Newport NewWorks (via Newport NewWorks)

Good morning, Newport!

🗓️ Today is Wednesday, July 23, the 204th day of 2025. There are 161 days left in the year.

🚨 You need to know

 A new musical theater festival will debut in Newport next month, bringing Broadway-level talent to the historic coastal city for two weeks of workshops and public performances.

The Newport NewWorks Musical Theater Festival, running Aug. 3-17, will present two original musicals in development: “Ink & Paint” and “Peripheral.” The festival was founded by Academy Award-nominated producer Peilin Chou and theater producer Jeanne Hagerty to create a space for developing bold new musicals while expanding Newport’s arts reputation beyond its jazz and folk heritage.

“Ink & Paint,” a musical about female artists during Disney’s golden age of animation, features Broadway veteran Sierra Boggess, known for “The Little Mermaid” and “Phantom of the Opera.” The production includes music and lyrics by Danielle Moore, a Johnny Mercer Award finalist, with book and additional lyrics by Marjorie Duffield, who wrote lyrics for the Oscar-nominated animated film “Over the Moon.”

The second musical, “Peripheral,” examines famous historical photographs from the perspective of people just outside the frame. Its cast includes Tony Award nominee Julia Knitel (“Dead Outlaw,” “Beautiful”) and Gregory Treco (“Hamilton”). The show comes from singer-songwriter Mark Aaron James and writer Sarah Elizabeth Grace.

Both productions will undergo intensive two-week development residencies before public presentations. “Peripheral” will be performed Friday, Aug. 15, at 7 p.m., followed by “Ink & Paint” on Saturday, Aug. 16, at 7 p.m. All performances take place at Newport Classical Recital Hall, 42 Dearborn Street.

Festival participants will live in Newport during the event, working alongside Tony Award-winning creators Will Aronson and Hue Park (“Maybe Happy Ending”) and screenwriter Rita Hsiao (“Mulan,” “Toy Story 2”). The festival aims to serve as a launching pad for new works that could eventually reach broader audiences.

Tickets are available through Eventbrite, with individual show tickets and two-show packages offered. The festival represents Newport’s latest effort to establish itself as a destination for musical theater alongside its established reputation in other musical genres.

Visit https://newportnewworks.org/ for tickets and more information.

What else you should know

👏 A Newport police detective saved a woman’s life by performing the Heimlich maneuver 17 times after she suffered a severe airway obstruction at the Newport Art Museum, according to police.

⛵ The BankNewport Charitable Foundation has awarded a $10,000 grant to Sail Newport to support its 4th Grade Science and Sailing Program, a free experiential learning initiative that combines sailing instruction with environmental science education for students at Pell Elementary School.

🎶 Newport Classical announced Tuesday a 12-concert chamber music series running from September 2025 through June 2026, with tickets going on sale to the public July 29.

👉 The Newport City Council will tackle a packed agenda at its regular meeting tonight, with several significant infrastructure and planning items up for consideration.

⚓ Governor Dan McKee this morning will sign an Executive Order recognizing Sunday, July 27, as the 36th annual Governor’s Bay Day. Governor’s Bay Day encourages families to enjoy Rhode Island’s outdoor public places and engage in an active lifestyle while also highlighting the economic value of our natural resources.

The day includes:

  • Free parking at all Rhode Island state beaches on Sunday, July 27. 
  • Free RIPTA roundtrip fare on the South County Express Beach Bus on Sunday, July 27. Service from Central Falls, Cranston, North Providence, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket to Salty Brine, Roger Wheeler, and Scarborough State Beaches.  
  • The public is also invited to fish in Rhode Island saltwaters without a recreational fishing license from Friday, July 25, through Sunday, July 27.

📰 The Latest from What’sUpNewp

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

📈 Yesterday’s most-read

The following were yesterday’s most-read What’sUpNewp articles.

  1. What Sold: A look at 17 Homes that traded hands last week in Newport County (July 14 – 18)
  2. Obituary: Donald Neville Wilkinson
  3. Cities with the most expensive homes in Rhode Island
  4. Newport Folk Festival cyclists set to break records again as city implements enhanced safety plan
  5. Obituary: Daniel J. O’Leary
  6. Morning Notes: Portsmouth golf tournament reaches $1 million fundraising milestone
  7. Obituary: Paul White
  8. RITBA gets $17M federal grant for Mount Hope Bridge project
  9. Newport Classical announces 12-concert Chamber Series for 2025-2026 season
  10. Newport detective saves woman’s life with Heimlich maneuver at art museum

📅 What’s Up Today

Weather Forecast

  • Today: Sunny, with a high near 77. Light southwest wind becoming south 6 to 11 mph in the morning.
  • Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 68. South wind 8 to 10 mph.
  • Tomorrow: Sunny, with a high near 79. Southwest wind 9 to 15 mph.

Sun, Moon & Tide

  • Sunrise at 5:31 am. Sunset at 8:10 pm. 14 hours & 38 minutes of sun.
  • High tide at 7:11 am & 7:41 pm. Low tide at 1:21 am & 12:28 pm.
  • The lunar phase is a Waning Crescent.
  • The coastal water temperature is 65 degrees.

Things To Do

Live Music & Entertainment

Newport County Public Meetings

Organizing an event? Submit your event to What’sUpNewp’s Event Calendar.

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...