“Two drifters, off to see the world,” promises Johnny Mercer’s classic 1961 song “Moon River.”
For co-founders John Paul (JP) Rivard and Rose Sambrano, that line feels a lot like a mission statement. Together, they’ve launched Moonriver Theater Company, a new troupe for working adults, and it’s stepping into the spotlight with the contemporary musical If/Then.
“The name was chosen because it captures everything we hope theater can be,” Rivard said of the company, pointing out that it’s also a quiet tribute to his family surname. “A river is never still. It moves, changes, twists and finds new paths around every bend.”
The two “drifters,” in this case, certainly took a meandering route to this new company. Rivard has been a performer for 27 years as well as a director and choreographer, working all over the region from Truckee to Carson City. Sambrano, whose talents are mostly used behind the scenes (costuming, stage managing and other production aspects), met Rivard while working with the Western Nevada Musical Theater Company (WNMTC) in Carson City several years ago. The two began talking, post-COVID, about the possibility of starting a new company that could fill gaps in the local theater scene.
Not the same old song and dance
“JP and I both did some theater in college and in our adult lives, and we found that it’s very difficult to find adult-focused theater,” Sambrano said, adding that they wanted to explore types of theater that weren’t currently being done locally.
“I’ve worked at pretty much every local theater company and loved every single one,” Rivard said. “I found there was a missing niche of theater for working adults (who want to perform). You see companies focusing on adult theater that features youth, and there are a lot of companies that focus on children or college students, which is fabulous—but we lose a lot of the adults who either don’t get cast or tend to get worried about a rehearsal schedule being too demanding. We wanted to fill that space and work with people of all different levels of talent who just can’t always commit to a four- or five-day-a-week rehearsal schedule … and focus on stories that are just not being done.”
A quick look at local 2026 theater schedules bears this out—they include Cabaret, Hell’s Kitchen, The Sound of Music, Mean Girls and Les Misérables, all beloved but well-known classics.
“We really wanted to bring something new and fresh to the community and maybe educate audiences that there are a lot of other shows no one’s touching,” Rivard said.
That extends to a new commedia dell’arte troupe, featuring a rotating ensemble of about six to 12 actors performing in the traditional Renaissance style. This ancient Italian theatrical form emphasizes ensemble acting, improvisation, mask work and high levels of physical comedy. It’s considered the beginning of modern clowning.
Rivard and Sambrano envision bringing the little troupe to special events, show openings and intermissions, Renaissance fairs, Shakespeare festivals and the like.
Moonriver officially launched in January, with a fundraising gala it called, appropriately enough, Currents; it was a revue of several performances, including song selections in an assortment of musical and dramatic styles, a glimpse of the commedia dell’arte group, and a peek at If/Then, the company’s first full production, which will run July 23-26 at the theater at the new Procter R. Hug High School in Sparks, then Aug. 13-16 at the Carson City Community Center’s Bob Boldrick Theatre.
The road not taken
While many existing theater companies primarily produce plays with the occasional musical, Rivard and Sambrano plan to take the opposite approach, with musicals being their main focus. If/Then exemplifies the type of work they want to tackle.
Written by Brian Yorkey, with music by Tom Kitt, If/Then is a contemporary musical that made its Broadway premiere, featuring Idina Menzel in the lead role, in 2014. It tells the story of Elizabeth, a woman in her late 30s who has divorced and moved back to her hometown, New York City, to restart her life. It could be described as exploring the butterfly effect; we see Elizabeth (Liz in one story, Beth in the other) in two parallel timelines. The show delves into the classic conundrum many women face: family vs. career and the sacrifices involved in choosing one over the other.
In the lead role of Elizabeth is Emily Ramey, who currently works as vice president for the Tahoe Truckee Theatre Company; Rivard pointed out that although her work heavily involves producing theater, she rarely gets opportunities to perform, which makes a company such as Moonriver a valuable opportunity. The company also includes a mix of frequently seen actors—Jeff Chamberlin and Adam Semas, who often appear in local productions with some of the more well-known companies—as well as other talented individuals whose various commitments (work, family) may have made performing with any other company difficult.
Among them is Rhoda Thalman, a member of the If/Then ensemble. A graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York with experience performing musical theater in New York and Hawaii, Thalman stepped away from the theater for a number of years to begin her family. Thalman worked in real estate before she and her husband opened Mythic Gymnastics at The Generator in Sparks, which they have offered up as one of Moonriver’s rehearsal spaces. Thalman also brings experience in hula, Japanese Taiko drumming, and a variety of Asian theatrical styles such as kabuki and Balinese shadow puppetry, and she hopes Moonriver will become a venue for exploring those different performance styles.
“It’s been a really fun experience to get back in there and connect to where my heart is,” Thalman said, explaining that while Moonriver offers a lot of flexibility for the demands of life, the founders are not easing up on quality. “I like the way Rose and JP are structuring this company. It’s very accepting of all sorts, and they’re trying to be flexible with everyone to make it work. They’re also really choosy about the talent. From my background in New York, I like when things are structured that way; sometimes community theater can be very lackadaisical.”
Steven Moore, an ensemble member and the show’s dance captain, is a longtime performer and even experienced two national tours before stepping away from the stage. He had taken a seven-year hiatus before returning, at Rivard’s urging. He’s excited about the themes that If/Then conveys.
“It’s a wonderful exploration about the different roads your life can take, and what impact small choices can have,” he said, adding that he enjoys the ensemble work for If/Then. “The ensemble really fills out the show and brings the world to life. They’re the people in the park, the patrons in the bar … they make the world feel alive. And there are so many moments in this show where our character is on one arc of her life, and we’re acting a certain way, then in a moment, it shifts to another timeline where we’re shifting our positions or attitudes, so it keeps us on our toes.”
Georgia McKnight, another ensemble member, has appeared in multiple shows with WNMTC; Rivard calls her a massive talent with enormous potential, and he feels lucky to have her on board with this show, as well as with the commedia dell’arte troupe. McKnight—a bubbly, passionate natural performer with excellent singing chops—is also humble and grateful to have this opportunity to refine her acting and dancing skills, as well as the physicality inherent in the commedia work.
“I absolutely love doing ensemble, because you’re able to join in with all the gorgeous harmonies and singing together as a unit,” she said, adding that the feeling of community provided by the company is one of her favorite things about it. “We’re able to have breaks in between, every other day, so, as an adult, I thank them for that! They’re also doing shows that a lot of companies don’t do. I love a classic show, but I definitely wanted something kind of different, and a little more cutting edge.”
As Rivard explained, the company’s themes mirror that classic song that was part of the inspiration for its name.
“Written as a reflection on life’s journey, the song speaks of dreaming, wandering and following the path—or river—that calls to us,” Rivard said.
He’s hoping this show, and the company presenting it, will call to audiences, too.
Moonriver Theater Company presents its premiere show, If/Then, Thursday through Sunday, July 23-26, at Procter R. Hug High School, at 3530 Sullivan Lane, in Sparks; and Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 13-16, at the Carson City Community Center, at 851 E. William St., in Carson City. Tickets are $27, or $22 for students, seniors and military members. To purchase tickets, visit moonrivertheatercompany.com. Follow @moonriver_theater_company on Instagram, Moonriver Theater Company on Facebook. and Moonriver Theater on TikTok.