H APPENINGS B LUES R OCK E ntertainment Blackstone Valley D Thursday, July 7, 2011 “THE LAST FIVE YEARS,” a two-character musical, launches the professional theater side of The DAVE Project, a non-profit group focused on providing theater education in schools. Michael Tuck and Alyssa Gorgone play 20-somethings who fall in and out of love and tell their stories in dialogue and song. She tells her version from the end of the relationship back to its start; his version is chronological. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m., this weekend through July 31 at the Artists’ Exchange, 50 Rolfe Square, Cranston. Tickets are $29 adults, $20 students with valid ID, at the door or at www.theDAVEproject.com Flournoy Holmes Photo TINSLEY ELLIS plays blues- rock guitar on Saturday at 8 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 and the Juke Joint Blues Band, featuring five blues harp players, is Friday at 8 p.m. at Chan’s. Tickets are $10. For reservations, call (401) 765-1900. For information, visit www.chanseggrollsand jazz.com. ALEXANDER PLATT plays Hedwig, née Hansel, in the rock musical “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” on stage through July 31, presented by Perishable Theatre at the Pell Chafee Performance Center, 87 Empire St., Providence. The 1998 Obie Award- winning musical tells the tale of German-born Hansel/Hedwig who had a sex-change operation so she could marry an American GI. But plans — and the operation — went awry, and now Hedwig makes a living by touring with her band, The Angry Inch. Tickets are $25 and available at Trinity Rep’s box office, 201 Washington St., Providence; by calling (401) 351-4242; or online at www.trinityrep.com. THE CALL By KATHIE RALEIGH Lifestyle 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, now based at the Hope Artiste Village, will tour outdoor venues in Rhode Island with a double-barreled production: two nights of “King Lear” followed on the third night by the fourth annual Greatness of Gospel concert. Performances will begin July 26 at Slater Memorial Park and by Aug. 18 will have visited Woonsocket, Narragansett and Bristol. Pitts-Wiley will play the misguided King Lear, who divides his kingdom on the basis of his daughters’ flattery and then goes mad after realizing the folly of his decisions. It’s a story of decep- tion — and of loyalty — and Pitts-Wiley is loving it. “It’s a role that you’re only able to do with time,” he says. “Many actors aspire to have a career long enough to play Lear and have a deep understand- ing of the character. It’s one of the roles that you earn by longevity and commit- ment to the craft.” Understanding also comes from being a father and grandfather, as he is, in real life. In fact, his son, Jonathan Pitts-Wiley, is the director of the pro- duction and also has taken over as artis- tic director of the organization, which his father and mother, Bernadet, found- ed in 2000. While the company has performed a lot of Shakespeare in its 11 years, this is the first time for “King Lear.” “In the entire canon, there are only eight or 10 of Shakespeare’s works that translate well outdoors,” Pitts-Wiley explains. Most often, it’s the comedies that grace a mid-summer night’s grassy stage. “Nobody wants to be around for a lot of mayhem and murder in summer,” he laughs. “But ‘King Lear’ is more about power … and family dynamics. We tell people HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’ is based on ‘King Lear,” and if they like that series, they’ll like this.” The Greatness of Gospel IV: Shakespeare in the Spirit” concert con- tinues the theme as members of the Exult Choir act out scenes from the Bard as a frame of reference for their songs. “It’s an advanced production of our Gospel and the Bard show,” Pitts-Wiley elaborates. “We start with the intent; what’s the emotional nature of the scene. Then we look for a piece of music that complements it.” For example, in “Othello,” as the title character contemplates murder, “He is troubled with thoughts of what he’s got to do,” Pitts-Wiley says. The emotion is reflected in the gospel song, PROVIDENCE — Promising a “gumbo” of music by nationally known artists and local talent, Providence Inner City Arts will host Sound Session this Friday through Sunday at venues throughout downtown. With artists including Latin jazz percussionist Bobby Sanabria and Ascension, Stephen Marley and Ghetto Youths Crew already on the schedule, PICA has announced three new events: ROBSOUL and Blackbone Slip, Phoebe Legere with Rudy Cheeks and special guests, and Rhode Island’s own 2011 Choral and Gospel Music Brunch and Concert. Events will take place at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, 79 Washington St.; Roots Café, 276 Westminster St., indoors, outdoors and on Westminster Street in front of the café; at a stage at the Bank of America skating rink, sponsored by the City of Providence, Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism; the Homegrown Stage on Clemence Street; and at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 15 Hayes St. Over the course of an evening, multiple artists appear with the headliners at each location. ROBSOUL has been playing since early childhood as a drummer/singer and has appeared with George Clinton and the P-Funk Allstars and the godfather of soul himself, James Brown. From Teddy Pendergrass to Frank Sinatra, the music of ROBSOUL and Blackbone Slip will get audi- ences on their feet to dance on Saturday at 11 p.m. at the Roots Café. Tickets are $15. Legère not only plays piano, accordion, cello, Native American flute, and synthesiz- Reviews work! Last Thursday I reviewed a concert performed by the great guitarist Frank Vignola and his sidekick, Vinny Raniolo, in Wellfleet on Cape Cod and praised them — as the 200-member audience had — for their outstanding play- ing and their antics on the stage, which led to standing ovations 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 July 22 on his way to a Blues Festival in Maine on July 23, asked if he could do anything for me. He offered to work for a small fee. What was on my mind was the financial plight of the Pawtucket Visitors Center on Roosevelt Avenue, across from the Slater Mill, in Pawtucket. I have long been involved with the Visitors Center, the Historic District Commission, and the Slater Mill. These are locations dear to my heart. I called Bob Billington, director of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, and he connected me to the new Planning Director, and they are all for my idea of a fundraiser for the center. I contacted Vignola, told him I would personally pay his fee, 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, July 22. 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 be there to hear the notes Frank and Vinny play — and at what tempos. Frank has great fans, such as Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagan, Wynton Marsalis, who did a concert with Frank last summer in France for 80,000 people. He has played for the Boston and the New York Pops, and Les Paul said Frank is among the top five guitarist he has ever heard. 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 be there. I can promise you a great night of entertainment, as I witnessed the 200 people on Cape Cod had when Frank appeared. John A. Worsley is a professional musician, concert producer and jazz historian. He leads the band Swingtime. John Worsley ... On Jazz Shakespeare and gospel: Must be magic Actually, it is Mixed Magic Theatre that pairs performances of ‘King Lear’ with a gospel concert and will take the shows to venues across Rhode Island. Ricardo Pitts- Wiley, left, has the title role in Mixed Magic’s produc- tion of ‘King Lear.’ being performed in repertoire this summer with a gospel concert by the Exult Choir, below, that match- es gospel songs with scenes from several of Shakespeare’s plays. Photos courtesy of Mixed Magic Sound Session serves up a weekend full of music See MIXED MAGIC, Page D-2 Photo courtesy of Sound Session Jazz percussionist Bobby Sanabria performs on Saturday. See SESSION, Page D-2 Guitarist Frank Vignola does a favor for an old friend, and the Pawtucket Visitors Center benefits