Vince Petronio News

George Bernard Shaw once said, 'Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.' At 2nd Story change is constant and audiences have learned to expect and embrace Artistic Director Ed Shea's programming adjustments. This season, for a variety of practical reasons, Shea has decided to upend the season finales in both the UpStage and DownStage theaters.

"Family is conflict and it's something that we all relate to," according to Bill Cosby, who has made a very long career out of finding the humor in family conflicts. His television shows and standup routines probably never had anything quite like the family conflicts found in Nicky Silver's play The Lyons, now playing at 2nd Story Theatre in Warren. Even though the drama and conflict is ratcheted pretty high in this production, there are still many moments every audience member can and will relate to, whether they want to admit it or not.

THE LYONS by Nicky Silver will be directed by Mark Peckham at DownStage at 2nd Story Theatre, running January 16 - February 9, 2014.

A recent converstion with a friend included the topic of just how much theater there is right now in Rhode Island. There's no denying that theater lovers have many excellent choices, with many plays and musicals of almost every kind. One of the many great aspects of this phenomenon is the fact that even with so much theater happening, there are so many talented performers in this area that the product is not watered down or less enjoyable just because there is so much of it.Take 2nd Story Theatre, for example. They have not one, not two, but three shows opening and running during November. The first one to open, the second show of the DownStage season, is a perfect example of how even with so many shows running, audiences can still see a fantastic ensemble of actors working together perfectly.

Stephen Karam's explosively funny comedy about the extreme suffering of a Lebanese family distantly related to Kahlil Gibranis playing DownStage at 2nd Story from October 25 - November 24, 2013. Check out a first look below!

You're sitting in a large, dimly lit, nearly empty room, upstairs in an old warehouse in a nondescript section of the city. In the middle of the room, there is what looks like a wrestling ring, surrounded by chairs eagerly waiting for an audience of spectators. Finally, the lights dim and in walks a masked man in wrestling trunks. Only, you aren't at a wrestling match. You're at the The Wilbury Group's production of Kristoffer Diaz's The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity.

The Wilbury Group announces the RI premiere of Kristoffer Diaz's Pulitzer Price nominated play The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity tonight, January 23-February 9, 2013. Winner of the 2011 Obie Award for Best New American Play, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity slams together thrilling spectacle, incredible characters, and geopolitical allegory into a uniquely invigorating theatrical experience.

The Wilbury Group announces the RI premiere of Kristoffer Diaz's Pulitzer Price nominated play The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity January 23-February 9, 2013. Winner of the 2011 Obie Award for Best New American Play, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity slams together thrilling spectacle, incredible characters, and geopolitical allegory into a uniquely invigorating theatrical experience.

The courtroom of the Bristol Statehouse provides the perfect atmosphere for 'An Inspector Calls,' and 2nd Story's cast flawlessly presents J.B. Priestley's clever and thought-provoking work.

2nd Story presents AN INSPECTOR CALLS, now playing through December 2. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

Warren's 2nd Story Theatre finishes its summer 2012 season with a modern-day fairy tale, SABRINA FAIR.

2nd Story's summer season wraps up with Samuel Taylor's sort-of Cinderella story, Sabrina Fair. In "Sabrina Fair", Samuel Taylor's sort-of-Cinderella story, a playboy becomes interested in the daughter of his family's chauffeur. But would his more serious brother be a better match? Performances run August 15 through September 2, 2012. Get a first look at the production in the photos below!

Ed Shea directly a terrific production of Tracy Letts' comic tragedy

The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre (The Gamm) continues Season 27 with Hamlet, William Shakespeare's famously timeless tale of murder and revenge.

The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre (The Gamm) continues Season 27 with Hamlet, William Shakespeare's famously timeless tale of murder and revenge.

The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre (The Gamm) continues Season 27 with Hamlet, William Shakespeare's famously timeless tale of murder and revenge.

Louise was trying to get a glimpse of the King as he passed in a parade when a loose knot and gravity conspired to drop her undergarments to the ground.

Comic Potential is Alan Ayckbourn's take on television of the future where actors are not actors at all, but machines. Given the success of James Cameron's Avatar, Ayckbourn might be on to something.