It’s 2003, Thursday afternoon, in a quiet little town called Eberndorf, in the deep south of Austria, surrounded by fields, trees, and medieval churches; 10-year-old me is in my parents’ living room, glued to the...
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...
The 401 beer world is fermenting with activity! Here’s the latest news on our ambitious purveyors of your favorite brew: On April 5, Long Live Beerworks cut the metaphorical ribbon at their splendiferous new location at 40R Sprague St in PVD. The spacious mill space has been transformed into a beer lover’s palace, with two […]
Despite having only 20% of the world’s population, the United States ingests 99% of the world supply of hydrocodone, a commonly used opioid medication. Opioid overdose has now surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, and many of those deaths originated with prescribed medication. Forty-nine percent of pain patients […]
From seasoned authors to aspiring writers to book-lovers young and old, hundreds are expected to celebrate the inaugural year of the Providence Book Festival being held April 26 and 27. With the aim of connecting readers with writers, more than 75 authors will be available to share their expertise. The event kicks off Friday, April 26, […]
Okee dokee folks… For some reason, the saying “you’ve got to pay your dues” has been bouncing around in my head. The late Richard Walton of Stone Soup Coffeehouse used to utter that phrase often when he was introducing musicians who had signed up for the “hoot” at the coffeehouse. I remember the first time […]
You’ve made a bowl out of an apple, and maybe you’ve made a carrot pipe. Now it’s time to stop playing around and make some paraphernalia that will stand the test of time. Step 1: Search for a wood shop that will let you make a wooden bong. Step 2: Get turned down by several wood shops […]
The Rhode Island Arts and Health Network is seeking an artist to be artist-in-residence at the Rhode Island Department of Health. During the five-month residency, the selected artist will identify a public health issue and create at least one public project that responds to it. The goals of the Rhode Island Arts and Health Network […]
St. Ernie If you don’t know the name Ernie DiGregorio, you are definitely not a true Vo Dilunder. Just voted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame, Ernie D. should have been selected before he ever left Providence College and headed to the NBA, where he was voted Rookie of the Year. He was the […]
Why does smoking a joint quell the feeling of nausea? Why does eating an edible relieve the sensation of pain? How does CBD offer relief from seizures? The answers to these questions involve a complex internal system called our endocannabinoid system (ECS). Short for “endogenous” cannabinoid system, our ECS is a neuro-modulatory system that works […]
The Amos House is hosting their 7th annual key festival, Get Gored For Good, on April 28 to benefit the Amos House. Inspired by Spain’s Running of the Bulls, the women of Providence Roller Derby are returning with horns and red war paint to act as charging bulls while runners dash through Downcity to the […]
April 20 — a holiday observed by cannabis enthusiasts all over the world, a day where we can let our proverbial freak flags fly and truly celebrate the medicinal and cultural contributions of the plant we all know and love. But why 4/20, you ask? I’ll explain. Various legends surround the origin of 420 — that […]
