THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA is one of those deliciously sinister plays that unpacks social mores, female relationships, self destruction and repression in a way that is eminently watchable. The current production at Epic Theatre features Michelle L. Walker as Bernarda Alba, a part so perfectly cast ... (more...)
The Homeric epic The Odyssey, is at its core, a story of a man trying to return home after a war. black odyssey is much the same, but instead of Odysseus, hero of the Trojan war, we follow Ulysses Lincoln, a black man who joined the army to earn some money for his young family, but who was pulled i... (more...)
Festival Ballet Providence's annual production of THE NUTCRACKER is a highlight of the Christmas season. Although some aspects of the production remain the same from one year to the next, there are always some small changes, and the show is no less affecting upon repeated viewings.... (more...)
If you took two plutonium hemispheres labeled 'American folk tradition' and 'cerebral poetry' and smashed them together in a critical mass, the musical 'Futurity' would be the resulting atomic explosion. The Wilbury Theatre Group in Providence has captured the chaotic energy of this show in a produ... (more...)
In the 175 years since Charles Dickens penned 'A Christmas Carol,' there have been countless productions, featuring everyone from Patrick Stewart to Mr. Magoo. The Contemporary Theater Company (CTC) of Wakefield, RI has managed a holiday miracle: a highly theatrical version, enjoyable by the whole f... (more...)
ANASTASIA, based on the 1997 animated musical film of the same name, tells the tale of the supposed daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, who was alleged to have escaped her family's execution. Though the plot is based on historical events, it's not necessarily historically accurate, preferring instead to ... (more...)
Playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins seems like a man who likes to make theatre audiences uncomfortable, and make them question their most basic reactions. Rhode Islanders will be familiar with his play Appropriate, which was at Trinity Rep in 2016, and may have left many scratching their heads in a '... (more...)
Sunday evening your intrepid correspondent headed to Veterans Auditorium to catch a band called LAKE STREET DIVE. I had seen the group perform on Colbert twice and thought, 'Well, that's pretty interesting.' So when I heard they were coming to the Veterans Auditorium in Providence, I decided to go. ... (more...)
Trinity Rep's annual A CHRISTMAS CAROL production is always delightful in new and exciting ways. This year, they've partnered with 56 choirs from Rhode Island (and a few from Massachusetts) to make each show unique and feature even more local talent. This is a lovely addition to the classic story,... (more...)
Festival Ballet's UP CLOSE ON HOPE series is always an opportunity for the company to branch out from the classical ballet most are familiar with to really show the range and talent of the dancers and choreographers. This fall program features five world premiere pieces largely in a more modern sty... (more...)
In the interest of full disclosure, what I know about modern dance could fit in a thimble. In addition, I am a Boston Red Sox fan of the first magnitude, back to the days of Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski. So what was I doing out at Veterans Auditorium on a Friday night when game three of the Wor... (more...)
When it comes to Halloween season musicals, few are as appropriate as LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS - an ever growing plant with a taste for human blood, a sadistic dentist, and the potential loss of everything you've ever dreamed of? There's plenty to feel uneasy about. Fortunately the show balances out t... (more...)
THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA is among Tennessee Williams' least-know plays, but still one that resulted in over 300 performances on Broadway and a 1964 film version starring Richard Burton and directed by John Huston. Unlike Williams' more famous works, it's likely that audiences don't know much about t... (more...)
BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE, playing at Westerly's Granite Theatre through October 28th, is the perfect choice of a play for this month, when thoughts of Halloween and all things spooky and mystical are in the air.... (more...)
Head Trick Theatre continues to perform thought-provoking, timely productions with their latest piece, Lillian Hellman's 1941 play, WATCH ON THE RHINE.... (more...)
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE has been adapted over and over (once with zombies!) because it's a classic tale of manners, social mores, love and determination. The version currently playing at Trinity Rep was adapted by Kate Hamill who is known for her contemporary adaptations of classic works. Unfortunately... (more...)
MISS SAIGON, the tragic love story of a Vietnamese woman who falls in love with an American GI during the Vietnam War, is certainly not short on drama. Based on Puccini's Madame Butterfly, this retelling focuses both on the love affair between the two main characters, but also the horror of war and... (more...)
To open their ninety-eighth season, the Community Players is offering SOCIAL SECURITY by Andrew Bergman at Jenks Auditorium in Pawtucket. The play has an excellent pedigree. After twenty-six previews, the Broadway production, directed by Mike Nichols, opened on April 17, 1986 and ran for 388 perform... (more...)
It may seem a bit odd to base a play on a movie, but when one considers that SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE was co-written by Tom Stoppard and won him an Academy Award, it becomes a no-brainer. Under the capable direction of Jeff Church this witty and heart-warming story comes alive in a new way that will mak... (more...)
The Merry Murderesses of Cook County have set up in South County Rhode Island to close out Theatre By the Sea's 85th season with a bang. This production is stacked with talent, as well as the outstanding songs and dance numbers one can rely on. Even as the days are (finally) getting a bit cooler, C... (more...)
Moreso than many other shows, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT is a musical that is rife for reinvention, and the current production at Theatre By the Sea, directed and choreographed by Richard Sabellico, has also been given its own unique spin.... (more...)
BWW Review: THE BURN at The Wilbury Theatre Group
BWW Review: Haunting THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA at Epic Theatre
BWW Review: BLACK ODYSSEY is a Celebration of Music, Love and Loss
BWW Review: Festival Ballet Providence's THE NUTCRACKER
BWW Review: FUTURITY offers 'singular' experience at The Wilbury Theatre Group
BWW Review: Contemporary Theater Delivers Delightfully Fresh A CHRISTMAS CAROL
BWW Review: ANASTASIA Sparkles at Providence Performing Arts Center
BWW Review: The Gamm's GLORIA Plays With Notions of Comedy and Tragedy
BWW Review: LAKE STREET DIVE: FREE YOURSELF UP at Veterans Auditorium
BWW Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL Charms Again at Trinity Rep
BWW Review: Another Fantastic UP CLOSE ON HOPE at Festival Ballet
BWW Review: New Life: PILOBOLUS: BRANCHES at Veterans Auditorium
BWW Review: Contemporary Theater Company's Delightful LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
BWW Review: SYLVIA at Newport Playhouse And Cabaret Restaurant
BWW Review: THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA Kicks Off The Gamm's New Season
BWW Review: Semi-Charmed BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE at the Granite Theatre
BWW Review: Head Trick Theatre's Riveting WATCH ON THE RHINE at AS220
BWW Review: Flirty Fun at Trinity Rep's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
BWW Review: Technically Stunning MISS SAIGON at PPAC
Uneven SOCIAL SECURITY at The Community Players
BWW Review: A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED at Granite Theatre
BWW Review: SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE Delights at Burbage Theatre Company
BWW Review: CHICAGO Sizzles at Theatre by the Sea
Get Out of the House. Go See MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING in the Park!
BWW Review: Colorful JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT Continues Theatre By The Sea's 85th Year Celebration
