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...
Tall Teenagers – All in a Day’s Waste The sophomore album from Tall Teenagers opens with a mess of fuzz and slashing hooks on “Ground Floor” that cut deeper than anything on their debut album. “Lights Out” brings the harmonies between co-lead vocalists Chelsea Paulhus and Damian Puerini to the forefront. “The Bottom” serves as […]
October 26 may, on the surface, appear to be just a regular Thursday in Rhode Island. But under the surface there is something more going on — something BIG. On this day, the JFK Assassination Records Collection Act, which President George H.W. Bush signed into law back in 1992, will trigger a clause that will require the […]
With the originality and inventiveness seen in their 2016 debut Breathing Cold, Night Idea’s sophomore release had an immense amount of anticipation months before it came to be. The progressive rock act from Richmond, VA, unveiled Riverless to the masses on Oct 13 via the Chicago vinyl-only label Gigantic Noise, their hometown cassette-only label Hand […]
Society has long been fascinated by serial killers. Macabre though it may be, we are drawn to these stories of people who represent the extremes of derangement and the gory details of their deeds. Hence their prevalence in the media: in documentaries, television shows, films, books and, yes, a musical. Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber […]
Welcome to Metal Madness my fellow metalheads, covering all things metal, metalcore, deathcore and hardcore in the Providence area. I recently had the privilege of talking to Kingsmen, one of Providence’s premier melodic deathcore acts. This five-piece is made up of former members of Fortune Favors the Brave and Scriptures. The band has been around […]
Dear C; I dread the coming winter. I work out of my home and every year, I struggle with carb cravings, depression, fatigue, weight gain … you name it. No matter what I do, I put on 5 pounds and find myself immobilized on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket to stay warm. It takes me […]
What do the ‘60s mean to you? Karissa Lamoureux: A time of peace and love and the idea of unity for a common ideal. It’s an era where people came together to be defiant and stand up for a positive cause. Compare the current administration to Kennedy’s. KL: Both the Kennedy and Trump administrations relied […]
THU 12 Tuck and Taste: Get a barre-class work-out and then reward yourself with wine afterward. 6pm. Newport Vineyards, 909 E Main Road, Middletown. newportvineyards.com FRI 13 Empty Bowls: A benefit for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, featuring food samples from more than 35 local restaurants. Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, 60 Rhodes Pl, Cranston. […]
Some shows are meant for audiences to sit back and enjoy. The story is packaged neatly and delivered to the listener without making them do much work. This is not to say there is anything wrong with that; it has its place. Shows like Dreamlandia, however, require more from the viewer. It can be easy […]
Toronto alternative rock act Weaves have been giving independent music an eccentric jolt. They have an art-punk sound that incorporates jangle pop and abstract harmonies. Their second LP, Wide Open, came out Oct 6 on the Brooklyn indie label Kanine Records and it’s a stellar follow-up to their acclaimed self-titled debut that came out during […]
