Ronald Lewis

Ever wonder what movie theatre employees do after the projector is shut down for the night?  Well, there's a lot of sweeping, but there's also the perfect atmosphere for those types of relationships that develop when you're in your 20s working a job that is neither intellectually stimulating, nor likely to last past a certain stage in the inevitable slog toward adulthood.  THE FLICK captures that sweet spot of drama that's not life or death; romances that seem to be based more on proximity than actual feelings, but still feel VERY IMPORTANT; and trying to learn your role in a system that's ever changing. On its surface, the tension in this play seems a bit low-stakes, but the talented cast managed to win our hearts and take the audience back to a simpler time when everything is ahead of you, but the big picture is a bit scary, so you focus instead on the smaller, more manageable things.

In a run-down movie theater in central Massachusetts, three underpaid employees mop the floors and attend to one of the last 35 millimeter film projectors in the state. Their tiny battles and not-so-tiny heartbreaks play out in the empty aisles, becoming more gripping than the lackluster, second-run movies on screen. Presented in a site-specific production by The Wilbury Group at the Cable Car Cinema in downtown Providence, The Flick is a hilarious and heart-rending cry for authenticity in a fast-changing world.

Rhode Island's theater community had much to celebrate in 2015.  Outstanding productions graced stages from the East Bay to South County, up-and-coming theatrical companies left their mark on the arts scene, and excellent concerts and dance events made for some of the best performances of the year.

AMERICA STRIPPERS is a show that leaves the audience wiping away tears of laughter as it manages to both take one back to childhood while still remaining very adult.  Sound overwhelming?  It is, but in a very good way.

Epic Theatre Company is nervous as H-E-L-L, because we've turned our theater over to the Boys of St. Matthew's so they can perform their banned version of Moliere's classic play 'Tartuffe.'

Epic Theatre Company is nervous as H-E-L-L, because we've turned our theater over to the Boys of St. Matthew's so they can perform their banned version of Moliere's classic play 'Tartuffe.'

What's in a name? A rose by any other name...well, you know the rest. A name can, in truth, mean everything or it can mean nothing at all. For some people, their name is everything, their entire identity. For something like a play, for example, a name or title can be a little perplexing. Counter-Productions Theatre Company's current play, Nico Was a Fashion Model sounds a bit like it might be a reality show. But to let the unusual name dissuade you from seeing it would be a mistake. This is a fine production of a thought-provoking play populated by three stellar young actors.