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...
I transcend the three flights of stairs at 95 Empire Street and pass through the dance studio door at AS220, encountering yon Tande and Jude Sandy — together known as Denizen Arts in their creative endeavors — talking through a run of their premiere collaboration, “Walk the (pink) Elephant.” White quilts hang from the rafters […]
Get Gored For Good is an annual spring charity fundraiser for Amos House held this year on the morning of Sunday, April 30, and modeled on the famed Running of the Bulls. Teams of runners compete for weeks to raise donations, culminating in a day of just-for-fun racing around the streets of Providence on a […]
Round the roller track the Riveters roll to roust and rejuvenate their record with a Rhodey Robin against their relentlessly renowned rivalry and other revved up renegades! On Saturday, April 22, and Sunday, April 23, at Thayer Arena in Warwick, Providence Roller Derby will be hosting the Rhodey Robin, a round-robin style tournament featuring the […]
That ever-so-famous phrase, “punk is dead,” has been said by at least one person a day giving their opinion on music, but whoever says that hasn’t experienced what has been happening in Providence recently. Hairspray Queen are a bunch of kids who play emphatic hardcore punk that’s intense and emotional. Downtown Boys have been gaining […]
A smooth track with a poignant beat can leave a lasting impression, pleasing the senses while sparking artistic intrigue. Portland, Oregon, artist Alexandra Savior has that going on with her debut album Belladonna of Sadness that was released on April 8. She has a brand of alt-pop heavily rooted in jazz and vintage R&B, a […]
1. Monday April 10; Westminster Yacht Club; Ogie’s Trailer Park, 1155 Westminster St, PVD; No Cover! 21+ only. 9pm to 1am. Shameless self promotion time! DJ Haulin’ Boats (yours truly) and DJ Dan Steely (fellow Motif’er Marc Clarkin) will be slipping out the jams on the first Monday of every month at Ogie’s Trailer Park, “an urban […]
FRI 14 Olivia Newton-John: That girl from Grease performs – come and get physical. 8pm, Twin River, 100 Twin River Rd, Lincoln. twinriver.com SAT 15 Unscene: Zombie Peeps: This easter-themed fetish night and dance party is sure to put you in the holiday mood of celebrating the resurrection of Christ. 10pm, Aurora, 276 Westminster […]
Dear C: I realize now that I got involved with “Jack” because I was lonely. He’s creative, entertaining, and really cute, but he also had drastic mood swings and seemed lost without attention. I didn’t mind “sharing” him with several other women he’d call or message when the impulse struck him to “get his thoughts […]
Why do you love food so much? Have you always been this way? This was a conversation piece a few years ago among my friends who were trying to deduce where my passion for food originated. You see, I grew up being called a “bird” for how little I ate. My, my, my, how the […]
Okee dokee folks … Lately I have been trying to get out and hear some of my friends play music in bars and restaurants. It’s kind of a new thing for me as I am more used to concert settings <cranky old dude rant> Now that I have done this I have developed a […]
