“This is Epic!” That’s the lead-in announcement to every show produced at a small performance space nestled in the heart of Cranston. Epic Theater Company is a homegrown Rhode Island staple that you may be missing out on.

Thirteen years ago Kevin Broccoli was just another actor trying to find his way in the Ocean State. Unsatisfied with the roles coming his way he decided to do something about it. Quickly Kevin found a theater space being underused during the summer months. That year he produced his first show and when it came time to reserve the rights, they wanted a name. Kevin says he “went with Epic, for mostly ironic reasons.”

With the progression of social media and streaming services it’s hard enough to get people out of the house for a movie, never mind live theater. But that’s the exact reason Kevin believes theater is important: “Theater gives us the opportunity to sit in a room and have a communal experience with other human beings. It's an empathetic experience at a time when we desperately need empathy.”

An Epic show isn’t about pomp and circumstance. The stage is minimalistic and the theater itself is focused on the story instead of flashy set pieces. This is a place to fall in love with stories and emotion, the very core of theater itself. You come here to witness actors, writers, directors, and a tech crew shamelessly care and devote themselves to a story told simply. Or as Kevin often says, “The fanciest ottoman and the nicest evening gown in the world won't fix a lousy script and bad acting. That being said, if anybody wants to give us an ottoman...”

I asked Kevin what he loved most about Epic. Again, in his own words: “I love the people.  Sometimes they take a lot of nonsense and bulls**t from me and why some of them stick around I'll never know, but they truly *are* the company. I get a lot of credit for it, but at the end of the day, the best things about us are the people who work for and with us.”

Epic’s current production is called Constellations. It’s a science-driven love story about time, how much we all have, and what we should do with it. Audiences can relate almost instantly to these characters because the show is about the choices we make, and how they take us toward happiness or very far away from it.

Constellations is selling out quickly, so act fast. Click here to learn more about Epic Theater Company, their current schedule, and how you can buy them an ottoman. 

Thanks for reading,

+ Colin Carlton

More About Colin

Colin is the author of Infinite Velocity and freelance writer.

For more from him, please check out:

www.colincarlton.com

@colincarlton on Twitter + Instagram

@colincarltonofficial on Facebook

Photo Credits: Images of Epic Theatre courtesy of their site and Instagram