REVIEW: ROSE TRIBUTE CONCERT—Rose Center Theater, Westminster

An Evening Celebrating 20 Years of the Stories That Shaped our Stage

DECEMBER 30, 2025—WESTMINSTER

For twenty years, the Rose Center Theater has served as a creative home for thousands of students, families, and professional artists. The well-traveled stage has supported not only emerging talent, but has empowered young performers to find their confidence, and produce a legacy of locally beloved productions that helped define the region’s cultural identity. It is where students found their footing, families gathered in the dark to watch stories unfold, and countless performers stepped onto a stage that has shaped their lives and careers forever.

On December 30th, that legacy and milestone was recognized in a one-night celebration of culture, community, musical artistry and gratitude in the form of a "Rose Tribute Concert."

Honoring the legacy of Friends of the Rose at Rose Center Theater, long-time managing director and artistic director Tim Nelson brought back to the stage all the budding artists, standout vocalists and even Broadway caliber professionals to once again reprise some of the most memorable shows which has shaped the venue’s creative footprint for more than two decades. The concert began at 7:30PM and ran for over two hours, offering the packed audience a chance to revisit favorite moments and reconnect with their most memorable performers.

It was indeed a grand celebration of a remarkable chapter in the life of the elegant Rose Center Theater (which boasts over two million audience attendees), as the Rose family helped to honor the artistry, dedication, and joy that has lived inside those walls for over twenty years now. For them, the theater is much more than a building. It’s a home for imagination and a gathering place for a community bound by art.

The "Rose Tribute Concert" arrives at a significant moment as well, as the Friends of the Rose prepare to conclude their residency in the current venue following the City of Westminster’s decision to repurpose the facility into a cultural center. The organization continues to look ahead with optimism, committed to its mission of supporting local talent and providing transformative performance experiences in the community.

“This is not a final curtain,” Nelson added. “It is a celebration of everything that has grown here and a reminder that our story continues. The heart of the Rose has always been its people, and that mission endures.”

In fact, before the show officially began, Assemblyman Tri Ta (Mayor Pro Tem 2008) representing California's 70th Assembly District, presented a legislative resolution and plaque to Tim Nelson, recognizing the theater group’s outstanding accomplishments over the years, and its continued impact in Westminster and surrounding cities, giving us all a measure of hope as we embrace what comes next.

Directed and Musically Directed by Tim Nelson, the tribute show, full of gorgeous singing, rhythmic dancing and splendid costumes was immensely appealing with non-stop energy, laughter and amazing vocals in a roster of signature hits, intimate, well-known ballads and epic showstoppers. The sheer power and talent captured in one room resulted in truly fantastic performances, featuring songs (to name only a few) from classics like COMPANY (“Being Alive” by Alex Bartosch); JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (“Joseph” by Mikey Smith; “Pharoah Story” by Kristin Caputo, Katherine Chapman, Autumn Kirkpatrick; and probably the most anticipated of the evening: “Song of a King,” by Vincent Aniceto & Company — an entrancingly quirky and immersive Elvis rocker); and PHANTOM (“This Place is Mine”) — a hilariously arrogant and possessive song sung by the diva Mary Murphy Nelson as she boasts about owning the opera house, made it the comedic high water mark of the evening for many in the audience.

A few other selected “all-girl” tunes from the canon delivered with sweet smiles and uncanny precision included “I Know Things Now” from INTO THE WOODS, embellished perfectly by the effervescent, skip-to-my-Lou Kristen Daniels; the gentle, pensive, and poignant ballad, “Feed the Birds” from MARY POPPINS by an astounding Cat Sacksteder; and in the wake of that was Tawni Bridenball, Taven Blanke and Natalie Sand in triumphant splendor in “Practically Perfect;” poles apart, the first act ended with frightening intensity as Chris Caputo romanticized “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” with the same foreboding trepidation as he did in the role of 2021.

After a wonderful prelude of bagpipes and snare drums from Nicholson Pipes and Drums, the BRIGHT BLUE SKY cast set up the start of a chilling nightmare of a day in pure innocence with “Another Day;” then Stephanie Bull revisited THE SECRET GARDEN with an incredible “Hold On;” Sofia Aniceto, along with Tavin Blanke next recreated a surreal OKLAHOMA! “Dream Ballet;” Alexis Karol, teaming with Mr. Nelson, took us through a wonderful tour of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE medley. Karen Rymar’s “Little Girls” from ANNIE melted many hearts; ANNIE'S theme song, “Tomorrow,” by Ava Madison Gray & Everly Marie Guerra (representing two different castings) was also gifted indeed; April Malina became Ariel once again with THE LITTLE MERMAID'S “Part of Your World;” Chris Caputo nails it yet again with MAN OF LA MOCHA; Kristin Caputo’s “Beauty and The Beast” brought up visions of Angela Lansbury; and finally, “Rainbow of His Love” was eternally memorialized in song with Tim Nelson and the cast of ROBIN HOOD AND THE WHITE ARROW, closing out perhaps the last appearance we may see of this cast together like this for quite some time.

All deserve many kudos and accolades for these outstanding evening performances. All the songs were instantly contagious, and the audience was smiling and clapping in appreciation of all the singers. And I’m sure eyes were opened that night to the remarkably rich and cultural achievements of Rose Center’s artistic contributions to Westminster and Orange County. In any event, this love-filled showcase, bursting with charm and heartwarming prowess, became an extraordinary journey through music, joy and retrospect from days gone by, perfect for the whole family, and, I’m sure, one which will live on continually in your memory for years to come.

FRIENDS OF THE ROSE CENTER THEATER PRESENTS, ROSE TRIBUTE CONCERT — AN EVENING CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF THE STORIES THAT SHAPED OUR STAGE, an RCT Musical Production. Conceived by TIM NELSON; Directed and Musically Directed by TIM NELSON; Choreographed by JENNIFER SIMPSON-MATTHEWS; Technical Direction/Scenic, Lighting & Projection Design by CHRIS CAPUTO; Production Manager SHERRÉ TITUS; Sound by JENNIFER SIMPSON-MATTHEWS, KAREN RYMAR & STU SELIG.

FEATURING: NATHAN ANDREAS; OLIVIA ANICETO; SANDY ANICETO; SOFIA ANICETO; VINCENT ANICETO; ALEX BARTOSCH; MATTHEW BARTOSCH; CHARITY BIELICKI; TAVEN BLANKE; TAWNI BRIDENBALL; ANDREW BROOME; GARRETT BROWN; JESSIE BROWN; STEPHANIE BULL; CHRIS CAPUTO; KRISTIN CAPUTO; KATHERINE CHATMAN; KRISTEN DANIELS; AVA MADISON GRAY; EVERLY MARIE GUERRA; BRITTANY ROSE HAMMOND; SARAH HENTGES; RYLIE HERBEL; HANNAH HUNTINGTON; AMANDA JEAN; ALEXIS KAROL; AUTUMN KIRKPATRICK; APRIL MALINA; JENNIFER MATTHEWS; JILLIAN MATTHEWS; KYLIE MATTHEWS; AVA MELGOZA; MARY MURPHY NELSON; TIM NELSON; KAREN RYMAR; CAT SACKSTEDER; NATALIE SAND; CLIFF SENIOR; MIKEY SMITH.

ROSE CENTER TRIBUTE was a one day performance at 7:30PM on December 30th, 2025. Please check email for news and/or fundraising efforts to support Orange County’s premier civic performing arts theater, The Rose Center Theater. For more information, please inquire at www.rosecentertheater.com

Chris Daniels

Arts & Entertainment Reviewer

The Show Report

Photo Credit: Rose Center Theater; Photo Montage: Vincent Aniceto