Photo by Cat Laine. The logistics, physical, and emotional demands of the production are mind-boggling – one actor spending 80 minutes morphing among 12 characters with unique accents and mannerisms while delivering lines almost non-stop and,...
Henry Nwaru in SAME DIFFERENCE at Wilbury Theatre Group. Photo by Erin X. Smithers. It’s 1993 in Providence. A gang leader from Harlem lands at his ex-girlfriend's apartment in the middle of the night — wounded,...
A reimagined production of the international, award-winning musical The Bodyguard will arrive at the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), October 23 – 25, 2026, as part of the Theatre’s 2026/2027 *Encore Series. Based on the 1992...
All photos by Lillian MK Photo. RI Battle of the Bands had a smooth run this year, every performance dodging the monsoons that have plagued past iterations. The year started out with 16 highly accomplished, but...
Okee dokee folks… I mentioned this in my column a few months ago and now it is coming close to being (IS) a major issue. GASOLINE. Before the mango moron started his war of distraction...
We all know that women were the first to make beer, right? It was discovered by accident when grains were used to make other foods digestible. Dried grain was stored and used to make bread....
Haunted Attractions 1. Factory of Terror Terror experience for all ages, including a variety of imaginative themes and thorough design. 120 Pearl Street, Fall River, MA 774-415-0153 factoryofterror.com 2. Scary Acres Fall festivities with the main attraction - a three-part terror experience...
Cover artist Nilton Cárdenas of Cranston refuses to stand still. “I am constantly moving, and creating art,” he says in an interview at Sharks Peruvian Cuisine on Broad Street in Central Falls. And when he’s not...
Photos by the author. Magda León is more than a multidisciplinary artist; she is an immigrant woman who uses art to explore her identity, her roots, and her connection to community. When I asked her how...
Photo by Scott Lapham. For the Rhode Island artist, educator and muralist, creativity has become a way to open doors, strengthen community and help others discover possibilities within themselves. For Nilton Cárdenas, giving back does not begin...
Every Hispanic Heritage Month, we are given an opportunity to look back.We celebrate the pioneers who came before us, the traditions they preserved, the institutions they built, and the sacrifices they made so generations that...
Photo by Dave Cantelli. Ever rummaged through your spouse’s sweater drawer expecting to find argyles, yet instead stumbling across a secret fetish so utterly demented that it immediately sent you bolting toward a new life? Deftly...
Rachael Warren as Clare. Photo by Mark Turek. If there is such a thing as too much of a good thing, The Getaway Driver at Trinity Repertory Company is it. The world premiere of the two-person play...
Photo by Jesse Dufault. Hark, spectators of the realm! If thy soul doth hunger for a "reverent irreverence" turning a 77-seat black box into a roaring arena of wretched romance, get thee to the Burbage Theatre...
RI Music Hall of Fame plaque honoring Rudy Cheeks/The Fabulous Motels/The Young Adults. (Photo: Michael Bilow) Much has already been written on the passing Sep 18 at age 76 of Bruce McCrae, who used the stage name...
Crook Point Brewing Company, 65 Massasoit Ave., East Providence; photo credit: Sean Carlson Over the past year, The Grind has gleamed as one of Rhode Island’s coffee gems. Set up at Crook Point Brewing Company (65...
Natasha Hodgson in the Broadway Company of Operation Mincemeat. Photo by Matt Crockett. The Tony Award® and Olivier Award®-winning musical launches the North American leg of its world tour at the Providence Performing Arts Center September...
Hunter Brown, Allie Seibold, and Seth Eliser in You've Still Got a Friend, playing at Bill Hanney's Theatre By The Sea from August 20 - September 13, 2026. Photo by Michael Derr Okee dokee folks… Tonight, at Theatre By The...
Photo by Steve Ahlquist. The unionized workers of the Community Libraries of Providence have been without a contract for two years now. Their patience, which had been wearing thin, was stretched to the breaking point by...
Photo: L-R: Pénélope Rose, Manya Glassman, Emeline Easton, and K. Elisa Garcia. by Mike Ryan. The Rhode Island International Film Festival, also known as Flickers, took place August 4 through August 9, bringing filmmakers, actors, industry...
I think museums and the culture around them have historically gotten a bad rap. When you think of museums, you might associate them with classism, inaccessibility, and wealthy donors and patrons. There’s also the issue...
As the leaves change to amber hues, so do fall beers. Our local brewers are excited about the opportunity to offer these loved styles of craft beer. If you are looking forward to cozy sweaters...
Illustration by Sadie Levine. 1. Adams Farm (pumpkins, hay rides, corn mazes) Plus: Variety fall farm stand 158 Burnt Swamp Road, Cumberland 401-714-4425 2. Appleland Orchard (apples) Plus: Cider, wine, and donuts 135 Smith Avenue, Greenville 401-949-3690 3. Barden Family Orchard (apples, pumpkins) Plus: Farmers...
Okee dokee folks… I just realized that I have been attending concerts for 50 years now. In that span of time I have seen countless shows. I honestly have no idea how many I have...
Moon Leone didn’t set out to make your run-of-the-mill pop songs. They build whole worlds, embodying different characters and using visuals to tell stories that ultimately help people heal from trauma. Performing as YourFriendM00n, they...
On August 12, Motif cohosted a forum on the Arts in Providence featuring Democratic Primary Mayoral candidates Brett Smiley and David Morales. In Providence, the real election typically happens in the primary. The winner will go...
Every election cycle, Motif brings you the candidates in their own words so you can try to compare apples to apples. It’s our way of contributing to the political process while not having the fact-checking...
Environmental Organizations Endorse Foulkes for Governor PROVIDENCE — The Providence Streets Coalition, a grassroots activist organization devoted to increasing funding, safety, and reliability in the state’s transit network, announced July 21 that it is backing former...
For the cover of Motif’s Fall Guide, painter and muralist Nicholas “Niko” Tolentino of Cranston drew inspiration from his childhood days, he relates in an interview at White Electric Coffee Co-Op in Providence. Roger Williams Park...
Centerville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket hosted its first live music event in August. It started big with the Island Roads Fest, featuring popular reggae/ rock bands including Sublime, Slightly Stoopid, Iration, Action Bronson, DENM, Bumpin...
Although three of our four local observatories are currently closed to the public, you can still get a glimpse of the stars on Friday nights at Frosty Drew Observatory. The telescopes are available for use about 30 minutes after dusk until around 11pm. Due to COVID restrictions, advance tickets are required. Frosty Drew Observatory, 61-62 […]
“We’ve always made mini-cannolis for the restaurant, but when COVID came, we thought: What’s more fun for families or date night than making cannolis at home?” Jamie Antignano, vice president of Angelo’s Civita Farnese (more affectionately known as “Angelo’s on the Hill”) is referring to their recently released cannoli kit, which is suitable for people […]
In the COVID world, we live online more than ever. Everything has gone virtual, people broadcast events on livestreams and a grid of faces in squares no longer signals “The Brady Bunch” intro theme, but a Zoom meeting. Unexpectedly, social justice has moved online as well. If you’ve watched any protest or direct action online […]
Like superheroes momentarily defeated by a seemingly unbeatable enemy, comic book fans screamed a dramatic, “Nooooooo!” when RI Comic Con announced it was cancelling its November 2020 event. But every superhero fan knows that even if the bad guy wins, his victory is temporary — RI Comic Con will triumphantly return in 2021, and Susan […]
Providence Public Library recently completed a huge renovation, nearly two years in the making, and at the end of August, with strict COVID-related restrictions, they welcomed the public back to their updated space. The welcome will be particularly warm for bikers, thanks to a collaboration between the PPL and The Steel Yard. Jenny Sparks, client […]
It may seem strange to thank a virus that has killed more than 180,000 and hurt millions more. We admit not many are happy with it, except for companies and individuals making good, exorbitant loot from COVID-19, and the Democrats and Chinese who conspired to develop the virus to remove Donald Trump from office. But […]
Skyrocketing in popularity in the last year, TikTok is widely known as an app for Gen Z to learn dances and lip sync along to their favorite songs. For 26-year-old Ashlee Moffitt in West Warwick, it’s the app that got her 11 million views for buying a school bus and planning to live in it. […]
According to the RI Department of Health, Central Falls reported XX COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people for the week that ended August 22 — the most recent data available as we went to press. Central Falls has been a COVID-19 hot spot in Rhode Island, so we spoke with Emily Rizzo, coordinator of communications & […]
The moment my skin pricks with the first crisp snap of fall air, my mind races with all of the fall vegetables and fruits that I can cook with, and the red wines to pair with them. A large portion of those wines comes from Piedmont, Italy, located in the northwest part of the country. […]
It’s time for a New England fall and this year, you probably can’t do most of your favorites, especially if it involves a ghost, being scared, being around people and being scared to be around people. But, have no fear — not all hope is lost! There are multiple spooky events being hosted by Providence […]
