Providence Earns High Marks For Theater In Travel & Leisure Survey

City, home to Trinity Rep, cracks top 5 among favorite cities for theater, top 10 as a cultural getaway

PROVIDENCE – One of the region’s best-kept secrets is out: Readers of Travel & Leisure magazine have recognized Providence in the publication’s annual “Favorite Cities” survey as a great place to take in theater and culture. Ranked as the fourth most popular destination for taking in a show – and the tenth most popular destination for cultural experiences as a whole – that Providence is gaining recognition for its theatrical contributions is no surprise to Trinity Rep, Rhode Island’s Tony Award-winning theater. Trinity Rep also boasts the last long-standing resident acting company in the nation, currently comprised of 15 actors, all of whom reside in Rhode Island.

Since the 1960s, resident acting companies around the country have built a special relationship with their communities, with the support of the National Endowment for the Arts -- established through the initiative of longtime Trinity Rep friend and benefactor, the late Senator Claiborne Pell. Achieving a higher level of artistry through years of collaboration, resident acting companies entertain and inspire audiences, enhance education for all ages, encourage economic development and civic pride, and nurture larger arts communities – such as the thriving one we see today in Providence. 

“I'm deeply gratified that a national audience recognizes the level of theatrical excellence that has been achieved by the theaters in Rhode Island,” states Artistic Director Curt Columbus.  “It's just one more example of how local art, by local artists, for local audiences has an amazing reach and resonance for anyone who sees the work.  Trinity is proud to be an artistic leader in such a great community of artists.”

Local, national, and international recognition has consistently come to Trinity Rep’s acting company. In 1968, it was the first American theater company to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland. The company received the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater Company in 1981, produced four television productions for PBS, and toured to India and Syria. Trinity Rep has a strong commitment to the development of new works and has presented 57 world premieres.