20 Years Ago

“The Music Man” was at the Providence Performing Arts Center.

The middle film in the epic tale of middle earth, “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” was very good, as was ”Star Trek: Nemesis,” the latest in the Star Trek series.

“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” was a good sequel, with Daniel Radcliff back as Harry.

Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal starred in “Analyze That,” funny but not as good as “Analyze This”.

“Tootsie,” starring Dustin Hoffman, was the movie to see. The Broadway Musical version was recently a big hit at PPAC.

There were two casts for the 26th year of Trinity Rep’s “A Christmas Carol.” We saw Brian McEleny and Pat Kohler review Stephen Berenson in the role.

Trinity also presented the Tony Award winning “Copenhagen,” starring Timothy Crowe and Anne Scurria.

Larry Bonoff brought a fun-filled Christmas Extravaganza starring Julie Andrews to the Dunkin Donuts Center.

Ricardo Pitts Wiley brought his holiday tradition, “A Kwanzaa Song” directed by Donald W. King, to Rhode Island College.

40 Years Ago

Final releases for the holiday season included a pleasant comedy starring Sally Field and James Caan, “Kiss Me Goodbye” and a weird entry, “Eating Raoul” starring Paul Bartel.

Puppet Workshop presented “The Bear’s First Christmas” at Roger Williams Park Museum.

The late Ed Hall played Scrooge in Trinity’s “A Christmas Carol.”

Dorothy Hamell wowed her fans in a skating spectacular at the Civic Center.

Bob Colonna played “The Man Who Came to Dinner” at his RI Shakespeare Theatre.

Richard Kneeland and Ford Rainey starred in the brilliant production of “The Dresser” at Trinity.

The Kings Garden in Cranston, still at 90 Rolfe St., had a pu pu platter for two for $8.95.