Riverside Children's Theatre Saturday School
Church on The Hill, 19069 Van Buren Blvd., Ste 114-393, Riverside, CA 92508
About
Riverside Children's Theatre Saturday School offers drama instruction that includes acting, dance, vocal music, supplemental enrichment, and production-related activities. Students can also learn about make-up and stage crew skills as part of the program. Saturday School is the mandatory activity of the Riverside Children’s Theatre (RCT) program, and participation in productions is limited to students currently enrolled in Saturday School.
• Ages: 5–13 years old
• Schedule: Classes meet most Saturdays, typically 16 class days from late August through March/April, from 8:50 a.m. to noon.
Classes are broken up into Fall, Spring, and mandatory Intersession blocks. Students receive instruction from experienced and qualified teachers every class day. RCT presents two musical productions each year, usually held in the fall and the spring, and all children who choose to audition for these productions receive a part. Each production has three hired directors, who are not parents of current members, and they decide roles based on auditions, grade level, ability, and various other factors. After casting, students may be required to rehearse as much as two hours every weeknight during the rehearsal period before opening night.
Riverside Children’s Theatre is a non-profit organization and is described as the leading children’s theater in Riverside County with an award-winning performing arts school and performance troupe. RCT has won awards from the Inland Theater League and the Press Enterprise. Since 1957, RCT has introduced thousands of children from Riverside and surrounding communities to theater. The organization states that it does not unlawfully discriminate internally or externally on the basis of race, political orientation, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, mental or physical disability, or any other status prohibited by applicable law.
RCT is an all-volunteer organization that relies on parents to run all aspects of Saturday School and its two annual productions. Committees support set building, designing costumes, selling ads for programs, operating the concession stand during Saturday School, and working in the make-up room or gift boutique during productions. RCT is open for enrollment for children in grades K through 8, with opportunities for students in grades 9 and up to participate in a Tech class focused on production, make-up, and stage crew skills. Jessie Fuller and Kristin Yellam serve as community ambassadors, acting as liaisons between residents, local community groups, and RCT, and Derrick Brown seeks sponsors throughout the community.
The mission of Riverside Children’s Theatre is to make live theatre a positive, fun, and fulfilling experience for all by providing high quality theatre education through Saturday classes that enable students to enhance their acting skills through participation in plays. The leadership team includes Chenique Piper-Williams (President), Dr. Rhiannon Little-Surowski (Vice-President), Geoff Klinge (Parent Liaison), Teresa N. Timms (Treasurer AP), JoAnne Brenton (Treasurer AR), Terrena Hall and Leah Alldredge (Co-Curriculum Chairs), Melissa Lane (Secretary), Melissa Gonzales (Membership Chair), John-Paul Wolf and AJ (Merchandising Co-Chairs), Chantal Dowing and Genevieve Luhrs (Co-Grant Writing Chairs), Kimberly Messenger (Production Sales Chair), Derrick Brown (Ways and Means Chair), Cagney Slaughter (Public Relations Chair), Emerald Gonzalez (Producer, advisory non-voting), Jon Cross (IT Chair/Help Desk, advisory non-voting), Jackie Burns and Imelda Sastrawinata (Alumni Chairs, advisory non-voting), and Jessie Fuller and Kristin Yellam (Community Ambassadors, advisory non-voting).
Last updated March 15, 2026.
• Ages: 5–13 years old
• Schedule: Classes meet most Saturdays, typically 16 class days from late August through March/April, from 8:50 a.m. to noon.
Classes are broken up into Fall, Spring, and mandatory Intersession blocks. Students receive instruction from experienced and qualified teachers every class day. RCT presents two musical productions each year, usually held in the fall and the spring, and all children who choose to audition for these productions receive a part. Each production has three hired directors, who are not parents of current members, and they decide roles based on auditions, grade level, ability, and various other factors. After casting, students may be required to rehearse as much as two hours every weeknight during the rehearsal period before opening night.
Riverside Children’s Theatre is a non-profit organization and is described as the leading children’s theater in Riverside County with an award-winning performing arts school and performance troupe. RCT has won awards from the Inland Theater League and the Press Enterprise. Since 1957, RCT has introduced thousands of children from Riverside and surrounding communities to theater. The organization states that it does not unlawfully discriminate internally or externally on the basis of race, political orientation, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, mental or physical disability, or any other status prohibited by applicable law.
RCT is an all-volunteer organization that relies on parents to run all aspects of Saturday School and its two annual productions. Committees support set building, designing costumes, selling ads for programs, operating the concession stand during Saturday School, and working in the make-up room or gift boutique during productions. RCT is open for enrollment for children in grades K through 8, with opportunities for students in grades 9 and up to participate in a Tech class focused on production, make-up, and stage crew skills. Jessie Fuller and Kristin Yellam serve as community ambassadors, acting as liaisons between residents, local community groups, and RCT, and Derrick Brown seeks sponsors throughout the community.
The mission of Riverside Children’s Theatre is to make live theatre a positive, fun, and fulfilling experience for all by providing high quality theatre education through Saturday classes that enable students to enhance their acting skills through participation in plays. The leadership team includes Chenique Piper-Williams (President), Dr. Rhiannon Little-Surowski (Vice-President), Geoff Klinge (Parent Liaison), Teresa N. Timms (Treasurer AP), JoAnne Brenton (Treasurer AR), Terrena Hall and Leah Alldredge (Co-Curriculum Chairs), Melissa Lane (Secretary), Melissa Gonzales (Membership Chair), John-Paul Wolf and AJ (Merchandising Co-Chairs), Chantal Dowing and Genevieve Luhrs (Co-Grant Writing Chairs), Kimberly Messenger (Production Sales Chair), Derrick Brown (Ways and Means Chair), Cagney Slaughter (Public Relations Chair), Emerald Gonzalez (Producer, advisory non-voting), Jon Cross (IT Chair/Help Desk, advisory non-voting), Jackie Burns and Imelda Sastrawinata (Alumni Chairs, advisory non-voting), and Jessie Fuller and Kristin Yellam (Community Ambassadors, advisory non-voting).
Last updated March 15, 2026.
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