Trinity Repertory Hosts Free 50th Anniversary Block Party Today

Trinity Repertory Company, recently named The State Theatre of Rhode Island, opens its doors today, August, 17 for Trinity Rep's 50th Anniversary Block Party & Open House. The company invites the community to celebrate this milestone with them at the theater at 201 Washington St., with a wide range of family-friendly activities planned from noon until 8:00 p.m. Highlights of the day include performances and appearances from some of the best and brightest professional, community, and children's theater groups from across the state, tours, workshops, tech demos, a prop & costume sale, live music, and more. The theater's box office will be offering special pre-sale 10% discount on OLIVER!, VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE and many other shows in their 50th Season - in addition to a one day only ticket deals.

Theater-lovers will be able to catch members of the Trinity Rep resident Acting Company Acting Company perform favorite scenes and songs from the past fifty years, alongside a wide array of groups, from the young playwrights of the Manton Avenue Project to Pawtucket's own award-winning Gamm Theatre to America's oldest little theater Barker Playhouse. Trinity Rep's upstairs Chace Theater will host upwards of a dozen selected performance, among them pieces from Contemporary Theater Company, Daydream Theatre Company, Elemental Theatre Collective, Epic Theatre Co., Mixed Magic Theatre, Ocean State Theater Company, The Community Players ,Wilbury Theatre Group and Trinity Rep's own Young Actors Studio.

General Manager Katie Byrnes explains, "Whether you are a long time Trinity Rep enthusiast, have kids in the education programs, take in a show every now and then, or are new to town, we want you to join us at the Open House. If you have ever wanted to tour our historic theater, meet your family's favorite Trinity Rep actor, or have your picture taken as Tiny Tim - this is your chance!"

Trinity Rep's Associate Artistic Director Tyler Dobrowsky, who is coordinating the event alongside Byrnes adds, "We wanted to thank the theater's patrons and donors for their strong support of the theater over the years - while also honoring the uniquely Rhode Island spirit that allowed Trinity Rep to flourish in the first place. The idea that the arts should be a crucial part of our social fabric, that the arts are necessary, is bound up in our identity as Rhode Islanders - like Del's lemonade in the summer. It's this spirit, this insistence on great art, which has inspired so many artists and organizations to take root here in the smallest state. It might be our birthday, but we want to celebrate all the wonderful theater across Rhode Island."

Between performances, attendees will be invited to recreate iconic photos from Trinity Rep's past and have their picture taken with props, costumes, and life-size production photos. Long-time fans will be able to record a video message in our archive room where patrons can share their Trinity Rep stories for our YouTube channel. Kids of all ages are also invited to take part in acting classes, face painting and demos. Tours of the Lederer Theater Center will be held throughout the day, revealing the inner workings of the historic building.

The Adrian Hall way performance stage will be featuring music from THE GRAPES OF WRATH featuring the show's house band - 3 Pile - with their lively blend of original blues, folk, and county music. Throughout the day, the outdoor stage will offer tech demos, raffles, and thetheater's prop & costume sale. Guests can browse through favorite pieces from past productions and purchase anything they would like to take home.

Support for Trinity Rep's 50th Anniversary Block Party and Open House provided by the Providence Tourism Council and the City of Providence, Angel Taveras, Mayor. For more event information and updates, visit www.trinityrep.com and Trinity Rep's Facebook Page.

The State Theater of Rhode Island, Trinity Repertory Company is now celebrating its 50th Anniversary Season. Since its founding in 1963, Trinity Repertory Company has been one of the most respected regional theaters in the country. Featuring the last permanent resident Acting Company in America, Trinity Rep presents a balance of world premiere, contemporary, and classic works for an estimated annual audience of approximately 145,000. In its 50-year history, the theater has produced 62 world premieres, mounted national and international tours, and, through its MFA program, trained hundreds of new actors and directors. This season marks the 46th year of Project Discovery, Trinity Rep's pioneering educational outreach program. Last season, Trinity Rep's educational programs reached nearly 15,000 Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut students through matinees as well as in-school residencies and workshops. Brown University/Trinity Rep offers professional training for actors and directors in a three-year MFA program. Subscriptions are now on sale for Trinity Rep's 50th Anniversary 2013-2014 season, which includes John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, the New England premiere of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang, Lionel Bart's Oliver!, Intimate Apparel by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, the world premiere of Veronica Meadows by Stephen Thorne and A Lie of the Mind by Sam Shepard. For more information, call the box office at (401) 351-4242 or visit Trinity Rep's website at www.trinityrep.com.