The Providence Performing Arts Center is the second largest theater in New England. It seats 3200 people and it originally opened as a Loew's movie theater in 1928. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places after its 1977 renovation. In this baroquely elegant space, the stage is set for Broadway musicals and concerts. Events as diverse as a Jackson Browne concert or The Sound of Music can be found on this venerable establishment's schedule. Located downtown on Weybosset Street, PPAC (pronounced Pea-Pac, as it is known locally) is close to many downtown hotels as well as other attractions.
AS220 is a non-profit venue that foments love for art in all its myriad forms. They have various resources open to the public, some are free, others require a nominal fee. Some of the workshops and classes include computer labs that teach programming languages, darkroom skills for DSLR Newbies and print shop techniques for traditional media purists. Additionally, inside this 22,000-square-foot building, visitors will find several galleries and a stage where local artists display their talents. There is always something new at AS220.
Providence has plenty to boast about, from big-city nightclubs and old-school party halls to retro cinemas and unique event venues. The Columbus Theater fits right into this list. Its large main auditorium holds 800 comfortably. It has 650 orchestra seats and 150 seats on the mezzanine level, respectively. Every seat has a great view of the stage so you won't miss a single detail and the acoustics are quite impressive. The second venue called the Cinematheque is more intimate with 200 seats.
Home to the New England Patriots football team, this impressive stadium has a seating capacity of over 68,000. Luxury suites with a capacity of 16-32 persons and a Super Suite with a capacity of 70 persons are also available. This stadium has played host to several NFL games, ice hockey and football matches as well as college football seasons. You can buy tickets from the northwest corner of the stadium.
Karaoke, open-mic, and live music: what more could you ask for in a bar? Those events thankfully are not on the same night, but it doesn't really matter, because every night is a fun one at the Parlour. Alongside music that features all types of acts, visitors will find plenty of craft beers as well as domestic ones. Options like Guinness and Bass are here and they even have Yeungling Lager (from the oldest operating brewery in the U.S.) on tap. On the menu, sandwiches, entrees and pizza options all have names that praise Northeastern locals like Robert Parrish from the Celtics, baseball player Lou Merloni and former mayor Buddy Cianci.
Veterans Memorial Auditorium or better known as the VMA Arts & Cultural Center is a venerable downtown venue. Construction began in 1928, but it wasn't finished until 1950 due to the Great Depression. Today, the 1900-seat theater is known for its fantastic acoustics, its stage and of course the beautifully decorated interiors. The National Register of Historic Places put it on the registry in 1993 and the adjoining Masonic Temple (now a Renaissance Hotel) is an equally poignant building.
In 1984, seven members of Trinity Rep Conservatory established this theater to bring high culture to the area. However, in 2003, the stage outgrew its former space and moved to a larger one in Pawtucket. The name is an homage from local benefactor Alan Shawn Feinstein to his sister, Sandra Feinstein-Gamm. Today, the stage is housed inside the historic and grandiose Pawtucket Armory. The armory still stands larger-than-life just as it did when it was built in 1894 and is an attraction even from the outside. Inside, the 131-seat venue is very intimate and the Pawtucket Armory Arts Center allows visitors in even if they don't have a ticket to view a show.