ARTS Showcase
At the Providence Performing Arts Center, we are dedicated to enriching the lives of Rhode Island students through exceptional performances, immersive learning experiences, and meaningful community outreach. Our mission is to connect audiences with inspiring artistic and educational opportunities that spark imagination, encourage critical thinking, and foster lasting memories. Each ARTS Showcase season, we present captivating performances that not only engage young minds but also deepen our connection with our community through the power of the arts.
For the 2026-27 academic year, the Providence Performing Arts Center will be presenting both live and virtual ARTS Showcase performances. Rhode Island schools can sign up for one live performance and as many virtual performances as they would like. WE REQUEST THAT ONE CONTACT TEACHER REGISTER FOR EACH SCHOOL, SO THAT WE DON’T HAVE MULTIPLE ORDERS PER SCHOOL FOR IN-PERSON PERFORMANCES. The virtual offering of specified performances will be offered one month following the live performance and will be available for viewing for a three-week period. Schools within a 20-mile radius of PPAC in Massachusetts can sign-up for our virtual performances. Our performance season this year runs from October 2026 through May 2027.
ARTS Showcase performances at PPAC feature both New England and nationally acclaimed touring artists. The artists are selected by a PPAC committee based on artistic quality, cultural diversity, educational value, variety of programming, and the positive message of the performances. Schools must register online to be part of our live and virtual viewing audiences (limited live seating capacity of approximately 2,400). Once schools register, they will receive a confirmation email letting them know if their group has been confirmed for seats. PPAC will provide busing reimbursement to schools that are not able to attend without busing support (must be 20 students/chaperones or more). To be reimbursed, you must email submit the bus invoice to Grace Madeya (contact below) within 60 days of the performance that your school attended, and we will send a check to cover the transportation cost. Please note: PPAC is NOT responsible for any busing costs incurred due to last-minute changes within 48 hours of the performance.
Viewing and attending PPAC ARTS Showcase performances is FREE; these performances are not available to the public. This initiative is an outreach program offered to Rhode Island students in grades K-8. YOU MUST BE REGISTERED TO PARTICIPATE BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY. Teachers/schools who are interested in attending in person or virtually viewing PPAC ARTS Showcase performances with their students can complete a registration form on our website or request registration materials from Grace Madeya by email. (Please specify the PPAC ARTS Showcase performance you are interested in registering for when reaching out.)
With questions or to request registration materials, please contact Grace Madeya:
Grace Madeya
Outreach & Engagement Associate
gmadeya@ppacri.org
For in-person performances, all participating schools must review the ARTS Showcase Handbook. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.
CON ALMA Y FUEGO (NEW!)
FEATURING JAZZ REACH
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2026 - 9:45AM
AVAILABLE VIRTUALLY MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30 – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2026
Con Alma y Fuego ("With Soul and Fire") traverses the origins and evolution of the Latin/Afro-Caribbean jazz traditions and highlights the contributions and music of groundbreaking artists such as: Mario Bauza, Machito, Dizzy Gillespie, Chico O’Farrill, Tito Puetne, Mongo Santamaria, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Irakere, Eddie Palmieri and Fort Apache just to name a few and aims to clarify the degree to which both the American Experience and the sound of jazz have been greatly influenced, enhanced, expanded and refined by these rich, soulful cultural heritages.
This performance is limited to grades 4 - 8.
Curriculum Connections: American Studies, Global Studies, African-American Studies.
Runtime: Approximately 60 minutes
In-Person Registration Deadline: Thursday, October 1, 2026, or until registration is at capacity.
SHAKESPEARE'S TIME -TRAVELING SPEAKEASY
FEATURING SHAKESPEARE TO HIP HOP
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2026 - 9:45AM
AVAILABLE IN-PERSON ONLY
THE SHAKESPEARE TIME TRAVELING SPEAKEASY is a literary concert presentation that provides an excellent introduction to the life and works of William Shakespeare. The presentation includes multimedia and features a live band. Students are engaged and inspired by lively original songs in a variety of American music styles including Jazz, Blues, Rock, Hip Hop, and Country that provide information about Shakespeare’s life and influence on our culture. The “Speakeasy” is an engaging and entertaining presentation that is brimming with educational information and facts about the Bard.
This performance is limited to grades 4 - 8.
Curriculum Connections: English, Language Arts, Theatre, Culture, History, Music.
Runtime: Approximately 55 minutes
Registration Deadline: Friday, October 23, 2026, or until registration is at capacity.
TO HIP HOP WITH LOVE (NEW!)
FEATURING WONDERTWINS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2026 - 9:45AM
AVAILABLE VIRTUALLY MONDAY, JANUARY 11 – FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2027
With the technical facility of hip-hop, the sophistication of the Cotton Club's glory days, the elegance of the Harlem Renaissance, the flash of Rat Pack era, and elements of Broadway, vaudeville, robot, sneaker rhythms, comedic gesture, and mime. The Wondertwins create a distinctive style all their own. Drawing from an eclectic soundtrack spanning legendary MCs Busta Rhymes and KRS-One, the timeless voice of Sammy Davis Jr., and poetry from Maya Angelou, Nina Simone, and Alonzo King, their performance offers a kaleidoscopic view of Black American entertainment traditions. All of these elements, moving alongside powerful choreography, come together on stage for an unforgettable audience experience.
This performance is limited to grades 3 - 8.
Curriculum Connections: Dance, Music, History, Culture and Self- Expression.
Runtime: Approximately 55 minutes
In-Person Registration Deadline: Friday, November 13, 2026, or until registration is at capacity.
RHYTHM DELIVERED
FEATURING DRUMATIX
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2027 – 9:45AM
AVAILABLE IN-PERSON ONLY
RHYTHM DELIVERED is a narrated, high-energy, STEAM-aligned performance that blends tap dance, body percussion, drumming, technology, and physical comedy.
Students follow a group of performers as they discover everyday objects hidden around the stage and transform them into musical instruments and rhythmic devices. Boxes, buckets, barrels, tin cans, cleaning supplies, musical pipes, ladders, and milk crates become part of a live, fully a cappella percussive soundtrack created on stage.
As the performance unfolds, objects are added to a suspended rhythm station, building toward a large-scale finale.
Light narration guides students through key concepts and vocabulary. Full of humor, rhythm, surprise, and interaction, RHYTHM DELIVERED invites students to experience how sound, movement, history, STEM, and imagination can come together in a performance that celebrates the collaborative joy of rhythm.
This performance is limited to grades K - 5.
Curriculum Connections: Language Arts, Music, Visual Arts, Dance, Performance.
Runtime: Approximately 55 minutes
In-Person Registration Deadline: Friday, February 19, 2027, or until registration is at capacity.
OCEAN BLUE (NEW!)
FEATURING MERMAID THEATRE OF NOVA SCOTIA
FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2027 - 9:45AM
AVAILABLE VIRTUALLY MONDAY, MAY 3 – WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2027
Plunge into a breathtaking theatrical adventure where icebergs drift, waves crash, and life teems above and below the sea. Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s stunning new production, OCEAN BLUE, brings the mystery and majesty of our oceans to life with spectacular puppetry, immersive design, and heartwarming storytelling.
From the chilly Arctic waters where walruses lounge and gulls soar, to the sun-dappled seas where baby beluga whales dance and hammerhead sharks dart beneath the waves to avoid orcas, OCEAN BLUE is a vibrant celebration of marine ecosystems and the extraordinary creatures that call them home.
This state-of-the-art, one-hour theatrical experience blends sophisticated puppetry, immersive digital projection, and captivating soundscapes to transport viewers into an underwater realm of discovery. Bursting with fun facts, playful humor, and moments of pure awe, OCEAN BLUE is designed to ignite curiosity and spark the imagination.
This performance is limited to grades K - 4.
Curriculum Connections: Puppetry, Visual Arts, Theatre, Marine Ecosystems.
Runtime: Approximately 60 minutes
In-Person Registration Deadline: Friday, March 5, 2027, or until registration is at capacity.
(Study Guide coming soon.)
THE CRAYONS ARE BACK! (NEW!)
FEATURING NEWPORT CONTEMPORARY BALLET
WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2027 - 9:45AM
AVAILABLE IN-PERSON ONLY
Newport Contemporary Ballet is thrilled to bring the beloved world of Drew Daywalt’s crayons back to the stage with a brand-new, original production for students! Inspired by the book THE DAY THE CRAYONS QUIT by Drew Daywalt, this lively performance combines vibrant dance, original music, and dazzling visual and costume design to create an unforgettable live theater experience.
Having soothed the hurt feelings of one group who threatened to quit, join Duncan as he discovers postcards from his missing crayons, each sharing hilarious stories, wild adventures, and heartfelt pleas to be rescued. Filled with humor, imagination, and colorful characters, the production also supports key educational standards that encourage social-emotional learning, empathy, compassion, communication, and creative problem solving, making it as meaningful as it is entertaining. This adaptation was created by Artistic and Executive Director Danielle Genest of the Newport Ballet Company and is part of their Dancing Through Boundaries education program.
This performance is limited to grades K - 4.
Curriculum Connections: Fine Arts, Language Arts, Music, Self-Expression, Dance/Movement.
Runtime: Approximately 50 minutes
In-Person Registration Deadline: Friday, April 16, 2027, or until registration is at capacity.