Okee dokee folks… Back in the mid 70’s when I was in high school, the Bee Gees were riding high off the success of Saturday Night Fever. I used to call it Saturday Night Disease! I was one of the “Down With Disco” folks and was not a fan. What made matters worse for me […]
In 2010, writer Cheryl Strayed was offered the opportunity to take up the mantle of Sugar, an advice columnist on the literary website The Rumpus. She reluctantly accepted the unpaid position, and in her column created a space where people could speak openly about their woes in life, love and loss and be received with […]
In the midst of a wintery pandemic surge, every heart needs to see Ripcord, a light but purposeful show on stage at Barker Playhouse. The RI premiere of David Lindsay-Abaire’s piece combines perfectly timed snark, delivered by skilled actors, and soothing reminders that life is precious. While Director Karen Besson comes onstage to introduce the […]
It’s deep in the second act when the purpose of the painful scenes and demeaning words becomes clear; as one actor says, “The point of this whole thing is to make you feel something.” The actor is referring to a scene in An Octoroon, on stage now at The Gamm Theatre, in which a Native […]
In 1987, when August Wilson’s Fences received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Providence Journal’s arts critic William Gale hailed the Pittsburgh playwright: “His plays leap from his own gut. They’re about things that really count — family relationships, the Black experience in America — and they have many colors, a multitude of themes, great […]
Dec 2021 marked the move from farmer’s market pop-up to brick and mortar for Clover Desserts. Owner Courtney Staiano and her iconic rolling cart of desserts, pastries, and other sweet treats known from years of Farm Fresh markets have found a permanent home on Valley Street in Providence. While you can still grab a triple […]
On Sunday, Feb 27, The Parlour will present a masquerade party hosted by the dynamic performer known as NiLa78 (pronounced with a long I, like ice). The name comes from a combination of the first two letters of her first & middle names, and the number, while it coincidentally is her birth year, actually represents […]
Okee dokee folks… I have no idea what Wordle is, nor do I care! Too much face in the screen time for a lot of you. I understand how a smartphone could be a useful tool, especially being a musician, but the need to be constantly tethered to these devices is just as bad as […]
In 2019, Todd Nicholson and Rebecca Ernst made the courageous decision to quite literally “pivot” from their 9-to-5s to go all in on their dream of owning a brewery. “We were at pivotal points in our lives. Todd was between jobs and I was looking to transition out of my job in the event industry, […]
COVID has done a number on the hospitality industry, but the relentless work ethic of the people behind the industry have kept the dream alive. Now we are seeing exciting things happen with new places blossoming in old spaces. The former Far West space at 55 Cromwell in Providence is one of the shuttered venues […]