Things to do in R.I., Feb. 20 weekend
The Charles Dickens classic “A Tale of Two Cities” gets a new interpretation at Trinity Repertory Company, 201 Washington St., Providence, in a production that opens Thursday. Trinity fuses the late 18th century with the contemporary in this story of social and political upheaval, romance and sacrifice. Shows are Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. For tickets, $25-$55, call (401) 351-4242 or go to trinityrep.com.
Aurea Ensemble takes inspiration from the poetry of Walt Whitman on Sunday at 3 p.m. with “I Hear America Singing,” featuring selected works by Whitman blended with the music of composers Florence Price, Amy Beach, Aaron Copland, Charles Ives and Brown University music Prof. Eric Nathan. It will also feature the Rhode Island premiere of Francine Trester’s chamber opera “Florence Comes Home,” based on the life of Price, the first African American woman to gain recognition as a symphonic composer. The free program is at Brown University’s Grant Recital Hall, at 1 Young Orchard Ave., in Providence. For details, go to aureaensemble.org.
On Thursday, Teatro ECAS, at 58 Parkis Ave. in Providence, premieres “A Tribute to Tres Patines and the Epic Court,” honoring comedian Leopoldo Fernandez, whose alter ego, the hapless Jose Candelario (Tres Patines), entertained generations of Latin Americans worldwide. Performances will be in Spanish with on-screen English translation. Shows are Thursday through Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Find out more at (401) 421-3227 or ecastheater.org.
The Cranston Public Library’s central branch, at 140 Sockanosset Cross Rd., will host a 2020 Rhode Island Black Film Festival Exclusive Preview Event on Saturday. At 12:45 p.m., filmmaker Michael T. Barry Jr. will screen his short film “U Street Contested,” about the historically significant U Street neighborhood in Washington, D.C., and its battle with gentrification. At 2 p.m., Peter Farrelly’s Oscar-winning “Green Book” will be shown, followed by a discussion of the R.I. locations used in the film, led by Ray Rickman and Catherine Zipf, director of the Bristol Historical and Preservation Society. The screenings are free, but registration is required by calling (401) 943-9080, ext. 3, or emailing central@cranstonlibrary.org; put RIBFF Event in the subject line and specify whether you will attend one or both screenings.
