Shannon McLoud is a lifelong theater geek. She has been involved in the arts in Rhode Island for almost 20 years, first as an actor, and then finding her way to director and playwright. When Shannon isn't enjoying a show, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their son.
If you didn’t catch Headtrick Theatre’s production of The Assembly Women, my condolences that you missed this tremendously entertaining and thought-provoking piece. The Assembly Women is written by Aristophanes, but Headtrick’s adaptation was adapted and directed by Rebecca Maxfield, and wow does she do an incredible job! Greek theater is hard, and as an English […]
I’m a teacher in Providence, and since the beginning of this pandemic I’ve been asked by the Rhode Island Department of Health to quarantine twice. Once in July, the same day my name was mentioned to a contact tracer, and a second time the first week of school this year, two days after contact. Not […]
A lot has been said lately about reopening our schools. And there should be a healthy discussion about it — after all education is the single most important aspect of a functioning society. It is the only industry that literally makes every other industry possible. I’m not being hyperbolic; without education we wouldn’t have lawyers, doctors, […]
Dear Students of the Class of 2020, I write this as we got the news. News that we all knew was inevitable, but didn’t want to admit to ourselves. The school buildings in RI are closed for the rest of the year. This means we’ll be continuing with our distance learning classes. Your prom won’t […]
I love teaching. I love the time I spend every August getting my class together, from hanging the bulletin board paper and borders for my walls, to decorating my desk and wall with the mementos students have left me each year. It feels like Christmas when I’m going through my department’s inventory of novels, unpacking […]
As an educator, I can tell you a plethora of things about education today; cell phones are a battle, students still cheer when Bob Ewell meets his end, and nacho day is the best day in the cafeteria. Kids groan when you excitedly announce that they’re going to study Shakespeare, but after watching a production of […]
I am going to admit something here, and once it’s in print, it is here forever — I really like Mamma Mia! And no, I’m not a closet ABBA fan. In fact, I turn ABBA off if it happens to find its way to whatever station I’m listening to. And, as a general rule I […]
I’ve written for Motif for a few years now, but this right here is by far the hardest piece I’ve ever tried to compose. You see when I’m not writing articles or reviewing theater, I’m teaching. I’m an English Language Arts teacher in a high school. A high school in Providence. And wow, do I love […]
Arthur Miller’s All My Sons is a classic piece of theater. This play showcases what Miller did best — bring sweeping epic dramas to American theater that dealt with “the regular guy.” Sons is a play about family, war and doing the right thing. In more recent years, the play has become a footnote in pop […]
During the last lazy days of summer, Providence Improv Fest arrives on the scene and it’s anything but lazy. The event runs September 12 through 14 at AS220, and both stages at the venue will be used for this year’s event, keeping patrons and performers in close proximity — good news for anyone who wants […]