Rachael Warren as Diana. Photo by Mark Turek. The Next to Normal audience is exposed to waves of raw emotions drowning your soul and dampening your eyes. You may wish you had premedicated with any of...
Blaq Sav. Photos by Lillian MK Photography. Favorite Free Verse Spoken Word 2026 Ashley Hosa Sending out a big congrats to Ashley Hosa, who came to the Spoken Awards with a multitude of wonderful supporters (shoutout to Ryan!)....
The founder of the long-standing hipster-ish West Side restaurant Julians hadn’t been involved directly with the restaurant in quite some time. But his legacy persisted. A larger-than-life personality, you never knew at what event Julian...
Renowned supporter of local music and arts Lisa Gourley (Sometimes Lisa Gourleyx) passed away on June 15. Reading reactions on social media, you can’t help but notice how often the words “nice,” “kind,” and “photography”...
This beautiful Solstice moment, June 21, 2026 brings the winds of change into our lives. The pivotal points among the planetary movers and shakers of the Zodiac find Gemini, with Uranus and Ceres, reaching across...
By Olivia Lunger By Lillian MK Photography ...
Favorite Color Tattoo Evan Olin, Powerline Tattoo Runner-up: Luis Bold, Unicorn Ink Favorite Black & Gray Ryan Dowden, Dark Ritual Runner-up: Luis Bold, Unicorn Ink Favorite Black & Gray with Color Steven McDonough, Secret Safe Tattoo Runner-up: Rachel WS, Rachel WS Fine Art...
By Lillian MK Photography By Olivia Lunger ...
Photo by Lillian MK Photography. 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...
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...
We sat down a few months ago with one of the organizers of RI’s Deportation Defense Line. The Defense Line’s origins are organic and multifaceted. No one person is in charge of it. No one...
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....
This St. Patrick’s Day, give your liver a break and get festive with some cannabis-infused treats instead! Invite friends over for a different kind of “green” celebration before attending your local parade! Crockpot Beef and Stout Stew with Cheddar Biscuits Ingredients: 2T olive oil 4 lbs beef chuck in 1.5-inch cubes ¼ cup flour 2 […]
Tis the season for anniversaries! In February, Proclamation Ale Company celebrated its fourth big year with a trio of special releases (did you get a golden lid?) and stoopid fun, while Long Live Beerworks marked its second anniversary with a double IPA called Second Anniversary. This month, the folks at Ragged Island Brewing Company will […]
Brooklyn has always been a melting pot for live music. The 2000s saw the music scene there explode again with acts like TV On The Radio, Kevin Devine, The Hold Steady and numerous others putting out their best material and making the borough the epicenter for indie rock. The 2010s have brought changes to the […]
While Attleboro Community Theatre is now clocking in more than 60 years actively producing plays, the “old” broad is nowhere near slowing down to let the rest of the world pass it by. In fact, with their latest production, Kevin Broccoli’s naughty mythological mashup American Strippers, the group has thrown down the gauntlet to all other […]
OPENED Asian Buffet: After a sudden closure January 1, they have reopened under new management. The place’s extensive buffet includes sushi and Hibachi, and some non-Asian staples. Airport Plaza, 1800 Post Rd, Warwick. Pokéworks: The national chain of low-pressure poké spots has reached Providence. Pikachu is not involved, although we really hope they’ll have a […]
The new inductees are: David Blue (posthumously), John Chan, Tom Ghent, Lloyd Kaplan, James Montgomery, Paul Murphy (posthumously), plus Andrew Polin, Bob Morrissey and LeRoy Bennett in the Technical/Lighting category, and jazz performer Mike Renzi. The inductees will be profiled in a near-future issue of this very periodical! Three events take place in April to […]
I don’t get out too much, both because of anxiety and an unrequited love of my own bed. A restaurant opening isn’t something I would picture myself at, but at the recent grand opening of R1 Karting’s brand new FUEL Sports Bar, I found myself at the front desk, standing beside my coworker Erin, waiting […]
I began my journey through a red tape jungle about 20 years ago, on a quest to clean up a pond and then to help out some toads. Here’s where my regulatory travails took me… There has always been a segment of the US population that felt any restraint on the use of land was […]
A Chorus Line, one of Broadway’s longest-running musicals of all time, will be performed at the Stadium Theatre from March 2 – 4. The show follows 17 chorus dancers and puts them through the final grueling audition run by the director, Zach, for a new Broadway musical. The music is by Marvin Hamlisch with […]
Trinity Rep’s Othello aims at being a bold, contemporary production. Yet director Whitney White misses the target, and instead the play strolls into the minefield laid by the unforgiving challenges of Shakespeare’s text. Staged with a minimalist, modern, military look and feel, Trinity’s Othello seems to forget its mission, instead becoming bogged down in a […]
