WCR Center for the Arts, 140 N. Fifth St., Reading, has unveiled an exciting new season of performances that celebrate the power of live arts to educate, inspire, and connect audiences. From moving personal storytelling and world-class chamber music to powerful historical performances and interactive musical experiences, this season offers something for everyone.

“Our 2026-2027 season is a celebration of artistic excellence, community, and the stories that connect us,” said Jayme Rhoads, chair, WCR Center for the Arts programs and events committee, and board member. “As our nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, we are especially proud to present a season that honors our shared heritage while embracing the creativity and diversity that define the performing arts today in our historic building,”

The schedule:

“TRICH,” written and performed by Becca Schneider, directed by Jenn Haltman and Casey Pfeifer, Sept. 15, 7 p.m.; Sept. 26 and 27, 2 p.m.:  his heartfelt one-person theatrical performance explores life with trichotillomania through humor, vulnerability, and a healthy dose of 1990s nostalgia. Audiences will follow the story of a teenage girl navigating mental health, isolation, and the journey toward healing in a production that is both deeply personal and surprisingly funny. Tickets: $20. Students: Free with valid student ID.

“SONOS: Coming to America — A 250-Year Musical Journey,” Nov. 22,  3 p.m.: SONOS is chamber music with a twist. Led by acclaimed pianist Rachel Franklin alongside violinist Christian Tremblay and fretless bass player Jonathan Miles Brown, the ensemble presents Coming to America — a moving musical journey celebrating the diverse cultures and traditions that have shaped the United States. The program features spirituals, immigration songs, jazz, and classical masterworks spanning Beethoven, Dvorak, Bernstein, Chick Corea, and more. Tickets: $25.

“Strings of Hope: RMF100 — Concerts for a Century,” March 6, 2027, 7:30 p.m.: A remarkable multimedia performance, Strings of Hope brings together violins that survived both the Holocaust and the Hiroshima atomic bombing. Through live music, film, and spoken word, audiences will experience the extraordinary journeys of these historic instruments and the musicians who carried them across generations. This unforgettable performance honors resilience while delivering a message of peace, hope, and humanity. Tickets: $30.

Guitar-A-Rama, April 17, 2027,  5 p.m.: Under the direction of Dave Kline, this evening-long celebration of guitar features performances by the Quarantine Quartet, a family guitar ensemble from Brooklyn, N.Y., along with Grammy Award-winning guitarist David Cullen. The event includes workshops for musicians of all instruments and concludes with a community jam session. Admission: Free.

For more information, visit wcrcenter.org.

Opera

Long before a rock musical asked how to measure a year, a 19th-century masterpiece set the standard for youthful passion and tragic heartbreak. Berks Opera Company brings that timeless story into the 21st century with a modern production of “La Boheme” set in Reading.

The show opens Saturday at the Miller Center for the Arts, 4 N. Second St., Reading, launching a rare, back-to-back theatrical alignment just one week before Reading Civic Theatre offers the famous 1996 Broadway adaptation, “Rent”.

This calendar coincidence is entirely unplanned, as Berks Opera Company conceptualized its vision before learning of the neighboring theater group’s schedule. In an ironic twist, this production actually mirrors the contemporary timeline of its rock counterpart by lifting the 19th-century characters out of historic Paris and placing them directly into a modern local cityscape.

“We did not plan this,” said Tamara Black, artistic director of Berks Opera Company, reflecting on the back-to-back scheduling. “I think our lighting designer mentioned it just a few weeks ago.”

The company’s updated staging trades the Latin Quarter and the River Seine for familiar local backdrops, moving the characters’ tragic journey near Penn Street, the Schuylkill River and beneath the shadow of the Pagoda.

“Our amazing photographer, John Pankratz, is taking photos of Reading, which will be projected onto the sets,” Black said. “We will also see scenes from Mike’s Tavern, a beloved Reading location.”

While the opera’s setting has shifted in time and place, the emotional core of “La Boheme” remains untouched. The production will be performed exactly as Puccini intended musically, featuring the original, soaring Italian score with English supertitles projected for the audience. By blending world-class operatic vocals with a local visual setting, Berks Opera Company bridges the gap between grand tradition and community storytelling.

The cast features soprano Suzannah Waddington as the doomed seamstress, Mimì, alongside local favorite Fred Schlick as Mimì’s lover, Rodolfo. The tale’s spitfire Musetta is portrayed by Mary Fetterman, with Tom Sitzler as passionate painter Marcello and John TK Scherch, morning announcer for Philadelphia-based classical and jazz radio station WRTI, as the intellectual Colline.

Supported by a premier ensemble, the production is directed by Joel Gori and fully staged with a live orchestra under the baton of conductor Brent Chancellor.

“What I love about this opera is that it tells the universal story about youthful aspirations,” Gori said. “Written in 1895 and originally set in Paris in 1830, it shows that many decades later there is scarcely any difference in the hopefulness and dreams of one’s youth.

“Freedom, optimism and romance are part of the process individuals experience to understand and accept the realities of life; these are the stepping-stones we often slip off as we face the world. For older eyes, it reminds us of that time when we felt life was our oyster. When we felt unencumbered to sustain our desires. Even the struggles became romanticized jubilance … until they weren’t.”

The upcoming production marks Berks County’s first professional staging of a classic opera in nearly 10 years.

Because its narrative directly inspired the creation of “Rent,” the scheduling alignment offers a rare look at the exact evolution of the classic story from 19th-century opera to 20th-century rock musical and 21st-century Reading.

“The coincidence of the two companies doing the two shows exactly a week apart is an interesting one and certainly was not planned,” said Jeanette DeAngelo, president of the Reading Civic Theater Board of Trustees. “I had never realized, until I spoke to Tammy after discovering this coincidence, the exact parallels between Jonathan Larson’s musical and Puccini’s opera. The narratives and characters are in parallel, in fact my research found every ‘Rent’ character to be a one-to-one modernization of their ‘La Boheme’ counterpart, but the settings, music and endings set the two works apart.”

Adult tickets are available for $20 to $40, and admission for children and students is free. Tickets are available online at millercenter.racc.edu. Tickets may also be reserved by phone via the box office by calling 610-607-6270 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Theater

Reading Civic Theatre, 4350 Perkiomen Ave., Exeter Township, will hold auditions for “A Christmas Carol The Musical,” with music by Alan Menken. Director Andrew Angstadt is seeking a large, diverse, and energetic cast of vocalists, dancers, and actors of all ages (including youth roles) to bring this timeless Charles Dickens tale of redemption to life.

A perusal night will be held on Aug. 25 from 6:30-9 p.m. This is a chance to review the material, learn the story and characters, get an overview of the music and meet the staff for the production; Amy Bourey is the music director and Kirsten Bortz the choreographer.

Auditions will be held on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at 6 p.m., with callbacks on Sept. 2.

“This version of A Christmas Carol is truly uplifting, heartwarming and will fill you with hope, change, and most importantly Christmas spirit!” Angstadt said, “We are looking for actors who are ready to sing their hearts out, dance with tapping, waltzing and more, and bring dynamic energy to the stage. Whether you’re an experienced performer or a young talent looking to get involved, we encourage everyone, even as a family, to come share their gifts.”

Sign up for an audition slot at readingcivic.org. For vocals, prepare the musical selections from the website. If called back for acting/dancing, be prepared to learn at short dance and possible a cold read from the script. Bring a headshot and theatrical resume if available.

Rehearsals will begin on Sept. 14 at 1 p.m. Performances will be Dec. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13.