Thespians and Literature Lovers Unite

Thespians and literary enthusiasts joined together for the 21st annual Dickens Festival held in Downtown Riverside in late February. The idea originated from the goal of driving more spending power to the Riverside area. Carolyn Grant and Joan Patton brought the issue to the City and introduced the idea saying that a festival would help boost local businesses and attract new ones too. Since many places had Shakespeare Festivals, Riverside decided to step out of the box and devote their Festival to Charles Dickens and the Victorian era. The event, which began in 1993, has grown over the years and stretched over Main Street, shares Brenda Beers, Treasurer and Chairman of the Oliver Alley. Pedestrians can be seen – many in Victorian-inspired costumes – walking the streets and enjoying the music, food, theatrical plays, and clothing choices. A few of the attendees were so well dressed in Victorian era garb, it was difficult to determine if they were actors or not. Children were able to have a tea party with the Queen of Hearts, Jane Eubanks, and Adult Alice, DeeAnna Stewart, from Wonderland over at Oliver Alley. Children were also able to make dolls based on those from the 19th century and make clothes to dress their newly-made dolls in. For attendees who preferred a little theatrical indulgence many of Riverside's theaters entertained the crowd with live performances, some written by local students from local middle and high schools. The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Dickens’ final and unfinished novel, was performed at the St. James Theater. A lecture about Charles Dickens was given by Ray Crosby, a student receiving his doctorate, at the Victorian Theatre. At the Riverside Historical Courthouse audiences were able to experience the mystery theater play written by local attorney Richard Reed named “The Trial of Jack Ripper.” For the play, the audience is brought into the unsolved mystery of Jack the Ripper, an infamous killer who murdered five prostitutes in the Whitechapel District of London in 1888. The audiences learned about the five murders, were able to view photos, and experienced what the five victims suffered through testimonies bringing audiences close to the murder that shocked the era. Brian and Jamie Dwyer, returned visitors, came dressed as Prudence Halworthy and Argyle Pettigrew, agreed that they loved the festival and were enjoying their day out. Sisters Margaret Jones and Jessica Reeves of Chino came to the festival for the first time and share that they can’t wait to return next year. “I really enjoyed myself. Not only am I a lover of literature I also teach English Literature so I am really having a good time here,” said Margaret who is an adjunct professor at Mt San Jacinto College. Mother Wendy came with her daughter Emily last year and couldn’t wait to bring all of her children back this year. “It was such a wonderful experience I had to bring them all this year to appreciate what the festival had to offer.” Janet Funderbunk, President of the Festival for the past eight years, was very pleased with the outcome of this year’s event, her last as presiding president. The Festival was full of classical and accurate events to the time of which it was devoted to- organizers knew that Charles Dickens would be proud. In the words of Dickens, “The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.” The event will return to it admirers far and near in 2015.