Three decades ago, Marietta Phinney, a music teacher in Hyde Park’s Readville neighborhood, realized that local children weren’t getting enough exposure to the arts. So in her backyard she created Riverside Theatre Works, named for the running brook beside her house.

 

Riverside grew quickly, but those early years were hard. One night, Ms. Phinney sat in her kitchen with a cup of tea, wondering how to go on. Then she read the tagline on her Salada tea bag: “Only those who see the invisible can do the impossible.”

 

Those encouraging words became Ms. Phinney’s slogan, shared with each new generation of Riverside students. Today, Riverside Theatre Works is a mainstay of Hyde Park and the surrounding area, offering quality productions, musical theater training, and community outreach. Riverside alumni have appeared on Broadway, in national tours, and on stages around Boston. Many return to Riverside, their “second home,” to sing, dance, teach, and inspire the next crop of young performers.