Valerie Westgate News

Burbage Theatre Co hits the big screen with an original feature-length film adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth directed by Jeff Church. This thrillingly haunting production showcases some of Rhode Island theatre's best talent, captured on film in stunning professional quality.

Burbage Theatre Co hits the big screen with an original feature-length film adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth directed by Jeff Church. This spellbinding production will be available FREE to watch both in-person and online.

Aaron Blanck is back for a third round of stupendous silliness this Saturday, May 23rd at 8pm for 'Fill in the Blanck: An Epic Game Show' Live on Epic's Facebook Page.

The Burbage Theatre Co announces the 3rd production of their Ninth Season (2019-2020) with Edward II 

It's always exciting when a young theatre company finds a place to call its own, a permanent home where it can grow creatively and grow hopefully long-lasting roots into the surrounding community and the local performing arts scene. Such is the case with Burbage Theatre Co., which has just opened its first ever show in their new space at 59 Blackstone Ave in Pawtucket. While the show, David Ives' The School for Lives is a bit uneven, it is an undeniably successful launch of this exciting new phase in the life of Burbage.

Thornton Wilder's 'Our Town' is a poignant snapshot of a bygone America, a keenly observed drama which retains its relevance 70 years after it debuted - and more than 100 years after it's set. For those who've never seen the show, the Burbage Theatre Company offers an introduction to this classic with a few standout touches.

The Burbage Theatre Co announces the second play of their 2017-2018 season and first production in partnership with Pawtucket's own TEN31 Productions, F. Scott Fitzgerald's THE GREAT GATSBY adapted by Simon Levy, directed by Wendy Overly, which opens previews today November 24, 2017, and closes on Sunday December 17, 2017.

The Burbage Theatre Co announces the second play of their 2017-2018 season and first production in partnership with Pawtucket's own TEN31 Productions, F. Scott Fitzgerald's THE GREAT GATSBY adapted by Simon Levy, directed by Wendy Overly, which opens previews on Friday November 24, 2017, and closes on Sunday December 17, 2017.

BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE must be missing the eye of a newt.

Women in business in the 1950's--not the easiest row to hoe.

Rona Jaffe's mid-century page-turner electrified millions of women who saw their own lives reflected in the experiences of five young employees of a New York publishing house. Julie Kramer's adaptation touchingly and faithfully captures Jaffe's incisive look at the personal and professional struggles these women faced (face?) in their male-dominated world, bringing it to colorful theatrical life with sympathy, wit, intelligence and love.

Burbage Theatre Company concludes their sixth season with the Rhode Island Premiere of  'THE ALTRUISTS' by Nicky Silver, directed by Vince Petronio, which opens previews Friday March 17.

SEASCAPE, Edward Albee's 1975 Pulitzer Prize-winning comic-drama is getting a very entertaining production at Warren's 2nd Story Theatre. SEASCAPE is a quirky, compelling examination of the meaning of life, how we got, and where we go, from here. On a deserted beach, an older couple (Ed Shea and Susan Bowen Powers) encounters two humanesque sea creatures (Valerie Westgate and Charles Lafond) contemplating the evolutionary leap to dry land. Ironically, it's the human couple, for whom existence has grown flat and routine, who holds the answers to the inquisitive amphibians' naive yet probing questions, which in turn helps the humans answer their own. If I have neglected to say so thus far, this thing is hilarious.

Seascape by Edward Albee is running January 13 - February 5, 2017 at 2nd Story Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Burbage Theatre Company opens their sixth season with 'Desdemona: a play about a handkerchief' a feminist retelling of William Shakespeare's 'Othello' by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Paula Vogel, directed by Allison Crews, which opens previews Friday September 16.

Burbage Theatre Company opens their sixth season with 'Desdemona: a play about a handkerchief' a feminist retelling of William Shakespeare's 'Othello' by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Paula Vogel, directed by Allison Crews, which opens previews Today September 16.

Burbage Theatre Company opens their sixth season with 'Desdemona: a play about a handkerchief' a feminist retelling of William Shakespeare's 'Othello' by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Paula Vogel, directed by Allison Crews, which opens previews Friday September 16.

In keeping with Artistic Director Ed Shea's avowed goal of staging less cynical plays, 2nd Story Theatre in Warren is offering the stage version of the 1971 cult film classic HAROLD AND MAUDE by Colin Higgins, who wrote both the screenplay and this stage version, If you have never seen the film version, which starred Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort, you should get yourself over to Warren; if you have seen the film, you might want to go by a ticket to see what director Kevin Broccoli hath wrought. This production features some fine performances, a couple of almost magical special effects, and a story that is so dated it's current again. As Maude, charmingly played by Isabel O'Donnell, explains to Evan Kinnane's Harold in the second act, 'A cliche today is a profound truth tomorrow, and vice versa.' Somebody say, 'Amen.'

Wilbury Theatre Group closes out their 2015-2016 season with JERUSALEM by Jez Butterworth.  It's a skillfully directed production with a few standout performances, but unfortunately is bogged down by an overlong story that doesn't deliver much tension until after the two hour mark and suffers from some clumsy accent work.  It's an ambitious project for the Wilbury group to take on, and the sets and costumes are absolutely perfect for the story, unfortunately the source material is the main problem and its cliche' plot and incredibly slow pacing just never really deliver.

The Wilbury Theatre Group closes its 2015/16 season with the Rhode Island premiere of Jerusalem, Jez Butterworth's epic Tony and Olivier award-winning play, May 19-June 4, 2016.