Dervish (Spectacle Live)

The Jane Pickens Theater is marking the St. Patrick’s Day season with a month of Irish music, film and dance, including live concerts, a family-friendly animated film and a cult-classic horror screening.

The festivities kick off Friday, March 13, with a concert by Turas, a traditional Irish band whose name means “journey” in Irish. The 6 p.m. show will feature a special guest appearance by 14-year-old Irish step dancing prodigy Kiera Nagle, who began dancing at age 3 with the Kelly School of Irish Dance and has since performed at the Providence Performing Arts Center. The concert features two 45-minute sets with a 15-minute intermission.

On St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, the theater offers two options. At 5:15 p.m., local favorites Rhode To Dublin will perform live Celtic music before a screening of the Academy Award-nominated animated film “Song of the Sea.” The film carries a 99% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and tells the story of a young selkie girl set against the backdrop of Irish folklore. Doors open at 5 p.m., with the film beginning around 6:15 p.m.

Later that evening at 8 p.m., the theater will screen a newly remastered 4K print of the 1993 cult-horror film “Leprechaun,” starring Warwick Davis and a pre-“Friends” Jennifer Aniston. A Narragansett Beer tasting will be held in the lobby before the show.

Closing out the month on Sunday, March 22, is a live performance by Dervish, one of the most celebrated names in Irish folk music. The band, fronted by vocalist Cathy Jordan, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the BBC in 2019 and has performed at major festivals around the world. Showtime is 7 p.m.

Tickets and additional information are available at janepickens.com.

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020).

He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide.

Ryan is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, Online News Association, and Local Independent Online News Publishers. He is committed to the codes of ethics of these organizations: accuracy, independence, accountability, and transparency.

In Newport, Ryan served on the boards of the Fort Adams Trust and Potter League for Animals, and hosted a daily radio talk show for four years.

In 2021, Ryan moved to Alexandria, Virginia, to support his wife Jen's career. He launched The Alexandria Brief in 2025, applying what he learned in Newport to a new community. With the help of some talented on-the-ground contributors, he still runs What's Up Newp — and always will.

Contact: ryan@whatsupnewp.com.