How do you review a conversation? It ebbs and flows, but really does not exist for someone to decide if it is good. However, this is the task I’ve been given after seeing Epic Theatre’s newest selection, Let Me Down Easy, by Anna Deveare-Smith. This Rhode Island premiere is just that; a conversation. And in […]
Despite its Homeric inspiration, Happy Birthday, Wanda June is not a play that wallows in subtlety, as emphasized in its opening lines: “This is a simple-minded play about men who enjoy killing – and those who don’t.” In the hands of Burbage Theatre Company, it’s a well-acted, viciously funny comedy, a dark satire that shows […]
I had the opportunity to sit down with two of Rhode Island’s youngest and most prolific artistic directors: Kira Hawkridge of Out Loud and Jeff Church of Burbage Theatre Company. I wanted to find out what exactly was happening in downtown Providence — how these would-be rivals manage to cohabit the same block and compete […]
This is the second in a series on interviews where Epic Artistic Director Kevin Broccoli interviews other ADs in the area to create a more in-depth conversation about theater in Rhode Island. This month’s interview is with Gamm artistic director Tony Estrella. Kevin Broccoli: Like many other people, I was so impressed by Streetcar. I’m […]
In 1951, the late Langston Hughes questioned societal ideologies with a simple question, “What happens to a dream deferred?” Many have dared to tackle this question and failed, but one man has defied the odds of living the American Dream: Sokeo Ros. Born in a Cambodian refugee camp in Thailand and the first of his […]
With a story that features more twists and turns than a roller coaster, you would expect Deathtrap to be a thrilling ride. Instead, what the Community Players have assembled turns out to be a bloody bore. Playwright Sidney Bruhl (C. Richard Koster) lives with his wife Myra (Michelle Walker) in a secluded country house in […]
Annie. This is a show I know well … maybe a little too well. As a child it was one of my first introductions to not only musical theatre, but to the amazing talents of Bernadette Peters, Carol Burnett, and Tim Curry. I would attempt to reenact “Easy Street” and “Little Girls.” When Trinity staged […]
It’s December and the word “story” might create subconscious associations with certain themes, namely, A Christmas Story, The Nutcracker, The Night Before Christmas and other holiday plays. If you are looking for an escape from the expensive, glitzy, glittery, orchestral pieces of theater so well represented this time a year, you will find reprieve at […]
The Nutcracker by Festival Ballet is one of those seasonal treats that make Providence extra magical for the holidays. This year promises to be no exception. There will be a couple of special elements. For the first time, two students from Festival’s adaptive dance classes – a program aimed at helping children with Down Syndrome […]
Don’t be fooled into thinking this hit Broadway musical show is at all creak with no crackle and pop! Despite its lineage going all the way back to the 1954 Bing Crosby & Danny Kaye-led film, this touring production is bursting at the seams with youthful energy and show stopper numbers that took my breath away. Full disclosure? I’ll stand […]