Photo by Lillian Karboski. Favorite Free Verse Spoken Word Ashley HosaRunner-up: Jeff Daniellian Favorite Social Justice Spoken Word Erik AndradeRunner-up: Mx Asher Favorite Youth Poet Angel CruzRunner-up: (by one vote) Josselyn Wolf Favorite Poetry Event Apothica's Monthly Poetry NightRunner-up: Afroverse Favorite Producer...
Congratulations, you survived the record-breaking Blizzard of 2026. With the anticipated arrival of clear skies and warm temps, how will you be spending your well-earned, much-needed downtime this summer? If you’re adventurous, you could explore some of...
Artwork by Bob Eggleton. Godzilla has been a cinematic icon for over 70 years. However, there are important themes around the monster that have gotten lost with international audiences. There is no gigantic monster that has had...
Tie-dye by Spun Laundry. BEACHES Atlantic Beach Park: Family beach, amusements, kiddy rides, snack bars, antique 1915 carousel, batting cages, bumper boats, go-carts, mini golf, game room, waterslides, gift shop, beachware and an ocean-view cocktail lounge. 321...
Photos by Lillian Karboski. Every time you listen to a song, there is always something more than the words or catchy melody. On Friday, May 1, right in the heart of downtown Providence, an extraordinary group...
Okee dokee folks… Rising costs of everything is what’s on my mind this month. It really should be on everyone’s mind. The main things I will talk about here are gasoline and concert tickets. One...
Photo: Christopher Mongeau. Ravi Shavi, a band that has been around since 2011 and started as a moniker for Rafay Rashid’s music project, has evolved and become more rooted in its creative approach and performance, as...
“Can I go to X?” is the question 2 Feet 2 Bucks has answered with “Yes” dozens of times, where X = place worth going out of your way to, to take a walk, short...
Artist of the Year: Favorite Song: Favorite Music Video: NOVA ONE; "chlorine" by NOVA ONE; "chlorine" - NOVA ONE (Dir. Frankie Ferrari) nova one: “nova won!” Providence’s own nova one won (!!) four 2026 Motif Music Awards: “artist...
Photo by Matthew Murphy. The North American tour of Disney’s The Lion King last played the Providence Performing Arts Center in 2017. After nearly ten years, The Lion King is back astounding Providence for a limited...
“Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). This is the core theme behind William Shakespeare's darkest comedy, Measure for Measure, one of Shakespeare’s most exciting, underperformed and underappreciated plays, currently presented by Burbage...
Smithfield, RI: A town known for its forests, trails, ponds, and well, wealth. An unlikely location for a potential AI-Data Center, one may think. Yet, this rural community, despite data center construction being illegal under...
This is the story of visiting Providence’s newest Rotisserie and Bistro, Thermia, and being so intrigued by its menu and feeling so welcomed by the staff, that I went twice in one week! To give...
Check out extensive listings for every show we could find this season. But some are bigger or just fundamentally represent summer in our eclectic, hyperactive, tiny-yet-overachieving state. Here’s a selection of special events to keep...
“Industry wants us to believe the sky will fall if there’s reform," said Council President Rachel Miller. "But for working families, the sky is already falling..." Council President Rachel Miller (Ward 13) “In front of you is...
The eggplant piece featured on the cover of Motif is the first completed work in Chenlu Hou’s Garden series, making it a perfect fit for this issue’s theme of Summer. A low-fire terracotta sculpture, airbrushed and...
[See prior update: motifri.com/iran-war-update-01] The Iran war cannot continue as it is for much longer, and this is a result of simple math. Time is running out for energy and food supply US Consumer Price Index for All...
Voting is now closed -- Join us to see who was selected Wednesday, May 276 – 10pmMyrtle, East Providence Join us for the 4th annual Motif Spoken Awards! We are excited to be returning to Myrtle to celebrate RI’s spoken word...
Ann Morrison and Marcus Phillips in the National Tour of KIMBERLY AKIMBO. Photo by Joan Marcus KIMBERLY AKIMBO is a musical with a lot of heart, a lot of wit, and a lot of rave reviews...
Processed with VSCO with 6 preset When Steve DelMonico (vocals/guitar) approached John Faraone (drums) with an impossibly unique band name, there was no way of knowing that 10 years later they’d be sitting at Nolan’s with...
Photo: Dave Rezendes. John Faraone: a man of many bands, many instruments, and one poetic voice. While John wouldn’t call himself a poet, I certainly believe that his lyrics are simply stanzas waiting to be printed....
Photo by James Brooks. Okee dokee folks… I have referenced the Jethro Tull song, “Too Old to Rock & Roll, Too Young to Die,” A few times in my 22 years of writing for Motif, and...
(Photo credit: Keith J.G. McCurdy, from the cover art of Vudu Sister’s Adynata; photograph of the art installation LO SGUARDO - Humanitas - Physis by sculptor Igor Mitoraj at the Neopolis Archaeological Park of Siracusa...
Mount Pleasant. Elmhurst. The Valley Arts District. These are all neighborhoods whose offerings I thought I knew well, having worked in and around Providence over the last few years. But you can certainly miss a...
Buddy Mott. Once upon a time, if you wanted a tattoo, one of the things you could do was traipse to Newport from any of the four corners of the world and get yourself a tattoo...
The actual declaration of Independence was first proclaimed to the people of Newport from this building in July 1776. (Photo by Maureen O'Gorman) It doesn't take long for a person new to Rhode Island to find...
The RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT) announced a major initiative to repair potholes caused by a harsh winter. A new Pothole Service Requests Dashboard site on the web – https://www.dot.ri.gov/travel/potholes.php – allows the public to...
The tattoo artist who goes by Mish, of Fall River, MA, created this month’s cover. “I got the nickname when I was younger, and it just kinda stuck,” she says. Also, it stirs a little...
On the “Weekend Update” satirical news segment on Saturday Night Live. anchor Colin Jost displayed a snapshot of an unhinged rant laced with profanity in the form of a Donald Trump post to Truth Social,...
VOTING OPEN NOW! VOTE HERE Wednesday, May 276 - 10pmMyrtle, East Providence Join us for the 4th annual Motif Spoken Awards! We are excited to be returning to Myrtle to celebrate RI’s spoken word community. The live celebration,...
The cover artist for the Queer issue took their name from their favorite dinosaur, the Tyrannosaurus rex. Rex LeBeau of Newport, for as long as they can remember, loved dinosaurs. “When I was little,” they recall, “I completely covered the walls of my bedroom with dinosaur drawings. Taking them down when we moved left a […]
One of the best things about live theater is its ability to surprise, shifting from the mundane to the spectacular in the blink of an eye. Burbage Theatre Company’s production of The Legend of Georgia McBride delivers just that, with a performance so rich in energy, wit, and heart it leaves the audience breathless in […]
Bi squared. That’s me, with bipolar and a proud bisexual. It’s taken me a while to coin this term, from a terrified 20 year old coming out to her family, afraid of their reactions and acceptance. I’ve grown to a 26 year old trying to make sense of myself and my place in this rapidly […]
Theatre by the Sea (TBTS) is presenting Always… Patsy Cline, a musical that intertwines the soulful tunes of country music legend Patsy Cline with the heartfelt true story of her friendship with devoted fan Louise Seger. Directed by Kat Moser-Priddy, this production isn’t so much the life story of Patsy Cline as an intimate and […]
There’s a new game in town. Sweat trickles down your forehead, dripping onto the light white sphere you clutch just a little too tightly. Not far away, a delta-shaped configuration of solo cups mocks you, spinning at a speed proportional to the number of beers you have consumed. Are there twelve cups? Why do you […]
There’s something electrifying about watching a stage tremble under the weight of pure, unfiltered angst, and that’s exactly what happens at Wilbury Theatre when American Idiot explodes onto the boards, bringing with it Green Day’s snarling punk ethos, a barrage of raw emotion unleashed by Billie Joe Armstrong’s intense lyrics, and more black eyeliner than a Hot Topic clearance […]
I went back and forth a few times on the themes that stood out to me with this year’s pride approaching. It felt a bit overwhelming and borderline impossible to narrow down. Given our country’s current state of affairs, the threatened preservation of our rights and survival of our trans brothers, sisters, and siblings, I […]
Greed Never Felt so Funny! BY ALISON O’DONNELL Attleboro Community Theatre’s production of Sly Fox, Larry Gelbart’s uproarious adaptation of Ben Jonson’s Volpone, delivers a fun and farcical comedy. Directed by Jeanne Smith, this play marks her 19th production with ACT. Set in 19th-century San Francisco, Sly Fox traces the deception of Foxwell J. Sly, […]
Queer cooperative offers art, coffee, cocktails, and lots of community The Trans, BIPOC + Intersex-inclusive Progress Pride flag flies, fittingly outside Small Format on Wickenden Street in PVD. The queer cooperative, which numbers five workers, runs a gallery and exhibition room with rotating art showcases and handmade local artisan goods. On display are artworks, sculpture, […]
By Bob Abelman This is the fifth article in a series about community theaters located throughout and bordering on Rhode Island. One of the defining features of community theaters – what with their grassroots operations, limited budgets, and non-profit status – is that they typically perform out of nondescript found spaces such as church basements, […]
