Providence Comedy to produce Providence’s Only all-day, all-night New Year’s Eve Event at AS220 Live Arts

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On December 31, AS220 Live Arts will be the scene of the 2nd annual “Ring in the Night,” Downtown Providence’s only all-day, all-night New Year’s celebration featuring children’s workshops, live performances and a whole lot of merrymaking. With a packed daytime slate of family-centric programming and an evening of comedy, music and dancing, this year’s bash delivers a colorful collage of fun events that won’t be found elsewhere in Providence.

“If you’re looking for something truly unique and memorable to celebrate the new year, this is it,” says Ring in the Night co-producer Keith Munslow. “Who else is going to have a marching band, workshops for kids, sketch and musical comedy, Grammy award-winning musician Bill Harley and, of course, a midnight countdown?”

Family-friendly festivities kick off at 1 p.m. on two stages simultaneously, and a day-pass for all afternoon events is only $15 (individual show admissions are $5 each). Kids can choose between workshops in improvisational comedy, dance or mask-making and see plays by the Manton Avenue Project. Plus, the Extraordinary Rendition Band will bring their joyful noises for a raucous performance, as will acclaimed children’s musicians and storytellers, Bill Harley and Keith Munslow.

At 7 p.m. evening events begin, again with two stages running simultaneously. Partygoers will have their pick of comedy from the Providence Improv Guild or tunes from some of Providence’s finest singer-songwriters in a showcase hosted by local favorite, Joanne Lurgio. But it won’t all end there. At 8:30, Randy Bush will host a special New Year’s version of his powerhouse standup show “LuLz! Comedy Night” on the Live Arts Main Stage, and next door at the Live Arts Black Box, actors and improvisors will present “Classical Intoxication: An Evening of Drinking, Theatre, and Poor Choices,” in which the cast will perform Oedipus Wrecked, a louder, drunker version of the classic play.

The night closes out with a dance party and sketch and musical comedy from AS220 mainstays, the Empire Revue and the Superchief Trio. Audience members at the Revue will also be treated to a midnight countdown. A night-pass for all evening events is only $25 (individual show admissions are $10 each). AS220’s bar and restaurant will be open all day and night for drinks and food.

This night will also usher in AS220’s brand new Live Arts program. Live Arts grew out of a desire to allow for greater, more efficient, access to all of AS220’s performance spaces. Instead of operating in isolation from each other, AS220’s Main Stage, Black Box, and second floor space known as Psychic Readings will now fall under the same umbrella, with a fully integrated staff, equipment, and more. This new era of artistic programming dovetails nicely with Ring in the Night’s ultimate goal of uniting Providence’s finest artists and performers in a single space.

“Come on downtown, have some drinks, see some wonderful shows and dance your ass off into the New Year,” says co-producer Melissa Bowler.

Day and night passes can be purchased in advance at Brown Paper Tickets, www.RingInTheNight.brownpapertickets.com. Single show tickets will only be available on a limited basis on the day of the show.

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