142 Clinton St. Woonsocket, RI 02895
401-441-5011

Non-professional theater production company that was formed in 2006 through the collaborative effort of a group of dedicated individuals whose collective experience spanned the theatrical disciplines, from conception to production to performance; from marketing, finance and fundraising to technical theater, direction, acting and design. They believed that under the guidelines of an even and fair organizational structure, their myriad talents could provide a truly unique and wonderful experience for their community. The Founders of RISE were driven to develop a non-professional theater environment that would continue to thrive over the course of generations, based on the principles of artistic freedom and creative collaboration. As a company founded on principles of artistic freedom and creative collaboration, RISE does not follow a narrow aesthetic path. Our work has ranged from edgy interpretations of Shakespeare to rarely performed plays like Wilder’s “Skin of Our Teeth;” to traditional (and non-traditional) interpretations of popular musical theater.

The sky is the limit, and we are only getting started. A secondary, but extremely important part of our mission involves providing education, both formally and informally, to students and creative partners of all ages. While RISE is planning to launch a full program of classes in the near future, a current key component of our educational mission is our annual Young Director Series, which allows first-time directors between the ages of 17-23 to develop fully funded productions under the mentorship of seasoned, trained professionals. RISE products take place at the Assembly Theatre in Harrisville and Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket.

Rhode Island Stage Ensemble