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.
I’m a nerd. A nerd with an obsessive book buying problem. It’s an occupational hazard — I’m an English teacher and write on the side. Words are my life! People have tried convincing me that I should make the switch to e-readers, and I can’t. My husband argues that I could read without a nightlight, […]
The excitement in the air was evident as women, men, young adults and children entered the Dunkin Donuts Center last Thursday evening. Who could bring so many walks of life together? A hip-hop artist, Disney on Ice, George Clooney? Better that that — much, much better. The youngest Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Malala Yousafzai, came […]
Newport Playhouse prides themselves on being a family-run business where they treat their audience like family. From the moment you walk into the Playhouse you are instantly put into a good mood. First, there’s the dinner. It’s always good, and I went on surf and turf night. The baked shrimp was delicious! The chowder could […]
Providence-based Festival51 is a rare, honest-to-goodness playwriting festival that opens its doors to women’s work. The festival is in its second year, and after seeing this year’s selected plays, I know it will be around for many more. Festival51 is aptly named. Although women make up 51% of the population, they only write about 17% […]
Years ago I stage-managed a production of Neil Simon’s farce Rumors. We had this great big proscenium arch stage that we filled with a two-level home, the setting for Charlie and Myra’s 10th anniversary party. The set had plenty of doors, and of course stairs, as the script makes mention of the stairs multiple times. When I […]
There are musicals that can define you in a way; they speak to you at a time in your life. Twenty years ago, people my age saw that in RENT. We were young, we were trying to figure out who we were and pay our bills. And 20 years later, although we don’t have Jonathan Larson voicing […]
It is not every day that we have a chance to see Broadway caliber performances here in our creative capitol. PPAC is changing that this weekend with the national tour of If/Then. This beautiful show ran for a year on Broadway and is completing its tour in New England, with three of the Broadway performers, […]
Most people think of the beach when they think of summer, but not this city gal! Simply walking downtown on a sunny day puts me in a great mood. So it’s no surprise that I can’t wait for the Downtown Providence Parks and Conservancy (DPPC) summer series when it once again combines some of my favorite […]
When Andrew Hendrick visits Providence this week, he won’t be completely unfamiliar with the area. The native Connecticut resident knows Rhode Island well, for a particularly endearing reason. “My middle name is Bryant. My parents met at Bryant College.” And of course, being a New Englander he has visited friends at some of the great […]
I choose my words carefully. As an educator, I recognize their worth with my students, as a mom I know they will be repeated and as a writer I acknowledge their effect. So when I found myself in PPAC’s beautiful house waiting for Carol Burnett to take the stage one word came to mind, and […]