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...
Experimental music is on a very broad spectrum; it can’t be pinned down and the listener never really knows what to expect when they press play for the first time. It also can be mind-numbingly boring or blissfully innovative. Toronto’s New Fries definitely bring the latter with their brand new album More. It combines straight-up […]
There’s one in every family, and I’m not talking about that uncle whom everyone claims, “Not it!” when asked about blood relations. I’m talking about the food lover, “the foodie,” the people who lack souvenirs from their travels because they only purchase edible things. These are for those people: stocking stuffers, kitchen crafts and experiential […]
Saturday, December 3 and 10: 3rd Annual Holiday Benefit Cover Show; $10/15; All ages?; Aurora, 276 Westminister St, PVD. Along with the 3rd kinda annual Neutrinos holiday show, December 10 has the actual 3rd annual cover song show at Aurora featuring a number of Rhode Island area musicians. We have the good (At The Drive In, […]
The Southern White House (Shudder) As Jorge recuperated at home at Casa Diablo, Phillipe was off to Palm Beach to celebrate Thanksgiving with the Trump family at McMansion-a-Lago (“Home of the Lepers,” in Spanish), The Donald’s hideous tribute to excess in the land of the very, very rich and very, very reprehensible. Put simply, it’s […]
Wickford is one of the prettiest villages in Rhode Island, in part because it’s on the water. Because of that proximity, virtually everyone agrees the village needs sewers in a town where the vast majority of property owners still rely on septic systems. But how to pay for sewers has been a challenge as town […]
With the holidays approaching, look no further for a gift for your cannabis enthusiast friends. A package of assorted cannabis cookies will surely bring them joy! Be sure to have some homemade cannabutter on hand, or pick some up at your local dispensary. Peppermint Crinkle Cookies Makes 20 cookies Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted cannabutter, softened […]
Okee dokee folks … On Black Friday I woke up to find 55 e-mails in my inbox. Out of the 55, only three were from actual people. The others were advertisements. BUY, BUY, BUY!!! I admit that I do like to buy things. I am a musician and we all have what is known as G.A.S. – […]
THRU DEC 18 American Buffalo, The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre, 172 Exchange St, Pawtucket. A small-scale tragedy about coin collecting, con artistry and the American dream. gammtheatre.org THU 1 Cardboard Ox, The Horse Eyed Men, Westeryear: Three bands, all duos with super interesting backgrounds. Ox was nominated for a Motif Music Award. Aurora, 276 Westminster St, […]
Do you have a nickname? No, but I’ve always kind of wanted one. My mom always corrected people when they tried. She would say, “It’s not Chris … or Tina … just Christina!” What do you never leave home without? I never leave home without Chapstick! What’s your biggest pet peeve? I absolutely hate when […]
Want to give the gift of health this holiday season? Great idea! But first, a word of caution: There are some pitfalls you’ll want to avoid. I remember the year that I gave “Recipes For a Leaner You” to a friend at work. She’d been complaining incessantly about her weight and I thought she’d appreciate […]
