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Boston Globe
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
How a chance meeting at a Providence market launched a friendship and an aspiring filmmaker's career
Advertisement 'We talked for a while. He said that he and his wife [actress and author Get Globe Rhode Island Food Club A weekly newsletter about food and dining in Rhode Island, by Globe Rhode Island reporter Alexa Gagosz. Enter Email Sign Up The two not only became fast friends, but Rockwell offered the 2019 Advertisement This film is about a flower delivery driver who, Osubor said, is trying to outrun the evils of his childhood. He's the success story of his town, because he's the only one of his friends who is not dead, in prison, or in rehab. 'On the contrary, he has a good, decent job and he stays out of trouble … but in life even though you might try to avoid trouble, trouble can still find you,' he said. The protagonist begins to suspect that the life he's been living isn't actually what he thought it was and, as Osubor explained, 'everything he knew and believed to be gospel was all just a facade. What happens when you have to choose not between 'good' and 'bad' options, but between the lesser of two evils?' The Hamilton, Ohio, native – an only child whose parents emigrated to the United States from Nigeria in 1997, a year before he was born – said he is 'very proud' of 'Big Daddy's Flowers,' which he made on a shoestring budget of just $2,000. Some of the cost-saving measures included starring as the lead – in addition to directing and producing – hiring non-actors, and working out a deal with Parsons to be in his film. 'Karyn is the author of children's books and runs a nonprofit that tells children stories about the achievements of African Americans. She needed help with her website, so I told her I would do that if she would be a part of this film, since I could never afford her,' said Osubor, who since 2020 has owned a multimedia consulting company that develops media narrative campaigns for clients, including Narragansett Brewing Company, Google, and the New England branch of the Environmental Protection Agency. Advertisement Osubor, who lives in Providence with roommates, said that filming in Rhode Island has been 'wonderful' not only because it is less expensive than elsewhere, but people have been 'so accommodating and supportive.' 'I've found the infrastructure/community more open to risk-taking and enterprising filmmaking,' he said. 'We had a lot of support rather than apprehension about what our intentions were.' Osubor didn't always want to be a filmmaker. His original plan was to go to law school after he graduated from Brown. But he changed his mind after an internship in a government legal office in Washington, D.C., where he witnessed behavior that 'went against much of what I stand for.' It was his disenchantment with politics and witnessing the polarization of people with different viewpoints – and the importance of compromise – that sparked Osubor's idea for his feature film, which he referred to as 'solid and vulnerable.' 'Films are accessible to people and often take up a fair amount of space in public discourse,' he said. 'I love literature [he majored in literary arts at Brown], but you don't hear people referencing [books] the way you hear them say, 'Hey, did you watch this series? Did you see this film?' ' Osubor is quick to point out that as much as he enjoyed making 'Big Daddy's Flowers,' it didn't come without challenges – mostly due to minimal funding. But he said obstacles led to the necessity to 'reorient your mind and look at things differently.' Advertisement 'Rejection should be viewed as a nudge … it had helped me to learn and grow,' he said. Rockwell, 68, a father of two who was raised in Cambridge, Mass., said he mentored and worked with many young filmmakers when he was at NYU, and he liked what he saw in Osubor and in his work. 'His way of seeing things, his voice, his narrative … it's unique. He's fun and interesting and kind of odd. Right away I liked his work,' Rockwell said. 'He's very talented and very eager and willing. He jumps right into a situation.' Osubor said he is grateful for Rockwell's support, mentorship, and now what has grown into a 'great friendship.' He said Rockwell has been very helpful and he's looking forward to working in tandem with him to navigate next steps and 'defy these norms, think differently and find solutions to whatever future roadblocks that might exist.' 'This industry is becoming more accessible for filmmakers like me to enter the arena,' Osubor said, 'and the sense of confidence I've gained from making this film has been a great takeaway.'
Boston Globe
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Indigenous composer Cris Derksen highlights R.I.'s history with ‘First Light'
Advertisement 'I always come to my work with an Indigenous lens, as it is my perspective,' she said. Get Globe Rhode Island Food Club A weekly newsletter about food and dining in Rhode Island, by Globe Rhode Island reporter Alexa Gagosz. Enter Email Sign Up As Derksen dug deeper into Rhode Island's history, she came across a 1771 advertisement for 'What if John Anthony managed to escape and leave behind a life that was not his and create his own life, reclaim his own light?' Derksen wondered. The question became the heart of her commission for Newport Classical: 'First Light,' a hopeful, reimagined future in which the boy escapes bondage and claims his own destiny, with a central message of resilience and renewal. 'First Light' will premiere on July 13 Advertisement The Boston Globe spoke with Derksen about how she continues to reimagine the classical music landscape by celebrating the past as well as pushing the art form forward. The interview was edited for length and clarity. Q. You debuted a work at Carnegie Hall in New York City. What was that like for you? Derksen: Oh, gosh, that was kind of a humbling experience. Carnegie was always so high – I never even put it on my bucket list. It was to write a piece for Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal. Yannick Nézet-Séguin, he's the conductor there, he first asked me to write a piece for the opening of their season, and I was so stoked because it's pretty impressive. And then even before I even had the concept, he was like, 'Hey, do you want to go on tour? You want to go to Philadelphia and Carnegie Hall?' So even before I wrote the piece, I knew it was going there, so there's a lot of pressure. That piece is called 'Controlled Burn,' and it's about the forest fires that we've been having. What's your process when you are commissioned for a piece? The concept takes the longest for me. And once I know the story that I'm going to tell, then it's so much easier to actually write the story. And I definitely think of my compositions as a journey. Sometimes they come with parameters, and sometimes they don't. And the parameter (for 'First Light') was it has to be about Rhode Island. And I'm Canadian. I'm originally from northern Alberta, so quite far away from Rhode Island. I didn't really know much about Rhode Island besides that's where the fancy people go live [laughs]. Diving into Rhode Island's history was really intense because that's the first place of colonization. Advertisement The rad thing as a composer is I get to shed light onto anything I want to. I get to just put a little flashlight and be like, 'Hey, look at this. Like, let's think about that.' That's what 'First Light' is about, it's thinking about slavery and racism, and all the dark and dirty things that happened with making North America what it is today. In this piece, I was like, 'Let's do a historical reimagining of an Indigenous slave boy who escapes and gets free. And let's recreate history, or let's reimagine history and put some light into such an adverse situation.' We're seeing the story from his view, it's the journey of his perspective. It starts in the morning. I was thinking about first light: who is awake in the first light? It's farmers. And that's also like a really good time to escape, that kind of dark morning, and eventually, like a leitmotif, he escapes, and it's just hope. And that's it, it's a nice beam of hope. It's a cello quartet piece for the Galvan Cello players: Oh, man, they're so virtuosic. The Galvin Cello Quartet. © Todd Rosenberg Photography What's your feeling about the state of classical music today? I work with the Calgary Philharmonic as an artistic advisor, and I've sat on the Orchestras Canada Equity Board. And really, it's like, 'How do we make classical music look and sound more like Canada?' It's the same for the States. It is about diversity, it is about bringing in all perspectives. If you only have one perspective, it gets pretty mundane. But having a bunch of different perspectives, it gives a lot more color and a lot more history, you know? Advertisement As a composer, what kind of pressure is there to create music that's relevant for our time? What's rad about today's time is there's so much we can take from different genres, too, and it's still classical music. But I definitely add an element of the rhythm, in little bits it gets a little jazzy, almost, but it's still very much rooted in classical. My roots are totally romantic classical heavies. Like, give me Brahms, give me Rachmaninoff, give me the heavy, tonal stuff. I use that a lot, but we're making it relevant, too. I think music should be relevant. What inspired you to start with classical music in the first place? I feel like I've always been writing music, like even when I was a little kid. I started with piano at 5, and was writing my own things by 7. I'm better at getting my feelings out through music than I am with words. So it's always been a language for me. I just can't imagine not doing it. And what was it like for you as an Indigenous artist, to be in the classical music world? At first it was very lonely. When I was growing up, there was nobody like me. But I've started a classical Indigenous residency here in Canada. So now we have a network of folks, and there are folks that we are connected with down in the States. For me, it's about telling our stories, it's about getting our stories out there to all the people, and it doesn't really matter what medium it is. Advertisement How do you inspire other young people who are interested in the classical arts? What's your advice to them? Don't quit. Just don't quit. When I go to schools, I say, 'I got a secret for you, and that's the nerds win in the end.' If you like something now and you don't quit, and you just stick with it, and you just put the time into it, you are eventually going to get pretty good at it. And once you're pretty good at it, people are going to want it. And what's next for you after this? I'm currently writing this next ballet, and then I have a piece with the Toronto Symphony, where I live. So writing that in the fall, and then summer is the Vancouver Folk Fest and then Ottawa Chamber Fest. But really the summer is about writing this ballet.
Boston Globe
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Tina Fey and Kelli O'Hara honored at Trinity Rep's Pell Awards for lifetime achievement in the arts
Advertisement Several of the speakers and other guests at the event, which raised nearly $400,000 for Trinity Rep's artistic, education, and community engagement programming, shared how programs funded by the Get Globe Rhode Island Food Club A weekly newsletter about food and dining in Rhode Island, by Globe Rhode Island reporter Alexa Gagosz. Enter Email Sign Up 'I am concerned that the arts will be an afterthought as opposed to being one of the most important things we can do,' said actor and Rhode Island resident Related : Advertisement Longtime Trinity Rep supporter Bank of America recently made a $3 million commitment to the theater company, which was announced during the gala. The gift includes $2.75 million to support the Curt Columbus, Trinity Rep's artistic director, said, 'When you live in a country that is undergoing the kind of repression that we're seeing, the arts are more necessary than they have ever been.' Providence lawyer Arlene Violet, who once served as the state's attorney general, said she wanted to attend Tuesday night's gala to show her support for the arts in general, and more specifically, Trinity Rep. 'Places like Trinity Rep will continue to educate the heart, souls, and consciences of theatergoers,' she said. 'And without question, the arts are under attack. I think the president is trying to While accepting her award, Fey told those in attendance that she started her career directing children's theater in her hometown in Pennsylvania. 'We really served our community,' she said. Fey was critical of Trump, making jokes about him and his administration and pretending she was receiving repeated news alerts on her phone: 'The White House has declared Juneteenth canceled – we're just going back to Shark Week.' 'RFK Jr. says hurricanes likely caused by vaccines; we will have a hurricane cure by the weekend.' 'They just keep coming. Breaking news: All new music must emphasize beats one and three. Any syncopated rhythm will be considered DEI.' 'Also, the Russians have a Trump/Musk tape.' 'OK, the Trump/Musk tape has been debunked.' Fey ended her 'news flash' jokes with a clear crowd favorite: 'Trump just ate a Tide pod. It's going to be OK. His doctor said he ate it better than anyone had ever eaten a Tide pod, and the chemicals in it may cause him to live forever,' a joke that elicited prolonged laughter from the audience. Advertisement Fey, 55, who wore a pale pink pantsuit and white crew-neck shirt, was introduced by Kate Liberman, Trinity Rep's executive director, who shared a video message sent by Fey's friend, collaborator, and fellow 'Saturday Night Live' alum Amy Poehler, who joked that everyone at the event should look under their seats because one has the keys to a new car, courtesy of Fey. The 'Mean Girls' creator said she has worked in 'difficult eras' before, including performing on 'Saturday Night Live' just three weeks after the September 11, 2001, attacks. 'There was a time that we thought 'oh, maybe we can never do comedy again. Maybe it's not appropriate for us to ever laugh again' and it turned out that really, all it took was Will Ferrell in an American flag Speedo to be able to unite the country,' she joked. 'People love to ask me, 'Is it OK to be writing comedy right now?' And I say not only can we, we must,' Fey said. 'Humor is a vehicle for delivering truth. Humor is what will keep us tethered to our sanity through these dark times.' Related : Two-time Tony winner Judith Ivey, a longtime friend and mentor of O'Hara's, introduced her by singing a clever and amusing reworked version of 'Maria' from 'The Sound of Music,' that was all about O'Hara. Wearing a floor-length, spaghetti-strap forest green-hued floral dress, O'Hara said she was honored to receive the award, and promised those in attendance that she will do everything in her power 'to continue to make the world better through the arts' – even if it's just making someone's life 'a little better each time I sing a song or say something that I mean from my heart.' Advertisement 'I'll receive this tonight with such gratitude and such humility because I am determined to be worthy of it for the rest of my life,' said O'Hara, 49, who is touring the country with fellow Tony Award-winning actor Sutton Foster in full symphony concerts, including a O'Hara, who won a Tony Award in 2015 for best actress in a musical for her performance in a revival of 'The King and I,' shared with the audience that while growing up in a small town in Western Oklahoma, she and her family benefited from Trinity Rep established the Pell Awards in 1997 to honor artists whose careers exemplify the values of the late US Senator Claiborne Pell, a staunch champion of the arts and one of the principal founders of the National Endowment for the Arts. O'Hara and Fey join a long list of distinguished performers who have received the award, including last year's recipient,
Boston Globe
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Providence native's short film will soon debut at the Tribeca Film Festival. Her mentor: Spike Lee.
It's called 'How I Learned to Die,' and it's a 20-minute comedy-drama based on her own life that she's hoping to turn into a feature. It's executive produced by legendary director Spike Lee. I asked Glassman to tell us more about the project and her career. Q: Your latest film, 'How I Learned to Die,' will be featured at the Tribeca Film Festival next month. Tell us more about the film. Glassman: 'How I Learned to Die' is a short comedy-drama about 16-year-old Iris who finds out she has a 60 percent chance of dying in four days, so she's gotta live it up. This is my NYU graduate thesis, which I'm turning into a feature film. This story emerges from my own experience when doctors discovered a tumor inside my third vertebrae. As a freshman at a new school, I had to navigate teenage life (trying to look pretty at prom with a neck brace!) while facing a life-threatening situation. Coming-of-age humor mixed with the exploration of mortality and profound awareness of the beauty of life. Get Globe Rhode Island Food Club A weekly newsletter about food and dining in Rhode Island, by Globe Rhode Island reporter Alexa Gagosz. Enter Email Sign Up Q: The film is executive produced by Spike Lee and was shot in Providence. What's your connection to Spike? Advertisement Glassman: I had the amazing opportunity to be Spike Lee's teaching assistant at NYU and worked with him on an upcoming Netflix documentary. He suggested I make 'How I Learned to Die' as a 'proof of concept' for a feature. I obviously took his advice! He read multiple drafts of my script, awarded me with a production grant, agreed to be executive producer, and reviewed the final cut. He is an incredible mentor. I shot all the scenes in Rhode Island (Moses Brown, East Side) and yes, the hospital scenes at Providence College's nursing facility; PC was incredibly supportive. I am extremely proud to be a Friar and from Rhode Island. Advertisement Q: Can you describe what your life looks like as a filmmaker? Are you always juggling multiple projects? Glassman: I love working on multiple projects. Along with writing and directing my own films, I've produced 11 shorts and a feature film. I like switching it up and being a producer, which helps me balance the imaginative with the achievable. I also like various genres beyond the narrative medium. For example, I just produced another Emeline Easton's (another Providence local) music video, shot on 16mm film, which was very fun. Q: What's next for Manya Glassman? Glassman: Well, first is to make the feature of 'How I Learned to Die!' We're in development on the feature version of the short (that's premiering at Tribeca), currently looking for financing and producing partners. The short takes you one place, and the feature goes even further. I'm really excited about the ways the story elaborates not only on my own personal experience, but in general about teenhood. Then after this film, I have at least 2 more feature scripts written and a TV pilot – so the plan is to keep making movies! Advertisement This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you'd like to receive it via email Monday through Friday, . Dan McGowan can be reached at
Boston Globe
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Senator Reed and Representative Amo sound the alarm
The event marks the 200th episode of the Rhode Island Report podcast and celebrates the ongoing partnership between Globe Rhode Island and Rhode Island PBS The full podcast show will go live tomorrow — listen to it on Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up A sold-out crowd listens to a live recording of the Rhode Island Report podcast with US Senator Jack Reed, US Representative Gabe Amo, and hosts Jim Hummel, host of "A Lively Experiment" on Rhode Island PBS, and Globe Rhode Island political reporter Edward Fitzpatrick on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at Rhode Island PBS studios in Providence, R.I. Carlos Muñoz Advertisement Here are a few highlights. A looming constitutional crisis At several points, Reed made it clear he has concerns about Trump's willingness to defy the US Supreme Court, and what it would mean for the country. He said he hopes that Republicans in Congress will realize that they have to intervene, but he acknowledged that Trump knows it's highly unlikely he will be impeached, and he is 'playing on that now.' The case of Abrego Garcia is the Advertisement Harsh words for Hegseth Reed pulled no punches about his feelings on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose nomination he attempted to block. He said the latest reports that Hegseth shared sensitive information about forthcoming strikes in Yemen on March 15 with family members proves he is not qualified for the job, and should resign. Reed said Hegseth's tendency to work 'in this circle of very close cronies' is especially concerning. Following a live recording of the Rhode Island Report podcast at Rhode Island PBS studios, US Senator Jack Reed chats with guests. Carlos Muñoz Concerns about higher education Amo pointed out that the Trump administration's attempts to cut and freeze funding to colleges and universities could have a much larger negative impact on the economy – especially in Rhode Island. Amo said the state's attempt to become a player in the life sciences space will be at risk if Brown University has to pause construction or hiring. Reed said that rather than attempting to build a knowledge economy, Trump's 'trying to build an ignorance economy' by cutting research grants. USAID cuts are devastating Amo is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, which has been digging into the gutting of USAID, said the 'heartlessness we've seen from President Trump, the weakness from Secretary [Marco] Rubio, the arbitrary cuts from Elon Musk, leave us in a position where around the world where our allies are saying, 'don't trust the US.'' He said Trump wants to force countries to come to the US and beg for help, 'and that's not OK.' Following a live recording of the Rhode Island Report podcast at Rhode Island PBS studios, Congressman Gabe Amo chats with guests. Carlos Muñoz 'We're abandoning the Ukrainians' Reacting to reports that Secretary Rubio plans to skip the next stage of the Ukrainian cease-fire talks, Reed said he fears that it's another sign that 'we're abandoning the Ukrainians.' Reed warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be satisfied until he can pursue more former territories that were once controlled by Russia, and those countries are concerned that America won't be there to offer support. He also warned that China is watching the situation closely because it could become more aggressive with its neighbors if the US isn't in the picture. Advertisement Other quick hitters Reed does plan to seek reelection next year and is still backing Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer: When it comes to Democratic infighting, Reed said, 'the worst thing we can do as Democrats is spend the next year and a half fighting with each other.' Amo said he would be supportive of Congress passing legislation to offer more student visas to help the innovation economy continue to flow. This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you'd like to receive it via email Monday through Friday, . Dan McGowan can be reached at
