, Dwayne Washington, and Tasha Waters.

Bristol Riverside Theatre takes the chill of winter out of the air with its heartwarming holiday concert An American Christmas Songbook, running December 7-17, 2017. Music director Keith Baker and the BRT Concert Band present traditional carols and new arrangements of popular holiday songs sung by BRT favorites Demetria Joyce Bailey, Philip Chaffin, Maggie Griffin-Smith, Luke Grooms, Amy Spencer, Keith Spencer, Dwayne Washington, and Tasha Waters.

Learning to age gracefully is the theme of Bristol Riverside Theatre's next Mainstage production, Quartet by Ron Harwood running October 31-November 19. Directed by Susan D. Atkinson, the ensemble cast features Keith Baker, Joy Franz, Laural Merlington, and Nick Ullett.

Learning to age gracefully is the theme of Bristol Riverside Theatre's next Mainstage production, Quartet by Ron Harwood running October 31-November 19. Directed by Susan D. Atkinson, the ensemble cast features Keith Baker, Joy Franz, Laural Merlington, and Nick Ullett.

 Bristol Riverside Theatre spells F-U-N when it opens its Mainstage season with the multiple Tony Award-winner The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, and conceived by Rebecca Feldman, running September 19-October 15.  Directed by Amy Kaissar, the ensemble cast features Will Carlyon, Andrew Coleman, Leigha Kato, Kathryn McCreary, Joshua Morgan, Robert Smythe, Phebe Taylor, T.J. Wagner, and Brooke Wetterhahn.

Bristol Riverside Theatre concludes its Summer Music Fest series with BROADWAY THEN AND NOW on August 10-20 with a trip to the Great White Way, BRT style.  Broadway Then & Now features all the hits of Broadway in one sensational concert, from shows like Guys and Dolls, Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady and more.  Keith Baker and the BRT Concert Band are joined by BRT veterans Maggie Griffin-Smith, Luke Grooms, Keith Spencer, and Tasha Waters, with Kristin Titus making her BRT debut.

Bristol Riverside Theatre explores the Sounds of Silence as the Guthrie Brothers present  Scarborough Fair: A Tribute to Simon & Garfunkel on July 26-30.  From their mesmerizing rendition of "The Sound of Silence" to their playful version of "Cecilia," the Guthrie Brothers take audiences on a journey of one of the world's most recognized folk rock duos.  Through songs, stories and trivia, Jeb and Jock Guthrie blend their rich voices together to weave an enjoyable tapestry that leaves audience members falling in love again with the music of Simon and Garfunkel.  The combination of two guitars, two vocals and two brothers combine to give this Simon and Garfunkel tribute startling authenticity.

Bristol Riverside Theatre's Summer Music Fest celebrates the month of our country's birth with When America Sings on July 13-23. With songs like Coming to America, The Best is Yet to Come, and Let the River Run, this program takes a chart-topping road trip through our great nation. Keith Baker and the BRT Concert Band are joined by BRT veterans Demetria Joyce Bailey, Philip Chaffin, Joslynn Cortes, John D. DiFerdinando, Alanna J. Smith, and with Tasha Waters making her BRT debut.

Bristol Riverside Theatre concludes its 30th Anniversary season with Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution, running May 9-May 28.  Directed by Susan D. Atkinson, the high-voltage thriller by the Queen of Crime drama features an ensemble of professional actors.

Bristol Riverside Theatre announces its Summer Music Fest's three-concert series featuring a kaleidoscope of styles - from pop music of the 50's to patriotic classics to the golden years of Broadway.

Community, collaboration and crime capture the mood at Bristol Riverside Theatre's production of Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution, running May 9-May 28.  Directed by Susan D. Atkinson, the high-voltage thriller by the Queen of Crime drama, which concludes BRT's 30th Anniversary Season, features an ensemble of professional actors Sharon Alexander, Keith Baker, Kenneth Boys, Hanna Gaffney,  Leonard C. Haas, Eleanor Handley, Thomas-Robert Irvin, Kyra Leeds, Matt Leisy, James Luse, William R. McHattie, Christopher J. Perugini, Carl Wallnau, Paul B. Weagraff, and Kylie Westerbeck performing alongside Bucks County community members Missy Andrews, Mari Bernhagen, Drew Burke, Melissa Bushey, David Owen Cashell, Sybil Cooper, Matthew DiMarino, Ginny Fairweather, Maryann Fanning, Michael Gearty, Regina Gluhski, Terri Hall, Sarah Konyves, Donna Rae Lee, Matt Lydon, Sr., Matt Lydon, Jr., Donna McCole, Ronald Pae, Eileen Peters, Dottie Polsenberg, Lesia Pryor, Patricia Rooney, Kurt Scholer, Marion M. Walter, Harriet Zeff, and Margie Zielinski.

Bristol Riverside Theatre hosts its 30th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, June 3 at 5:00 PM.  The evening honors Keith Baker's 25-year tenure as Artistic Director at BRT and concludes the 30th anniversary season of BRT. 

Director Keith Baker who celebrates his 30 years as Bristol's Artistic Director pushes the envelope without going over the top for Bristol's Jesus Christ Superstar.

Bristol Riverside Theatre presents the family show The Berenstain Bears LIVE! on April 22-23.  Performances are 11:00AM, 1:00PM and 3:00PM on both Saturday and Sunday.