HAPPENINGS

BLUES

ROCK

EntertainmentBlackstone Valley D

Thursday, July 7, 2011

“THE LAST FIVE YEARS,” atwo-character musical,launches the professionaltheater side of The DAVEProject, a non-profit groupfocused on providingtheater education inschools. Michael Tuckand Alyssa Gorgone play20-somethings who fall inand out of love and telltheir stories in dialogueand song. She tells herversion from the end ofthe relationship back toits start; his version ischronological.Performances are Fridaysand Saturdays at 8 p.m.,Sundays at 2 p.m., thisweekend through July 31at the Artists’ Exchange,50 Rolfe Square,Cranston. Tickets are $29adults, $20 students withvalid ID, at the door or atwww.theDAVEproject.com

Flournoy Holmes Photo

TINSLEY ELLIS plays blues-rock guitar on Saturday at8 and 10 p.m. at Chan’s,267 Main St.,Woonsocket. Admission is$17 for the early show,$12 for the late show,$20 for both.

HARMONICA BLOWOUT,hosted by Lil’ Cousin andthe Juke Joint BluesBand, featuring five bluesharp players, is Friday at8 p.m. at Chan’s. Ticketsare $10. For reservations,call (401) 765-1900. Forinformation, visitwww.chanseggrollsandjazz.com.

ALEXANDER PLATT playsHedwig, née Hansel, inthe rock musical “Hedwigand the Angry Inch,” onstage through July 31,presented by PerishableTheatre at the Pell ChafeePerformance Center, 87Empire St., Providence.The 1998 Obie Award-winning musical tells thetale of German-bornHansel/Hedwig who hada sex-change operationso she could marry anAmerican GI. But plans —and the operation — wentawry, and now Hedwigmakes a living by touringwith her band, The AngryInch. Tickets are $25 andavailable at Trinity Rep’sbox office, 201Washington St.,Providence; by calling(401) 351-4242; or onlineat www.trinityrep.com.

THE CALL

By KATHIE RALEIGHLifestyle Editor

PAWTUCKET — Here’s the riddle:What does Shakespeare’s “King Lear”have in common with gospel music?

The answer is Mixed Magic Theatre,and as Ricardo Pitts-Wiley explains it,the concept is intriguing.

This summer, the company, nowbased at the Hope Artiste Village, willtour outdoor venues in Rhode Islandwith a double-barreled production: twonights of “King Lear” followed on thethird night by the fourth annualGreatness of Gospel concert.

Performances will begin July 26 atSlater Memorial Park and by Aug. 18will have visited Woonsocket,Narragansett and Bristol.

Pitts-Wiley will play the misguidedKing Lear, who divides his kingdom onthe basis of his daughters’ flattery andthen goes mad after realizing the follyof his decisions. It’s a story of decep-tion — and of loyalty — and Pitts-Wileyis loving it.

“It’s a role that you’re only able todo with time,” he says. “Many actorsaspire to have a career long enough toplay Lear and have a deep understand-ing of the character. It’s one of the rolesthat you earn by longevity and commit-ment to the craft.”

Understanding also comes frombeing a father and grandfather, as he is,in real life. In fact, his son, JonathanPitts-Wiley, is the director of the pro-duction and also has taken over as artis-tic director of the organization, whichhis father and mother, Bernadet, found-ed in 2000.

While the company has performed alot of Shakespeare in its 11 years, this isthe first time for “King Lear.”

“In the entire canon, there are onlyeight or 10 of Shakespeare’s works thattranslate well outdoors,” Pitts-Wileyexplains. Most often, it’s the comediesthat grace a mid-summer night’s grassystage.

“Nobody wants to be around for alot of mayhem and murder in summer,”he laughs. “But ‘King Lear’ is moreabout power … and family dynamics.We tell people HBO’s ‘Game ofThrones’ is based on ‘King Lear,” and ifthey like that series, they’ll like this.”

The Greatness of Gospel IV:Shakespeare in the Spirit” concert con-tinues the theme as members of theExult Choir act out scenes from theBard as a frame of reference for theirsongs.

“It’s an advanced production of ourGospel and the Bard show,” Pitts-Wileyelaborates. “We start with the intent;

what’s the emotional nature of thescene. Then we look for a piece ofmusic that complements it.”

For example, in “Othello,” as thetitle character contemplates murder,

“He is troubled with thoughts of whathe’s got to do,” Pitts-Wiley says. Theemotion is reflected in the gospel song,

PROVIDENCE —Promising a “gumbo” of musicby nationally known artistsand local talent, ProvidenceInner City Arts will hostSound Session this Fridaythrough Sunday at venuesthroughout downtown.

With artists including Latinjazz percussionist BobbySanabria and Ascension,Stephen Marley and GhettoYouths Crew already on theschedule, PICA hasannounced three new events:ROBSOUL and BlackboneSlip, Phoebe Legere with RudyCheeks and special guests, andRhode Island’s own 2011

Choral and Gospel MusicBrunch and Concert.

Events will take place atLupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, 79Washington St.; Roots Café,276 Westminster St., indoors,outdoors and on WestminsterStreet in front of the café; at astage at the Bank of Americaskating rink, sponsored by theCity of Providence,Department of Arts, Cultureand Tourism; the HomegrownStage on Clemence Street; andat Gloria Dei LutheranChurch, 15 Hayes St.

Over the course of anevening, multiple artistsappear with the headliners at

each location.n ROBSOUL has been

playing since early childhoodas a drummer/singer and hasappeared with George Clintonand the P-Funk Allstars andthe godfather of soul himself,James Brown. From TeddyPendergrass to Frank Sinatra,the music of ROBSOUL andBlackbone Slip will get audi-ences on their feet to dance onSaturday at 11 p.m. at theRoots Café. Tickets are $15.n Legère not only plays

piano, accordion, cello, NativeAmerican flute, and synthesiz-

Reviews work!Last Thursday I reviewed a

concert performed by thegreat guitarist Frank Vignolaand his sidekick, VinnyRaniolo, in Wellfleet on CapeCod and praised them — asthe 200-member audience had— for their outstanding play-ing and their antics on thestage, which led to standingovations and howls of laughter.

Frank appreciated both my review and our years of friend-ship and, since he would be driving through this area on July22 on his way to a Blues Festival in Maine on July 23, asked ifhe could do anything for me. He offered to work for a smallfee.

What was on my mind was the financial plight of thePawtucket Visitors Center on Roosevelt Avenue, across fromthe Slater Mill, in Pawtucket.

I have long been involved with the Visitors Center, theHistoric District Commission, and the Slater Mill. These arelocations dear to my heart.

I called Bob Billington, director of the Blackstone ValleyTourism Council, and he connected me to the new PlanningDirector, and they are all for my idea of a fundraiser for thecenter.

I contacted Vignola, told him I would personally pay hisfee, and asked if he would play for us.

“Yes,” he said. So it is a go: a fundraiser at $10 a person (cheap even if it

were 10 times the money), starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, July22. Call the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council for tickets at(401) 724-2200.

And look up my review of last week.If you don’t know about Frank, go to his website:

FrankVignola.com; to hear his music get on to YouTube. But let me tell you that the big time critics say that Frank is

a “stunning virtuoso,” and as the New York Times says he has“jaw-dropping technique.”

If you’ve ever tried to play a note on a guitar, you should bethere to hear the notes Frank and Vinny play — and at whattempos.

Frank has great fans, such as Ringo Starr, Madonna,Donald Fagan, Wynton Marsalis, who did a concert withFrank last summer in France for 80,000 people.

He has played for the Boston and the New York Pops, andLes Paul said Frank is among the top five guitarist he has everheard. Frank is admired through the professional music com-munity.

And you’ll admire him, too, if you see his act. Do yourself—- and the Pawtucket Visitors Center — a big favor and bethere. I can promise you a great night of entertainment, as Iwitnessed the 200 people on Cape Cod had when Frankappeared.

John A. Worsley is a professional musician, concert producerand jazz historian. He leads the band Swingtime.

JohnWorsley

... OnJazz

Shakespeare and gospel: Must be magicn Actually, it is Mixed Magic Theatrethat pairs performancesof ‘King Lear’ with agospel concert and willtake the shows to venuesacross Rhode Island.

Ricardo Pitts-Wiley, left, has thetitle role in MixedMagic’s produc-tion of ‘King Lear.’being performedin repertoire thissummer with agospel concert bythe Exult Choir,below, that match-es gospel songswith scenes fromseveral ofShakespeare’splays.

Photos courtesy ofMixed Magic

Sound Session serves up a weekend full of musicSee MIXED MAGIC, Page D-2

Photo courtesy of Sound SessionJazz percussionist Bobby Sanabria performs on Saturday. See SESSION, Page D-2

Guitarist Frank Vignoladoes a favor

for an old friend, and the Pawtucket Visitors

Center benefits