Nathanael Lee

Family dynamics and dysfunction are well-worn territory for writers, artists, singers and all other creative types. Themes that run through family dramas are among the most universal themes a writer can employ. They are the stories that we all experience, instantly recognizable and relatable. In her play Absalom, now being presented by EPIC Theatre Company, Zoe Kazan mines these stories and universal human experiences for a tale that is all too familiar, for better or worse.

The Burbage Theatre Company presents a new take on 'The Taming of the Shrew' by William Shakespeare, for a limited run of seven performances at the William Hall Library in Cranston, RI. Burbage Theatre Company. Artistic Director Jeff directs this whimsical farce about how we fall in love and the consequences that come with who we end up with. Check out a first look at the cast below!

We've all heard 'You can't go home again.' Or how about 'Home is where the heart is'? At this time of year, it's 'Home for the Holidays.' The idea of home, what and where it is, is a powerful theme throughout all types of artistic expression, from paintings to books to stage plays. It's a universal theme that anyone can understand and relate to. And it's at the center of 2nd Story Theatre's holiday season production of Horton Foote's The Trip to Bountiful.

Burbage Theatre Company is proving to be a gem of a small company. Last season's "The Liar" was one of the funnier, tighter, and most professional shows I saw all of last year, and this Spring's production of "Orson's Shadow" by Austin Pendleton is every bit as good. The show is the 2nd in a shortened, 3-play season BTC is staging at the Artists' Exchange in Cranston, bookended by the recently closed "Doctor Cerberus" and the about to open "The Bald Soprano," by Eugene Ionesco.

An arguably wise person once told me there are four major issues that can potentially ruin any relationship. They are, 'money, religion, sex and family.' Hard to argue with that. For the moment, let's take out three and just focus on one of those issues: religion. It's a topic that can be thorny at best and downright destructive at worst. It can lead people to violent extremes but also guide them to extreme peace and tranquility. And it's the issue at the heart of a funny, moving and thought-provoking play called A Bright New Boise, currently playing in the Downstage space at 2nd Story Theatre in Warren.

A BRIGHT NEW BOISE by Samuel D. Hunter, directed by Mark Peckham will play DownStage at 2nd Story Theatre, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8PM, Sundays at 3PM - through March 30.