On the Cover
Amelia Rozear
In creating the cover for this issue, Amelia Rozear of Providence says she wanted to depict “the glow of warmth after a cold, cold winter. It’s the grandeur of spring […]
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Fat Ham
Reinventing a Shakespearean classic
FAT HAM by James Ijames, directed by Don Mays, is a funny, poignant play that deftly transposes Hamlet to a family barbecue in the American South to grapple with questions of identity, kinship, responsibility, and honesty. Wilbury...
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the night-time
Frailty of genius needs an audience!
Burbage Theatre Co presents The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, based on the novel by Mark Haddon, and adapted by Simon Stephens. Its title refers to a short story that features a...
Down, But Not Out
The ongoing saga of the Bristol Theatre Company
This is the second article in a series about community theaters located throughout RI. According to the American Theater Association, it has always been difficult to get an accurate count of community theaters in operation in...
Chill Cocktails, Cool Jazz, and Eclectic Books
RiffRaff celebrates new featured artist Adèle Saint-Pierre
“I’m not trying to say something specific with my artwork,” said Adèle Saint-Pierre at the March 14 launch of her exhibit at Riffraff Bookstore and Bar in the West End of Providence. “But that doesn’t...
Film Review
An embodied movie experience with Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door
The first time I saw a film by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, I was probably in my early twenties; it was Todo Sobre mi Madre (All About my Mother), and I couldn’t get enough of...
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Gather Glass Ice Cream Class
It’s rare to see today an interconnected community of artisans, chefs, farmers, and artists. It feels as though such fraternity is of a bygone era; something belonging to a European medieval market town where the...
Pistachios, Phyllo, & Providence
How baklava became my passport during Arab Heritage Month
Forget your passport — I just traveled 5,500 miles from Rhode Island to Syria with nothing but a fork and a sweet tooth. In a cozy corner of Providence, where college students usually hunt for...
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Growers Grow, Part 4
Exclusive new products from Aura
This is the fourth in a series of articles about the ecology of cannabis growers. Michael Petrone, Marketing Manager at Aura Cannabis Company with stores in Fall River, Massachusetts, and Central Falls, shares some background...
Roots Report
Okee dokee folks… One of the best protesters for social justice was Pete Seeger. He spent a good deal of his life fighting and singing out for causes. He was a victim of unjust US...
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Battle of the Bands Recap
Fists were thrown, tears were shed and blood was splattered on audience members as they watched the battle unfold. One guitarist used his prized fender to rain blows on the rival band while his drummer...
Obit
John "The Mad Peck" 1941-2025
The intersection of Power and Hope will forever conjure thoughts of artist The Mad Peck for Providence residents familiar with his iconic poster. His other alias, Dr. Oldie, was known for hosting The Original Rhode...
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Step Into The Afroverse
Interview with poet and worldbuilder Vladimir Jean
As I strolled down a thriving and sundrenched Wickenden Street this past weekend and made my way toward Coffee Exchange to meet Vladimir Jean, the curator of PVD’s Afroverse and a nominee for the 2025...
Separate Houses
Books of poetry to celebrate National Poetry Month
Fernando Pessoa, early 20th-century Portuguese poet, is famous for the creation of his three literary personas, or heteronyms. Pessoa wrote under these heteronyms to not only distance the act of writing poetry, but as a...
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Laying the Groundwork
A conversation with Stephen Brodsky of Cave In
Cave In emerged from the Merrimack Valley north of Boston in the mid-1990s to become a prominent presence in New England’s D.I.Y. music scene, their blistering and emotive hardcore-inspired approach to metal finding a natural...
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A Conversation Through Poetry
Lebanese American poet writes of family, and culture, and of hope
Poet and illustrator Jess Rizkallah of Boston begins her poem, “in another dimension i am a good daughter” with: i wake up early / i sweep the floor / i put coffee on the nar my...
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On the Cover
Olivia Lunger
Hiya! I’m the Art Director for Motif, doubling as the cover artist for this issue. Here’s a little dispatch from my side of things. The themes for this issue morphed several times, as spring sprang,...
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Stuff to Do
CELEBRATE SPRING
March 15 - April 27Into The Woods
March 21 - April 6Narrow River Band
April 5 @ 6:00 pm - 10:00 pmRock Hearts
April 5 @ 8:00 pm - 11:00 pmThe Vox Hunters
April 6 @ 12:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Pedaling for Power
One cyclist’s journey to preserve transgender and environmental spaces
On April 10, Jon Stenning will begin a monumental five-day, 500-mile journey from North Scituate, Rhode Island to Washington, DC, in support of two causes that are close to his […]
Fat Ham
Reinventing a Shakespearean classic
FAT HAM by James Ijames, directed by Don Mays, is a funny, poignant play that deftly transposes Hamlet to a family barbecue in the American South to grapple with questions of identity, […]
Dead Man’s Cell Phone
One ringy dingy….
Through the Glass Theatre Ensemble presents Sarah Ruhl’s surrealist comedy Dead Man’s Cell Phone at AS220’s Black Box. Ruhl is known for her probing humor, vivid imagination and poignant humanity. […]
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the night-time
Frailty of genius needs an audience!
Burbage Theatre Co presents The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, based on the novel by Mark Haddon, and adapted by Simon Stephens. Its title refers to a […]
Thirsty Crowds Incoming? Here’s Why to Buy Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Sponsored Content The sun’s blazing, the crowds are gathering, and the thirst is real. From beachside bashes to rooftop lounges, everyone’s reaching for an ice-cold drink—but not just any drink. […]
Down, But Not Out
The ongoing saga of the Bristol Theatre Company
This is the second article in a series about community theaters located throughout RI. According to the American Theater Association, it has always been difficult to get an accurate count […]
Chill Cocktails, Cool Jazz, and Eclectic Books
RiffRaff celebrates new featured artist Adèle Saint-Pierre
“I’m not trying to say something specific with my artwork,” said Adèle Saint-Pierre at the March 14 launch of her exhibit at Riffraff Bookstore and Bar in the West End […]
Film Review
An embodied movie experience with Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door
The first time I saw a film by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, I was probably in my early twenties; it was Todo Sobre mi Madre (All About my Mother), and […]
The Ivy Tavern
Where good food and good company make the perfect combo
In a world filled with cookie-cutter restaurants and trendy eateries that make you wait for your meal, there’s something comforting about a local tavern that has stood the test of […]
Gather Glass Ice Cream Class
It’s rare to see today an interconnected community of artisans, chefs, farmers, and artists. It feels as though such fraternity is of a bygone era; something belonging to a European […]