LINCOLN In 2020, the State Ballet of Rhode Island was supposed to celebrate its 60th anniversary.
Diamond Jubilee performances of “Giselle” were scheduled for April, and by February, company dancers, guest artists and young dancers from the Brae Crest School of Ballet, the official school of the state ballet, were well into rehearsals, overseen by the ballet s founder, artistic director and choreographer, Herci Marsden, 83.
Then an uninvited guest showed up: COVID-19. By March 23, Gov. Gina Raimondo had ordered all public recreation and entertainment establishments to cease in-person operations.
“We thought, ‘Let’s get a new date,” recalls Ana Marsden Fox, the state ballet’s executive director.
“Festivals are in FirstWorks’ DNA,” says FirstWorks Executive Artistic Director Kathleen Pletcher. “Our hearts are warmed by gathering FirstWorks artists from across the globe and around the corner to infuse our spirits and bid farewell to 2020. . At a time when we cannot travel, we can be transported by the creativity of the arts.”
The first hour has Los Angeles-based tap-dance phenoms Syncopated Ladies, Indian tabla sensation Nitin Mitta and sitarist Srinivas Reddy, Pawtucket hip-hop artist Chachi Carvalho, Providence folk-soul troubadour Natále and fellow Providence dream pop act Nova One, led by Roz Raskin.
“I am really looking forward to having the opportunity to perform some new music, and some old tunes as well,” Carvalho says about being involved in the virtual festival. “I have exhausted all of my time and energy into making my own festival, Culture Shock, a reality this year and providing an outlet for local artists to shine that I forgot about creating
SMITHFIELD – In its second meeting on Dec. 9, Smithfield’s newly elected Town Council sat down for a group discussion on objectives and goals, many centered on limiting taxes, enhancing public safety, and investing in resources.
Council President Suzy Alba asked all members to take a few moments to discuss key issues and concerns facing the town, as well as what councilors hope to accomplish over the next two-year term.
Returning for his second term, Councilor Sean Kilduff said his main focus for the next two years is Smithfield’s bond indebtedness and doing whatever possible to offset the impact to taxpayers.
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The Roger Williams Park Zoo is a glowing wonderland after the suns goes down. (Rachel Nunes/Patch)
PROVIDENCE, RI Starting Thursday night, Roger Williams Park Zoo will come to life after the sun goes down, lighting up the night.
No, this isn t the annual Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, instead a new holiday tradition in the making. Rhode Islanders young and old can celebrate the season while stay socially distanced in their cars during the new drive-through Holiday Lights Spectacular.
Guests enter a tunnel of lights as they head into the light display (Rachel Nunes/Patch)
More than 1.5 million bulbs line the walkways of the zoo, taking the shape of snowmen, dinosaurs, butterflies even Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The new holiday event was made possible through a grant by Rhode Island Commerce s HArT Recovery Grant Program. Zoo Director Jeremy Goodman said it will be here to stay in years to come in the form of a walkthrough similar to that of the jack-o-lanterns.