Holiday Arts, Crafts, and Bazaars
Buy local this holiday season with some handmade and salvaged gifts
The Artists’ Co Op Gallery of Westerly
Celebrate the Joy: Art as the Perfect Gift, 7 Canal St, Westerly. Dec 4 – 28 www.westerlyarts.com
Sharing Small Treasures, 7 Canal St, Westerly. Thru Dec 1. Wed – Sat 11am – 4pm; Sun 1-5pm www.westerlyarts.com
Blackstone River Theatre
Holiday Craft Fair and Festival, 549 Broad St, Cumberland.Dec 7, 9am – 3pm www.riverfolk.org
Charlestown Gallery
Holiday Group Show, 5000 South County Trail, Charlestown. Nov 31 – Dec 31, Thurs – Sun, 10am – 5:30pm
Cherish the Moments
Holiday Extravaganza, VFW, 1418 Plainfield Pike, Cranston. Nov 16, 10am – 4pm www.cherishthemoments.net
Christmas Craft Fair, Knights of Columbus, 7 Valley Rd, Middletown. Dec 14 – 15, 10am – 4pm. www.cherishthemoments.net
Craftland Show, 235 Westminster St, Providence. Nov 29 – Dec 30, Sun – Wed, 10am – 6pm; Thurs – Sat, 10am – 8pm www.craftlandshop.com
Craftopia, Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main St, Pawtucket. Nov 10, 10am – 4pm www.rhodycraft.com
DeBlois Gallery
Invitational Holiday Fine Arts and Crafts Show, 134 Aquidneck Ave, Middletown. Nov 30 – Dec 24, Tues – Sun, noon – 5pm www.debloisgallery.com
Festival Fete Holiday Market, Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, 60 Rhodes Pl, Cranston. Dec 8, 15, 22, 10am – 6pm www.festivalfete.com
FosteringArts
Christmas in the Valley, Foster Country Club, 67 Johnson RD, Foster. Nov 29 – 30 www.fosteringarts.org
The Foundry Artists Association
The Foundry Holiday Show, The Pawtucket Armory, Dec 5 – 15, weekends. See site for schedule.www.foundryshow.com
Gallery Night Providence, 27 participating Providence Galleries. Nov 21, 5 – 9pm. www.gallerynight.org
Hatch Street Studios Holiday Sale, 88 Hatch St, New Bedford. Nov 22, 5-9pm; Nov 23, 10am – 5pm; Nov 24, 11am – 5pm. www.hatchstreetstudios.com
Mad Dog Artist Studios and Gallery
Holiday Open Studio Sale, 65 Blackstone Ave, Pawtucket. Dec 5 – 15. See site for hours maddogartiststudios.com
The Mill at Shady Lea
Open Studios Weekend, 215 Shady Lea Rd, North Kingstown. Dec 1 – 2, noon – 5pm www.themillatshadylea.com
Ocean State Artisans
Holiday Craft Festival, CCRI Knight Campus, 400 East Ave, Warwick. Nov 29, 10am – 5pm; Nov 30, 9am – 4pm www.oceanstateartisans.com
Providence Flea, Hope High School, 324 Hope St, Providence. Nov 17, Dec 8, Dec 15, 10am – 4pm www.providenceflea.com
Providence Art Club
Little Pictures Show and Sale, 11 Thomas St, Providence. Nov 19 – Dec 23. Gallery open daily. See site for times. www.providenceartclub.org
RISD Holiday Alumni Art Sale, RI Convention Center, 1 Sabin St, Providence. Dec 7, 10am – 5pm www.risdalumnisales.wordpress.com
South County Art Association
Holiday Pottery and Art Sale, 2587 Kingstown Rd, Kingston. Nov 29 – Dec 22, Wed – Sun, 10am – 6pm www.southcountyart.org
Urban Vintage Bazar, Brown University Campus Center, Faunce Hall, 75 Waterman Street, Providence. 10am – 4pm www.facebook.com/UrbanVintageBazaar
Mike D’s Top Five — Can’t Miss Shows of December
Five of the biggest concerts happening in RI this December
1. Saturday, December 7: A Wilhelm Scream (Partycrasher CD release!), Half Hearted Hero, The Holy Mess, The Down and Outs. $12 advance / $14 day of. 7 pm doors / 8 pm show. All ages. The Met, 1005 Main St., Pawtucket, RI. New Bedford’s own A Wilhelm Scream’s new album Partycrasher is their 6th album and is out now! This is the party to celebrate their fantastic record. A Wilhelm Scream have been at it for what feels like forever (16 years? the line between Smacking Isaiah and AWS is blurred in my head) and have been touring the world making a name for themselves as New England’s finest melodic hardcore act and influencing numbers of great bands on the way. Count New Bedford’s Half Hearted Hero and Providence’s The Down and Outs as two of them. Also on the bill, The Holy Mess, a punk rock act from Philly that reminds me of American Steel at times.
2. Monday, December 16: WBRU Birthday Bash with Grouplove, J Roddy Walston & The Business, Bear Hands. $25. 7 pm doors / 8 pm show. All ages. Lupo’s, 79 Washington St., Providence, RI. It was unfortunate in November when Grouplove postponed (all tickets will be observed, by the way), but the blessing in disguise was the new support! J Roddy Walston & The Business have been cutting their teeth across the country as support with the Drive By Truckers, Shovels and Rope and hometown heroes Deer Tick. They now seem poised to make the jump forward. Check out their video Heavy Bells on YouTube; it’s sort of a mix between a stoner’s idea of the NFL play 60 campaign and a Providence West End cult after party. Brooklyn’s most underrated indie rock ever is Bear Hands. Check out their old album Burning Bush Supper Club or request their new song, “Giants,” on WBRU. Killer show, WBRU!
3. Saturday, December 21: I Am The Avalanche, Hostage Calm, Raindance, Foreign Tongues. $11 advance / $13 day of. 7 pm doors / 8 pm show. All ages. The Met, 1005 Main St., Pawtucket, RI. The Rhode Island return of the pop punk veterans I Am The Avalanche is finally here. The last show was two years ago in a snow storm, right around the release of Avalanche United, their second album. While it took six years to release that, word on the book is that their new album is in the can and should be out early 2014! This show marks the final show of Mike Ireland, who is leaving the band to focus on Brooklyn’s finest bar The Three Diamond Door. If in Bushwick, make sure to stop by and ask Mike how often he parties. CT’s pop punk upstarts Hostage Calm, Ma’s hardcore act Raindance, and NH’s fantastic Foreign Tongues round out the bill.
4. Sunday, December 22: Math The Band, Jeff Rosenstock (of Bomb The Music Industry), Lyra, Malportado Kids. $6. 9 pm doors. All ages. AS220, 15 Empire St, Providence, RI. This show not only celebrates the release of their new record, Stupid and Weird, it’s also their 1,000th show?! By my math, my brain tells me that’s 83 shows a year, and I have only caught two of these. I am going to try to make it three. For those not familiar, the band aptly describes their new album as a vintage analog synth spazz punk odyssey. Jeff Rosenstock, songwriter for DIY punks Bomb The Music Industry is direct support. With the announcement of Bomb breaking up in early 2104, I would expect some new material for this show. Providence’s hardcore act Lyra and casio jamz band Mal Portado open.
5. Tuesday, December 31: New Year’s Eve with Joe Fletcher and the Wrong Reasons, JP Harris & The Tough Choices, Smith & Weeden. $15 advance / $20 day of. 8 pm doors / 9 pm show. All ages. The Met, 1005 Main St., Pawtucket, RI. And Bad Rabbits, Bearstronaut, Brek.One. $30. 8 pm doors / 8 pm show. 21+ only. The Sinclair, 52 Church St. Cambridge MA. These are two great shows. I would go see Joe’s return from Nashville. There is a lot of entertainment going on everywhere, but why go downtown and see balloon animal artists and freeze your ass off looking at fireworks when you can go see live music and dance your ass off? I hear the Silks and Hope Anchor are playing on New Year’s Eve at the Parlour, but I can’t find that anywhere online so it might be fictional. Anyway, have a happy New Year! A Chorus of Christmas Carols
Bruce Church, Attleboro Community Theater Nominal Christians (or “Chreasters” as some like to call them) are often derided for the practice of showing up to church once or twice a year at the Big Masses and calling it good for another trip around the sun. Likewise, even the most reluctant of theatergoers who pay lip service to the dramatic arts, but consider seeing Phantom at PPAC the equivalent of supporting local theater, raise an eyebrow from those who are regular attendees at the dozens of offerings available across the state all year. The common response from pastors and artistic directors alike is usually, “Hey, as long as they show up at all, we’re glad to have them.” Keeping Christmas in your heart year round is surely a Christian ideal and for many, a trip to see a production of A Christmas Carol fulfills a need both secular and parochial and becomes, like Midnight Mass, a family tradition that is annually anticipated.
If there’s a War on Christmas at the governmental level, then no one told the majority of Rhode Island theaters. The plethora of Christmas Carols (and Christmas-related productions) onstage in December is mind-boggling, yet almost predictable. In such a Catholic state, it’s a no-brainer to offer some holiday theater fare
amidst the Nutcrackers and Coppelias and there are plenty of non-holiday offerings abound, but Rhode Island’s often absurd number of stages always has enough Dickens on display to keep the family in good cheer for years to come. So, why A Christmas Carol? Several plays exist that have similar themes and settings and offer, if not a new, than at least a fresher take than a story written before the Civil War. But even if we take the kids to see Ocean State Theatre do Miracle on 34th Street, The Musical it feels like a pleasant one-off, a diversion from a lineage. Hearing Paul’s letter to the Corinthians read aloud at a wedding is a cliché, but it is considered part of a longstanding tradition, not uninspired repetition. There may be cleverer, more ethereal and certainly funnier Christmas plays out there, but they always feel like side dishes to Dickens’ always satisfying main course.
Ed Benjamin II, Granite Theatre
One of the reasons for Carol’s enduring popularity is that, whether we know it or not, our conception of Christmas in the modern Western world has been largely shaped by Dickens’ careful blend of spiritualism, social commentary and longstanding Old Christmas traditions that had largely fallen by the wayside when A Christmas Carol was first published in 1843. The novella was adapted for the stage by the end of the 19th Century (Seymour Hicks’ 1901 one-man version being the early prototype for many to follow) and countless iterations continue to this day. Look at the production history of any theater, anywhere, and you’re likely to find a past, present (or future) production of A Christmas Carol and/or one of its offshoots. Is it strictly the fact that, like Shakespeare, this public domain material can be adapted and staged at will without concern for royalties? Could such a crass commercial notion be behind the constant staging of a story that cries out against such blatant financial preoccupation?
Joe Wallace, RI Shakespeare Company
Not so, according to Tyler Dobrowsky, director of the current version running at Trinity Rep. Trinity’s original version has long since become the gold standard for A Christmas Carol in Rhode Island, and while Adrian Hall’s 30-plus year adaptation is still the framework for Trinity’s production, each director takes his or her own stab at reinterpreting the script while keeping the necessary elements intact. “It’s something we take very seriously,” he says. “This is a tradition for many families in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, to celebrate the holidays. It’s an important show for us every year.” Dobrowsky maintains that, far from seeing Carol as some sort of yearly cash cow for Trinity, the theater eagerly anticipates the influx of families and schools that make the show part of their lives. And, much like the “Chreasters” with church, Christmas Carol may be the first or only time that many folks ever see live theater. For some children, such as those who visit as part of Project Discovery, Christmas Carol may be a gateway for them to explore an art form to which their exposure is minimal at best. “This is a gift we give to the people of Rhode Island every year,” says Dobrowsky. More than simply a production, Trinity decorates the entire theater, arranges fundraising (Trinity has raised almost $250,000 for the RI Food Bank from Carol-related donations alone) and generally feels “responsible” for making their Christmas Carol an experience, not just a show. The yearly changes are not for the sake of tinkering, but to offer more to those who come year after year. With Fred Sullivan, Jr. taking on the role of Scrooge this year, it’s a fresh look for those who got used to Timothy Crowe in the lead. The Ghosts have been updated and new music and choreography added, so even though many folks have seen the show over the course of decades, there is always a new take backed by Trinity’s considerable ability to deliver high production value.
Yet even with Trinity leading the way, several other companies feel just as strongly about the seasonal as well as the artistic merit of staging a show that seems to be playing on every corner. JC Wallace, who heads the Rhode Island Shakespeare Theatre, is staging an ambitious version of Carol in conjunction with the Big Nazo Puppet Lab. The ghosts are all Nazo creations, while Wallace himself tackles Ebenezer as well as directing. Wallace was looking for a way out of the usual takes on Carol, and knew that the Courthouse Theater in Kingston would not allow him room for much in the way of Trinity-esque special effects. So, he approached Nazo with the idea of a collaboration and they jumped aboard to help create one of the most unique Carols running this year. His script aims for irreverence and humor while keeping true to the main themes. He describes Courthouse’s version as “meta-aware, with topical references and a set that looks more like a cartoon, modern.” Wallace is looking for a “community flavor, inviting the audience into the show” as opposed to a more traditional, fourth wall-style of presentation. Opening on December 5, Courthouse is pushing hard for a “must-see” event and an alternative, yet complementary version for South County audiences to what Providence has to offer, with carolers, shopping opportunities and Santa himself appearing on December 7.
Another longstanding adaptation is presented by the Artists’ Exchange, who go into their 10th year presenting Christmas Carol in Cranston. Opening December 12, this version, helmed by Clara Weishahn, aims to achieve an open journey where the considerable cast, led by Tom Chace as Scrooge, starts off as a modern family, telling the tale in a living room (much like Dickens himself would read his story aloud as family and friends gathered) and transform, scene by scene, into Victorian England. “This version is essentially the novel,” says Weishahn. “What got me excited was the idea of this story being told here and now, shared by children, aunts and uncles all in the same room.” Like Wallace, Weishahn wants her theater to play to its strengths, incorporating actors from the Gateways to Change program into the ensemble. Local Cranston residents and children are all part of the production, making this Carol for and by the community it serves. In the second weekend, they move from the 82 Rolfe Square location to the grandeur of The Park Theatre, utilizing large-scale backdrops and scenic elements not available to them in the smaller space at # 82. “We’re trying to invoke the mood and feeling of the emotional quality of Dickens’ world, and the visuals reflect how a child might imagine this story as they hear it,” says Weishahn. Chace also lends his considerable musical talents to the production, with live contemporary music mixed with period Victorian Christmas offerings.
And while theaters like David Jepson’s The Granite in Westerly (Nov 29 through Dec 22) and Encore Rep in Woonsocket (Dec 6 through 15) are staying close to their traditional productions, others have been busy making a tradition out of being more, well, untraditional. Frank O’Donnell’s A Christmas Carmella directly parodies Dickens while retaining the original’s spirit. “My goal three years ago was to create a fun holiday alternative to A Christmas Carol,” says O’Donnell. “All of the sudden, I’ve got a franchise on my hands with Ant’ny Claus. Trinity owns (Christmas Carol), if you ask me, but it seems like so many others do it as well, to the point that, for a while, A Christmas Carol was literally the only show in town.” This very Rhode Island version of the story is fast becoming an alternative for those who like a little fuggedabowdit with their spirituality, and O’Donnell opens Carmella at Theatre Works in Woonsocket December 6 through 15. Mark Anderson, who also serves at Theatre Works’ president and plays Carmella’s version of Scrooge, Scrungini, says, “The first two Ant’nys broke all sorts of box office records for us. If we get a threepeat that would be perfect!” Other amusing alternatives include a Murder Mystery version by Providence’s Murder on Us (A Deadly Christmas Carol), which has been running for more than 20 years.
Space precludes mentioning all of the versions of Carol running in and near the state, but all share the same message: we are responsible for other people, especially those less fortunate than ourselves. “The choices we make in life affect other people,” stresses Tyler Dobrowsky. And, for at least one time a year, A Christmas Carol and its offspring brings families and communities together to acknowledge and share that spirit. And, for the theatrical “Chreasters” that only see one show a year, the message of spiritual redemption and rebirth at a time when the season is about to change is a double shot of Christmas and Easter rolled up in one. A Christmas Carol is a familiar, yet constantly evolving tradition here in Rhode Island and for at least one time a year, we’re all season subscribers. Resolve to Embrace Localism in 2014
The term localism can incite different reactions from different crowds of people. For some, it’s a die-hard mantra of deep-held political and social beliefs that calls for one’s involvement in a local community independent of the globalization of goods and services. For others, it is the ultimate pretention and a misguided attempt to fight against humanity’s quiet march to mass production and uniformity. It is seen as the realm of hipsters and progressive moralist yuppies — residual guilt over the environmental rape committed by our forebears during the industrial revolution, and again on our Main Street during the birth of super-corporate sprawl.
This attitude is wrong. Localism has no need to be pretentious, or expensive, or difficult to achieve. All it takes is some basic diligence and awareness by us, the consumers and citizens of the Ocean State. When we spend a dollar at a business, we are voting for that company’s business model, whether we like it or not. Do you want your dollar to stay in our community, to support the creation of more jobs, to help enrich our local economy? Do you long for the days of neighborhood stores? Do you gain satisfaction knowing that every morsel of food on your plate is produced fresh within a few miles of your house? Then you are ready to be more local. Let’s explore how.
Food!
Hey guess what, folks? Rhode Island is full of amazing locally produced food. From the fruit orchards of West Cranston, to the grass-fed beef grazing in Portsmouth, to countless small farms and neighborhood CSAs, we have food and it’s good. Instead of heading to the national chain supermarket, look up the farmers markets and farm stands in your area. There are many, even through the bleak drudge of winter. And the prices may surprise you if you avoid the more artisanal of the food stands and focus on simple.
Politics
This is a particular pet peeve of mine. It’s hard to get voters out for the presidential elections every four years, and most can’t even begin to tell you any of their local representatives without a quick visit to Google. Voter apathy, especially among Millennials, is high. Get involved in your local political scene, and become a part of forming the reasonable policies and ordinances of your own home. It’s hard to get psyched over politics these days — the vast ineffectiveness of our national leaders disheartens people. Instead of throwing your hands up in despair, look up who is running for office in your town, county and state, and support them. Attend town hall meetings. And vote, vote, vote! How can we complain about no one listening if we don’t speak up? Small Business
This is one area where Rhode Island tends to thrive, at least in some regions. Despite the proliferation of major corporate brands throughout major thoroughfares, a strong domestic root in small business remains relevant! Search out your locally owned hardware stores, furniture shops and restaurants. If online shopping is your cup of tea, be sure to use the filter search settings to peruse local online vendors first.
It seems so simple that many decry localism as just common sense with a touch of haute arrogance — a new generation regurgitating well-known facts about the death of America’s Main Street and the importance of fighting global proliferation into our communities. Yet for all its simplicity, every day, every single one us in RI spends our money at businesses with corporate models we know do harm to our communities and the global community in many ways. That money is our vote for that corporate model, and that means it’s a vote taken away from your neighborhood.
In 2014, let’s keep our dollars, and our votes, here in Rhode Island where they belong.
Scene and Heard: An Interview with Tom DeNucci
Native Rhode Island filmmaker Tommy DeNucci talks hard work and ‘The Damned Tall and lean with a shock of wavy dark hair. Big dark eyes and a deep voice. He’s the epitome of cool. But as cool as he is, he’s heating up the screen in myriad ways, from acting to writing to directing. Just who is this guy?
Meet Tommy DeNucci. Tommy is a producing partner to Chad Verdi of Verdi Films and The Woodha
ven Production Company. With the early release of Army of the Damned on December 3, he has just garnered a five-picture deal from Universal and Screen Media, with a Video on Demand release to more than 100 million homes. Not too shabby for this 29-year-old kid from Cranston. Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting with Tommy at his Verdi Films office to chat about his film career and how he got started. It’s always interesting to see a young Rhode Islander rise up and beat the odds, especially in this business. “I got hooked in high school, then I went to NE Tech for a Bachelor of Science. I started interning at Woodhaven, and I’ve been there now for six years.” And what a six years it has been. He’s gone nowhere but up! Tommy is Woodhaven’s resident director, and advises, writes, and mans the helm of the creative process. He tells me that he is part of a team with his sidekick Sam Eilertsen, a 23-year-old computer wiz and DP on Army of the Damned. He also mentions something else I find interesting. “I don’t have an artist come in and do expensive storyboards. I take out my action figures and set them up, then shoot them with my iPhone.” Sam corroborates this and laughs. Sam and Tommy also credit Danielle Corsa of Verdi Films, who was the executive producer of Inkubus, as a driving force at the company. She handles contracts and all the paperwork and helps things move smoothly through the company. It doesn’t surprise me that he does not do things in a conventional way. Woodhaven Production Company
is not a conventional com pany. Eight months from shooting Army of the Damned, and it can be seen VOD. No one does that. It’s almost impossible. But this company has done it with Tommy and his Woodhaven family of focused and creative team members. Tom appeared in many productions as an actor while learning the ropes of the business. He cites his first speaking role in “The Brotherhood” opposite Annabeth Gish in a scene that challenged him with some very heavy material. “It was definitely a milestone in my career,” he said. After that came roles in Tanner Hall and Inkubus, a Woodhaven film, where Tom played a police officer opposite some of the biggest names in the horror movie world, Robert Englund and William Forsythe. Then came Loosies. Tommy got to “rock a cool suit” and play opposite Peter Facinelli and Jaime Alexander. In Infected, another
Woodhaven film, Tommy act ed alongside Michael Madsen, and served as second unit director. Then came Self Storage. It was literally his first screenplay written right out of high school. “Chad Verdi really had my back and believed in the material, so that meant a lot to me. I got to work with some of my dearest friends, like production designer Jonathan Del Ponte, producer David Gere and actor Nick Principie. Those two guys later went on to be part of the core of my next film, Army of the Damned. Writing, directing and acting was extremely challenging and I made plenty of mistakes, but I learned more from this film than any other project I’ve ever been involved in.” That’s another thing I like about this guy. He’s willing to work, to learn, to really pay his dues. And it’s paid off immensely for him because this is where we go back to Army of the Damned and his five-picture deal with Universal. Chad was so thrilled with the way Self Storage turned out that he went ahead with producer Seth Rosenblit and gave the project a go. Tommy immediately wanted to shake things up casting wise, so he went after Sully Erna of Godsmack, who he met years ago when he was just an intern, and reached out to him. He believed in the script and jumped in with both feet, working hard, becoming one of the driving forces behind the film. Ben Bornstein (who is an amazing SFX creator), Jonathan Schermerhorn and Branden Maxham came in on this one and formed a strong core to their crew along with Del Ponte, Gere and Principie. They all had so much fun making that film and really pushed it to the next level. He says that he can’t wait to work with those guys again soon. The film pre-sold more than 100,000 copies, so the hard work really paid off. We talked about hard work. Tommy says that for all the people he hears talking about wanting to be in the film industry, he does not see a lot of young people willing to put in the time it takes to do what he has done. “For all the success this company has had, we don’t get a lot of people knocking on the door asking to do something, anything to learn the business. Sweep floors, make coffee — sure, there’s no pay, but you do what you gotta do to get in the door and learn. If you prove yourself, you will move up quickly.” I chatted with Seth Rosenblit, of Hartford, CT, a producing partner of The Woodhaven Company, who met Chad Verdi last year at Rock and Shock (see how fast these guys work?) and he told me that the Woodhaven Company is simply amazing at doing what they do. “I have had the most rewarding experience in working with them. Tom DeNucci is multi-talented and an excellent filmmaker. Chad is a master at executing a plan and doing so within a timely manner. They are a tight knit family, and it’s a really good working relationship with a talented team.” So what’s next for Tom DeNucci? Well for starters, he is filming right now opposite John Savage in a sci -fi film called Sensory Perception, produced by Seth Rosenblit and producer/actor David Gere. He is also shooting a mockumentary called Special Feature, a hilarious film in which I have the privilege to work with Tommy, directed and written by Raz Cunningham and Mel Hardy. Tom played a character called Ricky Ramm, a douchebag DJ who just sort of levels people live on the air. The cast and crew had a difficult time being quiet on set while watching Tommy do his thing. He was that funny, and his background in comedy and training with Fred Sullivan Jr. ( actor and instructor at Gamm Theatre, RISD and Trinity Rep) has obviously paid off. Tommy seems to be able to do it all and he is very proud of the fact that he has been a huge part of putting Rhode Island on the map in the film world. He is passionate about what he does. He loves using RI talent and bringing them together with some big stars, as well as big talent behind the lens. You can bet on more stories from Tommy up on the big screen, and in record time. That just the way he works. He’s a connector and is clearly becoming a big star himself. He’s also a very nice guy, and we are extremely proud to call him one of our own.
Five Questions: An Interview with Clothing Designer Always Starving Earlier this year, Scott Nelson and Chris Bullock co-founded Always Starving, an artistically designed clothing line that practically oozes style.
Their first major creation was a shirt that read, “That Shit Krejci” – a mash-up of Kanye West’s “That Shit Cray” and the Bruins’ ever-so-popular number 46, David Krejčí. From there, the two have continued producing quality, somewhat Rhode Island-themed clothing that is anything but similar to today’s throwaway brands.
Dale J Rappaneau, Jr: With a name as phonetically entertaining as Always Starving, I have to ask, where did it come from? Did it appear in a moment of bewildered brilliance or is there a deeper explanation?
Scott Nelson: We actually went through a lot of other names and logos and none of them really hit home with us. The name began with the phrase “stay hungry, stay foolish,” which I think everyone has heard in the Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement speech (Ed: If you haven’t, go do that right now). He wasn’t the originator of the quote, but that’s where we heard it first. Stay Hungry didn’t quite feel like a brand name and eventually we just came down to Always Starving. It represents us; we’re always starving to discover, create and push forward (also, for burritos).
DJR: How did you and Chris meet?
SN: We’ve known each other for quite a while, so we were friends before for we were working on Always Starving together. Our first shirt was a Kanye West-inspired Bruins tee. That idea came out of boredom, whiskey and avid hockey watching one night. DJR: In October, you said in an interview that the business is primarily focused on creating “quality t- shirts that have classic style without being too plain.” Will your winter wear follow these same principles?
SN: Yes! We’re currently getting all the materials together for a sweatshirt release. It will involve some sew pieces, so we believe we’ll be heading back to Kreatelier. It will be released sometime in December with a couple other winter pieces. All of the items in collection follow that simple, but interesting mantra. We’re committing to that. We’re hoping to have some sort of release party in Providence … we’ll see.
DJR: Now, I cannot help but ask, is there any worry that the Always Starving name may be seen as supporting the fashion industry’s pressure for people to remain thin?
SN: I would hope not, that definitely isn’t what we’re about. Always Starving has nothing to do with weight; it’s all about continually pursuing and doing whatever it is you’re passionate about. It gets hard to stay hungry, you get worn out and you lose sight of what you want, and Always Starving is about reminding you to keep chasing. We think you should do whatever makes you happy and we think you should be happy with however it is you look. Through everything, just keep going.
DJR: Lastly, what is your best piece of advice for today’s generation of up-and-coming clothing designers?
SN: It’s cliche, but just design what you want to wear. When you worry about making something specifically for someone else, you’ll never execute it right.
For more information, find Always Starving at AlwaysStarving.com or email them at [email protected].
Good People Gets a Positive Judgement
“You have to be a selfish prick to get anywhere.” (David Lindsay-Abaire, Good People) We all know someone who pulled themselves up by the bootstraps, worked hard and made good. We often congratulate them and praise their achievements. It is at this point that the judging begins. Did the success change them? Are they still in touch with their roots, their family and the old neighborhood? If so, then we often decide that they were always “good people.” If not, they “sold out” and forgot where they came from. And what of the considerably larger number who don’t make it out and continue to struggle for the rest of their lives? That being most of us, we tend to base our character evaluations on actions and demeanor, choices and the maintenance of relationships rather than status. Once again, we bestow the praise, “good people.” The phrase is a value judgment and one that is earned and maintained by a shifting sense of criteria. To be called “good people” – is it what we do, or say, or are private, positive intentions enough? We judge people based on how we relate to them, but under what rules do we judge ourselves?
This character assignation is an inextricable part of our lives and frames the ever increasing divide between the have and the have-nots in Lindsay-Abaire’s look at his own South Boston upbringing. Good People raises many questions, but primarily he asks if hard work and sacrifice is really enough to succeed in life. Where do luck (and often dumb luck at that) and opportunity factor in to the equation? The Gamm, under the astute direction of Rachel Walshe, explore those questions in a play that makes us laugh at ourselves while we re-evaluate how we determine a person’s true character and the meaning of success.
The sound design by Kerry Callery draws us into a blue collar, almost white trash atmosphere even before the show starts, with its WHJY-inspired 70s-80s litany of jukebox heroes, often with a nod to Boston (i.e., Billy Squier and The Cars) and the days of big hair and denim. Clever, as we don’t hear sounds of the present day as much as we are reminded of the place in which our main characters find themselves stuck, treading water sometime in the latter part of the 20th century while the world passes them by. The beautifully designed set by Jessica Hill is a sprawling masterpiece, placing Margaret (Margie) and her folk in a grungy, yet cozy wood-paneled world of bingo and handcrafts while her former neighbor and boyfriend Mike Dillon’s world is white, antiseptic and tastefully pristine. In the second act, the set fully becomes Mike’s world and panels of white slot into place to obscure Margie’s life and immerse her in the possibility that all of this, her former lover’s 1 percent paradise, is tantalizingly within reach. Margie and her adult, special needs daughter are struggling to pay the rent, keep a job and keep afloat while Mike, “good people” by all accounts, is now a married doctor living in tony Chestnut Hill. At the suggestion of a friend, Jean (played with irascible wit and earthiness by Casey Seymour Kim at her finest), Margie visits Mike, hat in hand, to beg for a job. Mike clearly is uncomfortable, but is eventually guilted by Margie into allowing her to come to a dinner party on the off chance she might meet a wealthy patron who can offer her work. When Margie receives a call that Mike’s party is cancelled, she assumes it’s a lie and is determined to show up anyway, but not before Jean plants the idea in Margie’s head that she ought to tell Mike that her daughter is his in the hopes that he will provide the child support that has been apparently missing from the supposedly absent real father.
It is at this point that the idea of what constitutes “good people” is put to the test. Mike’s wife, Kate, is black, a fact that does not go unnoticed or unmentioned in the course of events as Mike and Margie’s shared past is slowly unraveled. Jeanine Kane never fails to deliver for The Gamm, even if some roles aren’t quite a perfect fit. Here, though, role and actor are a perfect marriage and Kane gives an award- worthy performance, imbuing this edgy denizen of Southie with pathos and fragile beauty. Bill Mootos also shines as Mike, drawing out the layers that Lindsay-Abaire skillfully weaves, ensuring that Mike is neither good nor bad, black nor white, Southie nor Chestnut Hill. It is rare to feel such anger and empathy at once for a character and Walshe has skillfully allowed Mootos to get out of the way of the script and simply be a conduit for this carefully sculpted character. The climactic scene in Mike’s house is one of the finest three-person triangulation of intentions you’ll witness on any stage. Mia Ellis is grounded yet triumphant as Mike’s wife, Kate, struggling to make sense of these two people who have so much past and have such a potential impact on her present.
As much as the three principals carry the show, however, this is often an ensemble piece, evidenced perfectly by the first scene in the bingo hall, where the symbolism of blind luck is deftly explored while Margaret Melozzi and Marc Mancini join Kane and Seymour Kim in a riotous display of comic timing and perfectly handled Boston accents. This is probably one of the best roles Mancini has had to date with The Gamm and a sign of better work to come. We only get to see Margie explore the comic potential of the fish-out-of-water routine that is her visit to Chestnut Hill, but we would love to see the other three in a similar situation, so realized are their characters. A spinoff, perhaps?
Good People could end with the safe ending of ambiguity, leaving us to “answer for ourselves” the questions of character and intentions that are presented by Margie’s visit to Mike’s house, but Lindsay- Abaire takes the challenging route of giving us definitive answers in a stunning and rather unexpected denouement that packs more of a wallop than one would expect as the play trails off. It is these very answers that force us to reexamine Good People over and over. Suspicion and ambiguity only breed more of the same, but hard facts force us to choose a side. Does pride come before a fall or does sticking by our convictions make us, if not better people, at least good ones?
The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theater presents Good People, by David Lindsay-Abaire, through December 8th. For more information on show times and tickets, visit http://www.gammtheatre.org/ or call 401-723-4266
Nico Rises Above
The 95 Empire space, now controlled by AS220, was the home for one of the most formidable productions in RI theater history, Perishable’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch, a punk rock opera “visiting” Providence and taking up a decadent residency in the black brick room that still has the promise of grimy theatrical possibility hanging in the air. Counter- Productions Theatre, helmed by Ted Clement and Christine Fox, have made a circuitous route from Watertown, Massachusetts, into Rhode Island (where their noteworthy Speed the Plow played at the new Artists’ Exchange space in Cranston) and have now taken up residence where Alex Platt and team brought Hedwig to life. Fitting then, that Nico Was a Fashion Model, CP’s current effort, dredges up some of those ghosts and, instead of disguising 95 Empire’s grunge, embraces and augments it with a play about punk, identity and belonging.
Drawing comparisons to Hedwig is not meant to make an easy comparison or to imply that Nico resides in those lofty heights, but the mood, the energy and the atmosphere are close enough to make you wish that Hedwig could come back for a double-header with a show that stands comfortably with two feet in that world. J. Julian Christopher’s original script uses the closing of CBGB’s in 2006 as a jumping off point for a story about two friends, both minorities and both punks (to varying degrees that are called into question as the storyline moves along) hoping to snag tickets to see Patti Smith close the legendary Bleecker Street venue.
As we meet Jesse (Ronald Lewis) and Luis (Michael Flowers, who also pulls double duty as Nico’s scenic and projection designer), they are playing a game of “punk alphabet” while hanging out at the dumpsters behind a Babies R Us and debating the merits of their newly purchased fake IDs. The IDs serve as a symbol of the desire to “pass.” Jesse is black, not the stereotypical punk fan, yet clearly more knowledgeable than Luis, who is a white-skinned Latino who knows what he likes, but clearly doesn’t have the depth of fandom that Jesse displays (playwright Christopher also clearly knows his stuff as he rightly has Jesse rattle off a litany of punks of color in order to shut down Luis’ simpleminded argument that punk is a white man’s game, as well as making Jesse curiously Straight Edge). As the conversation turns toward Nico and the Velvet Underground, we begin to explore the notion that sometimes icons, as well as simple everyday identities, are forged and manufactured, not born. Nico was a product, a fashion model that, like Greg Brady’s Johnny Bravo, happened to be in the right place at the right time and fit the suit. That fact makes her no less a punk goddess and, to these boys trying to frame themselves into a picture that they don’t quite fit, the question looms large: is authenticity born or can it be earned through paying dues and believing in both yourself and, more importantly, having people who believe in you? “We matter,” declares Jesse before bemoaning his own timelessness. “I should have been born in Berlin.”
Luis soon meets Christa, who works at the abovementioned retail store, a symbol of suburban white middle class wealth. She is young, pretty and blonde, immediately drawing Luis’ attention as a doppelganger of Nico. It also happens that Christa was born with a tarnished spoon in her mouth as her family has ties to the genuine punk community (“Joey Ramone changed my diapers”) and she has passes to the show that night. Luis compromises his identity in order to win her favor, pronouncing his name as “Louis.” Jesse is overjoyed at the news, but once he meets Christa, her disfavor of Jesse’s color is obvious and the conflict begins.
The show benefits from a great set that feels like somebody threw a bucket of sewer water on a prototype of an old scenic design from Runaways (or a particularly bad version of Rent). Projections give us the sights and sounds of CBGB’s heyday with judicious slices of Patti Smith and Debbie Harry in classic performances. The trio’s performances are mostly solid and Ron Lewis particularly stands out with a steely, edgy performance that complements the sense of comfortable displacement that his character feels. If there are any issues with Nico, they tend to be technical and/or script-related. Some of the elements seem a little forced, such as a monologue by Luis about broken glass that seems almost like it was forced into the script at a later rewrite to make sure there were enough metaphors included to elevate the literacy level. An anticlimactic scene where Luis has an asthma attack seems rushed and slightly ineffective, although this may have improved as the run continued. And, it seems that stage cigarettes are abound in several shows at present, drawing more attention to their magic-shop fakeness than their similarity to actual smoking and, at times, action slowed down while actors looked for proper places to “extinguish” the prop. This is the curse of an intimate space however, and even the clear knowledge that Paige Barry is wigged is not reason enough to want to see this entertaining and unique new script done in any other venue.
Minor distractions aside, Nico delivers in its main pursuit, which is to draw attention to issues of identity and belonging in a setting that can be quite close-minded in its pursuit of anarchy. When Christa, the ostensible antagonist of the piece, tells the boys, “Neither of you know who the hell you are,” we have to agree with her.
Nico was A Fashion Model presents the idea that we have opportunities in life to rise above our preconceptions. For both fans of music in general, punk in particular and all theatergoers, Nico presents an opportunity to revisit a legendary Providence performance space that, not unlike CBGB’s, has some pretty elegant ghosts in its walls. Catch it before it closes this weekend.
Counter-Productions Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Nico Was a Fashion Model at the 95 Empire Black Box Theatre in Providence, RI. Directed by Ted Clement, the play features Paige Barry, Michael Flowers, and Ronald Lewis. Show dates and times are November 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 at 8:00pm and November 17, 24 at 7:00pm. For further information, visit www.cptcri.com.
The Ultimate (Local) Holiday Gift Guide
The Motif writing team is a talented bunch with various interests. We’re geeks, drinkers, movie lovers, parents, newlyweds, farmers, and lovers of music, art, theater, books and film. And with the holiday season around the corner, you need us.
We’ve tapped the interests of everyone on our writing staff and asked them to put together a gift guide that has a little something for everyone. Got someone on your holiday shopping list who’s impossible to buy for? You’ll probably recognize him here. So put down that tie and for the love of all that is holy, do not bake another fruit cake. Instead, take our advice and gift your loved ones with something they’ll use, something they’ll love, or an experience they’ll never forget. shopping local Don’t forget to look at our center spread in this issue, for a listing of artisans fairs and opportunities to buy gifts made locally. Art fairs, local craft stores like Craftopia and Craftland and local farmers markets are great places to pick up something for the die-hard Rhode Islander in your life, or for the visiting wannabe.
For the Person Who Has Everything
By: Greg Ferland This issue abounds with ideas to stimulate some outside-the-box thinking. That’s a great way to approach selecting a gift for Mr. Hasbuyseverything or Mrs. Cannoteverpleaseher. Think of the individual(s), and remember any unique characteristics they have, or something they’ve said about the past. Example: A couple that frequently dines at fine restaurants. Obviously, a nice restaurant gift certificate is appreciated. However, you recall how they said they miss Rocky Point – they went there for chowder and clam cakes when they were dating. Solution: Gift certificate to Iggy’s, an Iggy’s apron, and a copy of You Must Be This Tall, the nostalgic documentary about Rocky Point, to watch after dinner! You have now elevated your gift giving from generous to thoughtful and insightful, and given them an experience they will truly remember. For the Kid
By: Emily Olson Presents for kids often become headaches for the parents, so why not give that kid in your life something that everyone will enjoy? For a tiny music lover, a session with Rock a Baby RI is a perfect gift. Marc, Kate (The Sugar Honey Iced Tea) and Benny (The Mighty Good Boys) put on a weekly show (with puppets!) that’s fun for kids and grown-ups alike (rock-a-baby.net). Got a baby Buddha on your hands? Om Kids Yoga in the Hope Artiste Village offers classes for kids from baby to tween. And parents are forced to relax on a plush couch with a magazine while their kids gain confidence and self control in a beautiful studio (omkidsyogacenter.com). And if you just can’t resist something tangible to clutter the floor, check out the monsters created by RI’s Mad Knits (madknits.com). Not only are they cute, they cushion instead of stab tired parent feet in the middle of the night.
For the Teenager
By: Caitlin Ardito Teenage Boy Teenage boys are among the hardest on your list to buy for, particularly because they’re at an age where all they really want is to play video games, eat Taco Bell, and touch boobs. But these gift certificates are the next best thing. 1. BattlegroundZ is basically a real-life, first-person shooter game. Choose between airsoft and paintball in their creepily realistic indoor course. Don’t worry, Mom, BZ takes safety seriously. Armor is provided. 466 Washington St, Attleboro. battlegroundz.net. 2. PC or URI basketball game: The Dunk and the Ryan Center are as high-energy and exciting as the pros, minus the cost. And he’ll get to feel like a cool college kid. Just let him go alone with his friends. Tix at friars.com or theryancenter.com. 3. Yawgoo Valley: For whatever reason, younger dudes are obsessed with the concept of snowboarding and all of its perceived coolness. Chances are that, unless you’ve been going as a family for years, he’s terrible. Yawgoo is perfect for beginners and small enough to let him go alone with his friends without him catching on to the fact that you’re coddling him. (Hey, broken bones are expensive.) Rentals are available. 160 Yawgoo Valley Rd, Exeter. yawgoo.com. 4. Poco Loco: Because he deserves to know that there’s more to life than Taco Bell. Best tacos you can find in a safe neighborhood. 2005 Broad St, Cranston. pocolocotacos.com.
Teenage Girl Teenage girls are even harder to buy for because, let’s face it, they’re hormonal, picky, and think both you and your tastes are lame (don’t feel bad, they’ll snap out of it in a few years). 1. Duck and Bunny: One of the few late-night spots that isn’t strictly a bar. She can indulge in cupcakes, crepes and virgin-drinks with her girlfriends all night (or until curfew). And the Alice in Wonderland- esque interior is Instagram worthy. 312 Wickenden St, Providence. theduckandbunny.com. 2. A fistful of cash and a ride to Westminster Street: A latte from Small Point Cafe, knits from Craftland, accessories and makeup from Queen of Hearts, shoes from Modern Love, or shades from Providence Optical topped off with sushi at Sura with the girls. What else can a teenage girl ask for? shopdowncity.com. 3. College Hoodie: Artsy? Nerdy? Athletic? RI has a university for every type. Even if she’s not planning to go to school there, she’ll feel mature and cool (and warm) repping college gear at high school (trust me).
For the Millennial By: James Lucey Need a gift for a hipster, college student or an angsty high schooler? Millennials are a tough group to buy for, and normally I would advise you to cut your losses and just give them money. But not this holiday, damn it. This year you will know what to get your narcissistic, tech-obsessed 20-something. When it gets cold out, Millennials want to stay warm and trendy. My prescription for a gift that will get constant use is a pom-pom beanie. These are supposed to be a little ugly, so when you see loud colors on sites like indcsn.com and karmaloop.com, you’re probably on the right track. Bonus points for profane slogans stitched across the front. Be that cool aunt.
Every Millennial lives on their phone, so you can’t go wrong with accessories. Veho Pebble Smartstick ( amazon.com, $19.99) is a backup battery that plugs into a variety of smartphone models, no bigger than a pack of Rolaids. And if you’re really looking to outdo yourself, get a Hoodiepillow (hoodiepillow.com, $24.95). It’s a pillow with a soft cotton hood, and unless you can find a little robot that dispenses lite beer and Adderall, you won’t get a more practical gift for a college student. for the beer lover: We’ve got a whole couple of columns on this one folks – check out our beer section. for the music lover: And check our music section for suggestions from Marc Clarkin and John Fuzek.
For the Theater Lover
By: Terry Shea It’s easy *not* to go to the theater. Unlike the movies, with multiple start times and endless advertisements to remind you that Morgan Freeman is appearing daily at numerous locations near you, theater can seem elusive unless you’re in the business. Unless, of course, you’re a season subscriber. A perfect gift for that friend or relative who just can’t seem to make it to a show, a season subscription to The Gamm, Trinity Rep, 2nd Story or CTC will ensure that they see (some of) the best of RI theater without missing a performance. A membership to The Players at Barker Playhouse, for instance, can run as low as $75, and allows flexibility in which shows you would like to attend. And subscribers tend to be privy to a host of special events, meet and greets, and other perks that the show-by-show audiences miss. A Trinity subscriber package can even include parking passes, which can be worth their weight in gold given the dearth of spaces Downcity. Less expensive, but no less entertaining, is Flex Pass membership to Pawtucket Community Players at $65. Every company has their own packages from simple to extravagant, but it only takes a few clicks on their respective websites to comparison shop by theater location. Maybe a particular season of shows will be the deciding factor. Either way, the gift of live theater is unique, gratifying and always worth the price.
For the Book Lover
By: Bobby Forand 1. Library Card: Sign someone up for the wonderous gifts that only the library can bring. Complete the paperwork online, print and present. Remind the recipient to bring ID when they check out their first book. catalog.oslri.net/selfreg.html. 2. Tour of Literary Places: For centuries, New England has made a great setting for stories, so why not give the gift of a road trip to see some places in person? This will require some research, but a few places to start are the Old Man of the Mountain (The Great Stone Face by Nathanial Hawthorne; also my favorite place in the world), Walden Pond (Walden by Henry David Thoreau) and The Halsey House on 140 Prospect St in Providence (inspiration for The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by HP Lovecraft). 3. Gift Card to Local Bookstore: Screw Barnes and Noble. Instead, support stores like All Booked Up, Books on the Square and Cellar Stories. There are plenty of locally owned bookstores to check out. 4. A Writing Course from Frequency: Writing sessions here are taught by local published authors. They offer courses on a variety of writing topics. frequencywriters.org. 5. Subscription to Trinity Rep: Watch this incredible theater company bring some literature to life on stage. Call 401-351-4242 for information. For the Aspiring Writer
By: Mary DeBerry The amateur/aspiring writer in your life needs plenty of encouragement. They also need and want resources, tips from experts and instructional articles on the technique and business of writing. Writer’s Digest is the best all-around publication for writers of all levels and types. Available in print and digital versions, you can opt to add electronic newsletters that go right to his or her inbox. Writer’s Digest is full of great information and runs regular contests for readers. To help you decide which subscription to surprise your loved one with, go to writersdigest.com, or visit any bookstore’s magazine section. Also incredibly valuable is the Writer’s Market. Formerly printed once a year and thicker than a phone book, it provides detailed information on where to send your writing when ready for publication, be it poem, novel or gardening article. For more about the Writer’s Market, go to writersmarket.com.
For the Art Lover
By: Angelo Marinosci, Jr. Buying original art as a gift is a serious matter, indeed. There are few things as permanent in a household or a collection as a piece of authentic original art. A painting, a drawing, photo or etching receives a lifetime of glancing and will get more attention than most other things in a home, office or any space that eyes are looking to be entertained and minds are looking to be juiced up. Gallery Nights are happening all over RI with the purpose of introducing and seducing locals into the studios and galleries of the RI art scene so they may make that quantum leap into buying local art. When you decide to buy someone close to you an original work of art, it’s a little like buying an exquisite selection of perfume that will enchant your nose for many lovely and loving sniffs. Buy what’s appropriate to the receiver, not yourself – even if it takes several rounds of investigative conversations or maybe a few visits to local studios/galleries. There is nothing more rewarding than a piece of visual art that will hold a special place in the gift-receiver’s heart and home for a long time. Let me encourage that leap into this wonderful segment of life. For the Urban Farmer
By: Chris Meringolo Urban farming is all the rage these days and holds the promise of sustainable food and a reconnection with our roots as an agrarian culture. There are a number of things you could give to get someone interested. Canning supplies are perfect for someone who has a large garden and would like to save food over the cold New England winters. Not into canning? Cluck! Urban Farm Supply over on Broadway in Providence offers all manner of classes on urban farm related topics, from bee keeping to macramé. You might also want to consider a gift certificate that can be used when the ground thaws. Speaking of that, CSA/farm shares are available locally and could keep the recipient swimming in vegetables or meat for months.
For the Dancer
By: Mark Morin
Stumped about what to get that dancer on your holiday gift list? Here are some suggestions that will have him/her pirouetting with joy. Clothing and footwear are a good option. But many dancers prefer specific brands and can be peculiar about what they wear during classes or rehearsals. Sizes, especially footwear, also have the tendency of varying wildly. So unless you know the preferred brand or exact size, consider a gift certificate. La Brie Dance in Smithfield and The Choice Connection in Bristol service many area dancers. For those online shoppers, Discount Dance Supply and Dancers Warehouse are both excellent resources. Another great gift idea is a gift certificate to a chiropractor or massage therapist, of which there are many! Check the phone book or, better yet, ask others. Most people have their favorite chiropractor or massage therapist. I would also check Groupon – it is usually good for one massage special a week. For the Yoga Enthusiast
By: Bruce Becker Yoga has become very popular – more than 20 million Americans practice. Your friends and family members are attending classes at more than 40 studios in RI seeking flexibility, stress relief, strength and inner balance. Help them on their journey with some great yoga gifts during this stressful holiday season. Yoga can be a sweaty practice. A yoga mat should be skid-proof when wet. Slipping out of a posture can lead to injuries and frustration. The best mats are made of pure rubber, a renewable resource. Think tires on wet roads. Jade Yoga or Manduka mats are durable and effective ($48 to $115). Yogis carry their mats. Mats hate to stay rolled and are nasty when wet. A carrying bag or backpack with a mat compartment would make a great gift. Daytripper by Manduka ($58) or Gaiam’s ($23.95) are canvas or nylon sheaths with shoulder straps. Aurora’s yoga backpack ($35 ), or YOPA, a large duffel that holds one or two mats, towels, a change of clothes and other essentials is another gift that would be appreciated. Hugger Mugger is a simple harness that just holds the mat ($12.95). Renew and disinfect the mat with natural oils, like Renew Mat from Manduka ($10). There are hundreds of varieties of chic yoga clothes available. Choose cotton. Synthetics bind the stinky toxins in sweat in spite of washing, and do not retain water. The yogini will soon be practicing in a lagoon of her or his own creation. Get some ideas at Yogaoutlet.com. Happy shopping and Namaste!
For the Newlyweds
By: Erin Botelho I’m a newlywed and if I see another appliance, I’m going to scream. So think outside the box for the newlyweds in your life this year with these gift ideas from local purveyors. 1. For foodies – A night’s stay and romantic dinner anytime of the year at one of the plethora of B&B’s dotting Newport – you can’t go wrong with the Bouchard Inn & Restaurant 505 Thames St., Newport. bouchardnewport.com. 2. Help with future disagreements – Teach them to handle their debates in a civilized manner with a class from RI Fencing Academy. 14 Almeida St., East Providence. rifac.com. 3. The way to each others’ hearts – French pastry making classes at The French Tarte in the Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main St., Pawtucket. frenchtarte.com. 4. Wannabe seafarers – A double membership to Providence Community Boating Center 109 India St., Providence. communityboating.com and Narragansett Boat Club 2 River Rd., Providence. rownbc.org. 5. For the dancing machines – A beginner or intermediate class with Providence Tango. providencetango.com.
For the Tattoo Lover
By: Adam Schirling Rhode Island, despite its tiny size, certainly has its fair share of tattoo parlors dotting street corners and strip malls from Woonsocket to Wakefield. Body modification aficionados have their pick of shops to patronize for their newest piece of wearable art this upcoming holiday season. Anchor Steam’s beautiful location and knowledgeable staff make it my choice, but your ink-aficionado may have their own top choice. For the Film Lover
By: Nick Iandolo The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Blu-Ray Set – If you’re a Lord of the Rings film fan, then you want this! Forget those nicely packaged (like classic old hardcover books) DVD versions of this epic. The transfer of this masterwork is as crisp as it gets, the sound is amazing, and the extras will take you months to get through!
By: Mike Ryan Also, remember local film – gift certificates to Acme Video (with its local films section – acmevideo.wordpress.com) or passes to local film festivals – like SENE (senefest.com – email them for their “all access pass”). It’s in April, but has local screenings throughout the year; or the Oscar-pre- qualifying RI International Film Festival (film-festival.org), in August, but with tix available now. For the cinephile who wants that “kick back on the couch” experience but still wants to go out, the Cable Car Cinema may do the trick. Also consider the indie-film favoring Avon in Providence and Jane Pickens in Newport.
For the Political Enthusiast
By: Jonathan Jacobs As a political operative and communications consultant, I need to keep my finger on the pulse of any and all national, local and hyper-local political media. The perfect gift for me would be a small, durable and user-friendly tablet. I will admit (much to my own dismay) that I am a convert to the religion that is Apple products, therefore, an iPad would be the most droolworthy of devices. But anything that can be used as a crossover vehicle between a notebook computer and an iPhone for information gathering, analyzing and communicating is a great gift idea for the politi-phile in your life.
For the Geek By: Rick LaPrade Geek is such a general term, so let’s do a quick breakdown so you can satisfy that special one in your life with targeted swag. For the Internet Geek: Let’s face it, cats govern the Internet, so you might as well pay homage to your furry digital masters with this rad Thundercats Sweatshirt (rageon.com/collections/lets- rage/products/thunder-cat-sweatshirt). Not the clothes wearing type? That’s cool, because every computer geek knows about the front page of the Internet, and probably wants a way to control it. Try this DIY Reddit controller on for size (thinkgeek.com/product/1647/?pfm=computing_newest_1647_7). For The Comic Geek: Nothing says “happy holidays” like a super hero nightlight and there aren’t many that are as super heroic as the mighty Avengers (trendhunter.com/trends/avengers-night-light)! Chances are that if they’re a comic geek they’ve read Watchmen. But just in case, it can’t hurt to have two copies of the greatest graphic novel of all time. For All The Geeks In Between: The geek is a fickle creature, and in their natural habitat it is sometimes best to leave the decision-making to them. Luckily for you, the Interweb is chock full of helpful sites. Here are my favorite geek sites: Hazarai – A social marketplace for everything geek, pop culture, and more. Hazarai is run by super- geeks FOR super-geeks. Kickstarter & Rockethub – The big two in crowdfunding offer a cool way to find a variety of awesome stuff. The sites let people crowdsource everything from comic books and movies, to gadgets and apps. There are new projects springing up every day and you never know what you’re gonna find. And many of the perks are outside the box – make a donation on a loved one’s behalf, and they could end up with signed CDs, or in the credits of a locally made indi film. Thinkgeek – Thinkgeek is a no-brainer for geek culture. It’s a hub for quirky clothes, knick-knacks and everything else.
For the Audiophile
By: Don DiMuccio If you’re reading Motif there’s a good chance that you or someone you know is an audiophile. These are the folks who buy their music on vinyl, insist on only tube-driven stereo equipment, and would sooner get an elective root canal before ever considering using the stock plastic earbuds that come with iPods! Appeasing these analog geeks can be a costly endeavor. But it doesn’t have to be, if you know what you’re looking for. Headphones: Despite the fact that today’s digital devices practically run our lives, they have a common drawback – poor sound. A good set of headphones can turn a lackluster listening experience into one of a pure joyful eargasm! Stay clear of the over-priced boutique models like the disappointing Beats By Dr Dre. (retail $299 to $399), which are more about marketing than sound, when for a fraction of the price you can get an industry standard like the GRADO SR60 ($70). DACS: It’s a sad fact that iPods, iPads, and the majority of smartphones have low-end internal DACS (that’s the component that converts digital audio from cold 0s and 1s into actual analog soundwaves). And as your audiophile pal will attest, a good external DAC (which can range from $20 to $20,000) will warm up those sound files and make your headphones sing! However, unless your name is Trump, you’ll want the best bang for your buck. FIIO makes some of the best audiophile-grade gear, like their Swiss Army Knife of DACs the E17 DAC/Headphone Amp combo ($139 on Amazon), which works great with PCs as well as your portable digital devices.
Gifts Under $20
By: Erica Deis Maybe you’re cheap. Maybe you’re broke. Maybe you’re cheap and broke, but don’t want to seem that way on Christmas. I’ve got some great ideas for you to stay under budget, but still give something that won’t get regifted to a hated aunt. 1. Socks – Once reviled as the sensible, bland mom gift, socks are incredibly popular this season. At Pie In the Sky on Thayer Street, Ann has socks from Bassett hounds in top hats to Andy Warhol Einstein. With a diverse range for men and women, and only about $10 a pair, socks don’t break the bank. And who wouldn’t love a pair of socks with tigers with eye patches? 2. Voodoo doll – Since lawyers are far more expensive than these $11 dolls selling at Mister Sister on Thayer Street, why not give that relative who just went through a painful divorce the “Ex Wife” voodoo doll? Pins are included, and if you end up setting it on fire, we won’t tell. 3. Lip balm – The Providence Perfume Store on Wickenden Street sells luxury $10 lip balm in yummy flavors that they make in the store. This time of year everyone needs it, and even better if you can forsake traditional cherry for something with “sugar” in the name. Huge win. 4. Skull bracelet from the Troll Shop on Main Street in East Greenwich – Okay, maybe this gift isn’t for Grandma, unless your grandma is bad ass and drives a Harley. Even the suburban chicks are getting into this trend stolen from punk rock, and the skull bracelet runs approximately $20. 5. Awesome coffee mug – I had breakfast at Percy’s Place in East Providence and was surprised by all the trinkets in their gift shop. After they gave me a loaf of cornbread (I thought I was special, but I guess everyone gets it), I saw the cutest mug for about $12 that would make a perfect gift for your caffeine addicted friends. It said, “Here’s to all the nights I can’t remember, with the friends I could never forget.”
And don’t forget the cardinal rule of gift giving: presentation. Even the smallest trinket is an exciting present if you throw some bling on it. If you can’t curl ribbon, find someone who can. for extra brownie points
Make your own
By: Mike Ryan
When I was 6, I made a tie for my dad, using some old (washed) diapers, staples, scissors and crayons. He wore it to work every day for a few months, making 6-year-old me ridiculously happy. Twenty years later, he admitted to switching it out for a real tie while driving to work. Fortunately for us both, no traffic accidents resulted, and I managed not to kill my father with his Christmas present. So, don’t do that. But, if you want to give a truly one-of-a-kind gift, nothing beats one actually made with love (and perhaps some blood, sweat and tears). Try one of the paint and wine evenings, and create a personalized artwork. At AS220 in Providence, you can get access and training in silk-screening (a custom T-shirt can be a joy for a good long time – for public wearing if it comes out well, for painting the house if it doesn’t). They also can set you loose on laser cutters, 3-D printers, poster-makers and other cool, hard-to-find gear. Who knows what you could make with that? Gift certs at AS220.org. One of my favorite personalizations was taking an “Easy Button” from Staples apart, and reprogramming it to say what I wanted it to. This takes some tools, some inexpensive parts, and a bit of work (why they would want to discourage people from reprogramming these things, I don’t know). You can find instructions online, however, which make it kinda easy. impulsedesign.com/easy_button.pdf.
For the Minimalist
What do you get for someone who doesn’t need more stuff – whether that’s because their current stuff exceeds their living space, or because they are trying to de-consumerize? An experience they’ll never forget, but might not have gotten for themselves. Consider the many arts, dancing, music and related classes and workshops offered throughout the state. Improv, for example, isn’t just a form of entertainment – it’s a life skill, where you can learn to roll with whatever life throws at you. Providence Improv Guild teaches regular classes (improvpig.com), and you can find many types of local acting classes through Trinity Rep (trinityrep.com) or at a number of other local theaters, like The Gamm, Mixed Magic Theater, 2nd Story Theatre or the CORE acting program. You don’t have to be an actor to act like one. For music, there are far too many tremendous teachers and coaches to list here – Google will get you lists, or, since this is RI and we’re all one-degree separated, ask your friends. There are some facilities as well – the School of Rock in Seekonk (seekonk.schoolofrock.com) holds classes in many forms of music, and for more off-the-beaten-path forms of music, like bongo drums or Bollywood dancing, there’s the Rhody Center for World Music and Dance (therhodycenter.org). The Blackstone River Theatre can show you how to fiddle, step dance or carve stone (riverfolk.org). The RI Philharmonic Orchestra Music School offers more traditional musical training (ri-philharmonic.org), as does More than Music in North Kingston (morethanmusicri.com), and, of course, many continuing ed programs can connect your giftee with musical experiences they’ll want to sing about. Similarly, consider dance studios, martial arts schools, rock-climbing gyms – you can find centers that will teach your minimalist valuable skills that take up no space, from SCUBA to pole-dancing, and from boxing to aerial gymnastics. And if more “adrenaline junkie” experiences are called for, skydiving, parasailing, skeet shooting, and hot air ballooning all have local options. You can even get the full racecar-driving experience if you’re going all out, with a service like the “Rusty Wallace Racing Experience.”
Don’t Let This Streetcar Pass You By
Sorry to break it to you, but Stanley Kowalski isn’t the main character in Streetcar Named Desire. This came as a surprise to me, too; montage tribute clips of the 1951 film have always shown that Brando’s Kowalski is the central focus.
And to an extent he is, but Blanche Dubois (Anna Reed), Stanley’s sister-in-law, is the star here. Though an aging Southern belle, she looks young enough to pull in a man 10 years her junior, and she often does. This habit, coupled with constant boozing, make Stanley (Arjun Pande) suspicious of her motives even before she arrives to stay at the Kowalski’s New Orleans apartment.
Her presence upsets the relationship between Stanley and his wife Stella (Sarah Gage). Together they share a weird understanding of Stanley’s physically abusive nature, something he tries to make up to Stella with raw, passionate love making. As the situation between the three evolves, Blanche takes up with one of Stanley’s bowling buddies, Mitch (Skylar Fox), a kind-hearted soul with genuine affection for Blanche. But Stanley’s distaste for Blanche’s hypocritical personality reaches a breaking point and a choice must be made.
Playwright Tennessee Williams’ work usually deals in the motifs of emotionally damaged, working class Southerners forced to deal with their baggage under duress. It colors his plays with a heavy, brooding atmosphere, deep with pathos and only relieved by black humor. Unfortunately, Brown University’s production only flirts with this moodiness.
There are a couple of production design missteps here. The Kowalskis are a down-in-the-dirt, working class couple with unstable emotional lives, but the set colors and lighting reflect a stable, inviting household. Missing here is an atmosphere of sweat, grease and smoke. We feel too much at home in a place we should be on edge to leave, but can’t tear ourselves away long enough to do so.
However, this setback shouldn’t ward anyone off from going; there is still much to be enjoyed in the cast performances. Despite being much younger than the part realistically calls for, Anna Reed shows a deep understanding of Blanche’s temperament and reasoning. After a mild first act, Arjun Pande, whose looks alone recall Marlon Brando in his 1950s prime, taps into some of the Stanley’s raw violence and puts scare into his co-stars and audience. Sarah Gage’s Stella keeps an even keel as the quiet, suffering middle who bounces between trying to calm Stanley and assure Blanche. Finally, Skylar Fox adds a subtle comic touch as the everyman, Mitch.