Location: Newport
Top Things to do in Newport
Top 9 Concerts & Shows in Newport, Rhode Island (RI)
Once the summer playground of America's wealthiest families, Newport remains a popular vacation destination at any time of year. The famous mansions, each more opulent than the last, offer detailed tours and give a fascinating glimpse into Gilded Age extravagance. While the town rightly emphasizes its history with a variety of museums and tours, Newport also has a vibrant, contemporary side, made manifest in quirky shops and great restaurants.
Restaurants in Newport
1. Jane Pickens Theater
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 25 reviews
Reviewed By CaptainDG - Fall River, United States
Love this theater. Like theaters we went to years ago, but much better concession stand. Comfortable seats here are a plus. Must walk up one small flight of stairs, though, which may be difficult for some. Came today for special Great Gatsby package offering of continental breakfast with coffee and orange juice (good selections), the original 1974 version of Gatsby which was very welcome to see, then toured Rosecliff Mansion where the movie was filmed. This theater does nice things like this that keep us coming back for more.
2. Firehouse Theater
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 214 reviews
The Firehouse Theater has become RI's most award winning comedy and live performance spot with their house group, The Bit Players earning the title of "Best Comedy Night" and "Comedy Troupe of the Year" multiple times and various special events & shows throughout the year. Hilarious improv performances, modeled after the hit show "Whose Line is it Anyway" can be seen EVERY Friday at 8PM & Saturday at 8PM & 10PM ALL YEAR LONG. Plus, they offer additional show times in the summer along with classes, workshops, and private parties all year. Every show is BYOB! Coming for a special event? Let us know ahead of time and we will make the guest(s) of honor a special part of the show. We also offer private parties at the Firehouse. Didn't miss a moment of funny. Laugh More.
Reviewed By Derekwill123
Excellent night of entertainment! The Bit Players are a very talented group of comedians! Looking forward to going back!
3. Newport Comedy Playhouse
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
4. Newport Blues Cafe
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5 reviews
5. Newport Playhouse and Cabaret
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 95 reviews
Reviewed By raylC9421RM
My wife and I bought tickets at a charity function that included tickets to the Newport Playhouse. The Tickets included a Buffet lunch, Stage play and a Cabaret performance after the play. I'd never heard of the place before but we decided to go at the last minute on a Sunday Matinee performance. I called the box office to see if there was room for us at so late a time. (They began seating at 11:30) The lady assured us that she would be able to accommodate us and would have a table reserved for us. We arrived at 12:15. and were seated immediately. Service was great. We had a Bloody Mary from the bar that was a little spicy so the waiter provided some extra tomato juice to add to the drink to reduce the heat. We then were shown to the buffet. The food was terrific. At least 15 different dishes were available including roasted chicken, fish, squash, green beans, baked beans, cole slaw, salad, meatballs and Penne pasta, desserts, etc. Fabulous! We ate our meal and then were directed to the theater where we had front row seats in a full auditorium. The show was a murder mystery. Well acted by the cast and about 2 hours in length. Very enjoyable. At the conclusion of the play we made our way back to the restaurant and our table where we were offered coffee. I had a couple of Sam Adams and we waited for the Cabaret performance to begin. The show consisted of songs, dances, comedy skits, etc. Very funny and entertaining. All of the waiters, and waitresses are part of the show. The owner has been in business at the location for over 50 years and began with his father, the original owner. As we left the venue, the owner and performers thanked us for coming, shook everyone's hands and escorted us out into the parking lot. We felt like we had experienced something very special. The employees and performers were part of a family and we were invited to witness the closeness and love they had for each other and the place they were in. I thought it was a magical experience. I recommend this place highly. If you want to have a great meal, see a play and laugh outloud, you should definitely visit the Newport Playhouse!
6. Swanhurst Chorus
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1 reviews
Active since 1928, this is Rhode Island's longest continually performing choral ensemble.
7. Newport Murder Mystery
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By BearTravelers33 - Framingham, United States
I was a little surprised to see kind of low-ish scores for this company. We did the 1800s secret santa themed murder mystery on a December Saturday night and it was quite possibly my favorite thing we did during our weekend in Newport. We love theater and especially supporting any local artists when we visit places. The use of the art museum for a theater setting was very cool and unusual. We were greeted upon arrival by multiple actors playing servants working in the mansion, who introduced themselves and had brief conversations with the guests while we browsed the museum at our leisure for around 15 or so minutes. We were then gathered and sat in an exhibition hall where we were reintroduced to the characters who did a scripted act for about 30 minutes that lead to the demise of a main character. This part of the act was funny, full of little clues and we didn’t have any problem hearing the actors. After this the characters dispersed in the house and we had 30 minutes to interpret clues in the museum and interview the characters about their backstory and possible motives. I have to give props to the actors for staying in character and having to ad lib responses to numerous ridiculous questions and accusations by the guests at the party. I very much enjoyed their reactions when I point blank asked some of the characters if they committed the murder (that strategy sadly did not work) There were about 20 people in total for this event, so we didn’t have any issues with overcrowding and were frequently interviewing characters by ourselves in a room while others were exploring different parts of the museum/interviewing other characters. A lot of the guests also got together and worked as a group when interviewing characters to gather information. Guests were in a good mood, everyone was friendly, interacting with each other and having a good time. The actors were funny and very quick with their responses and all the guests were invested in the mystery. I thought it would be weird interrogating actors and interacting with people since I’ve never done a murder mystery thing but it ended up being a ton of fun. I suppose the entertainment value you get out of the show depends on how much you are willing to participate. If you just kind of wander around and do nothing, it’s obviously not going to be fun. The final 20 or so minutes involved the guests being sat back down in the exhibition hall, where the actors and guests revealed clues, asked questions and made accusations. Even when the guests didn’t have questions, the actors pushed the script along to ensure a lack of awkward silent moments or dead air. The mystery was clever and I pegged the wrong person, oops. All the actors staying in character even when we were walking out the door showed serious commitment. The best part was also having the run of such a beautiful art museum to ourselves with 20 other guests for an hour and a half after it was officially closed. I do have to say some of the humor is a bit dry, and while none of it was inappropriate, you might be offended if you can’t laugh at jokes about murder or accept some of the cavalier attitudes about murder perpetrated by some of the characters. I personally found the actors to be hilarious and some of their responses during the question and accusation portion of the show garnered some massive laughs from the audience. Totally worth the money and I would love to come back and see some of the other themed mysteries this troupe has come up with.
8. Newport Waterfront Events
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 7 reviews
Newport Waterfront Events is home to concerts, comedy shows, festivals and boat shows at the Newport Yachting Center, a unique waterfront venue located in the heart of downtown Newport. The combination of quality entertainment set against the stunning backdrop of historic Newport Harbor makes for an experience unmatched elsewhere in New England. It all happens here!
