>> TONIGHT, ON RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY, WE ARE HELPING DEVELOP GOOD HUSBANDS, GOOD FATHERS, GIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

.

>> YOU ARE MAKING.

UP YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICE.

-- YOU ARE MAKING THE DO COMMUNITY SERVICE.

WHY?

>> BECAUSE THESE KIDS NEED TO UNDERSTAND GOOD COMMUNITY AND THE VALUE OF GIVING BACK.

>> THESE ARE KIDS THAT DON'T TYPICALLY GET INVITED TO BIRTHDAY PARTIES OR SLEEPOVERS.

TO SEE THEM HAVING FUN, DOING SOMETHING TYPICAL KIDDOS DO, IT IS A FEELING LIKE NO OTHER.

>> >> HOW DOES >> ONE GET FROM LOW LEVEL KGB THUG TO ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD?

IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT YOU GET TO DO A PLAY WHERE THERE IS A LIVING PERSON AND YOU AND YOU ARE DEPICTING THEM.

>> GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO RHODE ISLAND PBS pWEEKLY.

I AM PAMELA WATTS.

>> I AM MICHELLE.

WE BEGIN WITH A STORY ABOUT BASEBALL.

BABE RUTH SAID EVERY STRIKE BROUGHT HIM CLOSER TO THE NEXT HOME RUN.

CLICK THE MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYOFFS AND WORLD SEIES ARE JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

IN RHODE ISLAND, THERE IS A LITTLE-KNOWN INNER-CITY TRAVELING THAT IS TURNING OUT MAJOR SUCCESS STORIES BOTH ON AND OFF THE FIELD.

WE INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME YOUNG ATHLETES WHO ARE ENCOURAGED TO NOT ONLY FIND THAT SWEET SPOT OF THE BED ON THE BALL BUT LIFE AS WELL.

>> THIS BALL IS DRILLED TO LEFT FIELD.

>> THIS IS A DREAM COME TRUE.

>> THE FIELD OF DREAMS FOR JEREMY PENA, STARTING SHORTSTOP FOR THE HOUSTON ASTROS BEGAN HERE ON A DUSTY DIAMOND IN A PUBLIC PARK WITH DONATED EQUIPMENT AND NO CLUBHOUSE.

THE TEAM IS CALLED PROVIDENCE SPORTS AND LEADERSHIP OR PSL.

>> CHANGED YOUR LIFE?

>> NOT BASED ON BASEBALL BUT THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE MADE WITH THE PROGRAM.

IT WAS HARD WORK.

IT WAS JUST SHOWING UP, DISCIPLINE, PUTTING IN THE WORK AND GOING FROM THERE.

BEING A GOOD PERSON GOES A LONG WAY.

>> IT TOOK HIM ALL THE WAY TO THE MAJORS AND PLAYING THIS DAY AT FENWAY PARK AGAINST THE BOSTON RED SOX.

>> HE TAKES HIS NATURAL TALENT AND HARD WORK PUT IN HERE.

>> HE IS THE COFOUNDER OF PSL.

IT IS A NONPROFIT INNER-CITY ACADEMIC PROGRAM.

ENCOURAGING YOUNG PLAYERS TO HIT A GRAND SLAM AT THE PLATE AND IN LIFE.

>> BASEBALL IS THE HOOK WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE ACCOUNTABILITY AND CHARACTER AND HARD WORK.

>> CLARITY -- FLA -- FL AHERTY LOOKED AT THE WINDOW AND SAW THIS COMMUNITY LEADER RUNNING A BASEBALL PRACTICE.

>> IT MUST HAVE BEEN WITH 40 OR 50 KIDS BY HIMSELF.

COACHING PAINS ALL OVER THE FIELD, GIVING THE KIDS HUSTLING, PLAYING BALL AND I WALKED OVER TO HIM AND HAVING A BASEBALL BACKGROUND AND A GOOD SENSE OF THE GAME AND HOW TO TEACH IT.

>> WITH THAT IN MIND, HE OFFERED TO HELP BUT CONVEYING HIS INTENTIONS WAS NOT EASY.

>> TWO VERY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND VISIONS AND CULTURES.

I DON'T SPEAK SPANISH AND EVERYBODY THINGS I LOOK LIKE A COP AND I AM NOT A COP.

AND HOW HE KIND OF CAME TOGETHER AND OVERTIME WE WERE ABLE TO SHARE OUR VISIONS AND SAY LET'S DO THIS.

>> THEY DID, ULTIMATELY CREATING TWO BASEBALL TEAMS FOR ATHLETES.

A FUNDRAISER KIDS CAN AFFORD TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRAVELING.

>> TAKING TOO MANY EVENTS WITH 16 KIDS AND GOING OUT TO THIS WHITE SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD AND PLAYING TOP-NOTCH LEVEL BASEBALL BUT DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY.

WE WOULD DO THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED BY IT.

I AM THINKING TO MYSELF WHY ARE THEY SURPRISED BY THIS?

IS IT THEIR ACCENTS, THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN?

WHY SHOULD THEY BE SURPRISED?

I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE SURPRISED.

I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT WHEN THEY GO OUT THERE, THEY WILL GET A WELL-PREPARED, WELL MANNERED RESPECTFUL GROUP OF YOUNG MEN THAT ARE JUST GOING TO PLAY THE RIGHT WAY.

>> KEEP EVERYTHING POSITIVE.

ALWAYS POSITIVE.

HAVE A GOOD TIME.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUT HERE AGAIN.

>> LEADING BY EXAMPLE IS FRANKLIN, A FORMER COLLEGE BASEBALL PLAYER.

>> HOW DO YOU DEVELOP A YOUNG LEADER FOR THE COMMUNITY?

>> IT IS MAINTAINING THEIR GRADES.

WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SHOWCASE THE TALENT OF THE STUDENT ATHLETE IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE GRADES.

IT IS A LOT MORE OUTSIDE OF THE FIELD THAT WE CAN DO TO BE LEADERS.

>> HE SPENDS MOST OF HIS OFF HOURS MENTORING HIS TEAM.

>> I DEDICATE SO MUCH TIME TO THESE KIDS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS BECAUSE THEY DESERVE IT.

THEY DON'T HAVE ANYONE THAT CAN REALLY GUIDE THEM.

I DO IT BECAUSE I LOVE IT.

I WANT THESE KIDS TO HAVE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES.

I DID NOT HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES GROWING UP IN PROVIDENCE AND I WANTED TO CHANGE THAT FOR THEM.

>> CHRIS RODRIGUEZ HAS RECEIVED A SCHOLARSHIP TO ASSUMPTION COLLEGE.

>> DO YOU THINK YOU ARE A BETTER PERSON BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THIS PROGRAM HAS SHAPED ME.

I WANT TO BE SOMEONE PEOPLE LOOK UP TO AND NOT ONLY WANTS SUCCESS FOR MYSELF BUT EVERYONE AROUND ME.

I WANT TO BE PART OF IT.

>> HE IS PART OF THE IMPRESSIVE STEPS COMPILED BY PSL.

>> I WAS LOOKING BACK THE PAST 10 YEARS AND WE HAVE ABOUT 50 PLAYERS THAT HAVE GONE ON TO COLLEGE.

THEY ARE DOING GREAT THINGS.

>> THE STARTING SHORTSTOP FOR VARSITY BASEBALL TEAMS, JOHNSON AND WALES AND THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND WERE ALL GRADUATES OF PSL.

AND IN ADDITION TO JEREMY PENA IN THE MAJORS, THERE IS ANGELA END TO THE ATLANTA BRAVES.

BUT SUCCESS FOR HIS PLAYERS IS MORE THAN JUST GOING PRO.

>> WE ARE HELPING DEVELOP GOOD HUSBANDS, GOOD FATHERS, GOOD MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

>> WE CAN DO COMMUNITY SERVICE.

WHY?

>> THESE KIDS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND TAKING CARE OF WHERE THEY CAME FROM AND SHOWING RESPECT FOR THAT.

SHOWING PEOPLE AROUND THE COMMUNITY THAT IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO HAVE THESE NEIGHBORHOODS MESSY.

>> JEREMY FONDLY RECALLS THE VOLUNTEER WORK HE DID.

>> REMEMBER WE DID A CLEANING WHERE WE WALKED AROUND THE STREETS PICKING UP GARBAGE.

>> TREEPLANTING.

>> WE HELPED GIVE OUT TOYS FOR THE COMMUNITY.

BACK TO SCHOOL ACTIVITIES WHERE WE BOOK BAGS AND THINGS.

>> THE TRADITION CONTINUES WITH NEW PLAYERS TODAY.

THE TEENAGERS PLAY SUMMER AND FALL BALL.

THEY WERE CUT DURING THE WINTER.

>> I SEE THEM GOING TO COLLEGE ON SCHOLARSHIPS AND PLAYING BASEBALL LIKE THAT.

IT REALLY SHOWS ME I WANT TO BE THE LEADER.

CRAIG'S BEING A LEADER ALSO MEANS STAYING HEALTHY.

>> DO WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOUR BODY.

DON'T DO DRUGS ARE BAD THINGS.

FIGURES OF GOOD FOOD AND JUST TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY IN GENERAL.

PSL MEANS FAMILY.

>> IT IS A FAMILY THAT SOMETIMES HAS TO HELP HIS PLAYERS OVERCOME CHALLENGES.

>> A LOT OF THESE KIDS COME FROM POVERTY BY THE OPPORTUNITY THAT IS PRESENTED TO THEM, -- A LOT OF THESE KIDS COME FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, THEY COME FROM NOTHING.

WHEN THEY COME HERE, THEY MAY NOT HAVE A CAR, THEY MIGHT WALK MILES OR JOG MILES TO GET HERE.

IT IS COMPLICATED.

YOU HEAR ABOUT A KID NOT HAVING FOOD IN HIS FRIDGE OR STRUGGLING TO GET TO SCHOOL OR HE HAS A BAD HOME LIFE AND YOU TRY TO HELP THEM.

>> IF YOU DON'T LEARN HOW TO ADJUST IN THIS GAME, I JUST WANT TO SAY I AM PROUD OF YOU GUYS.

>> PEOPLE SAY YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH GIVE FOR THE KIDS AND I SAY THEY HAVE DONE SO IS GOOD FOR ME.

THAT IS HOW I LOOK AT IT.

>> THE APPRECIATION IS MUTUAL.

ESPECIALLY FROM PENA.

HE TOOK TIME DURING HIS ROOKIE SEASON TO TEXT HIS OLD COACH.

>> I SAID WITHOUT YOU I WOULD NOT BE WHERE I AM AND I KNOW THAT.

THAT HIT IN THE HEART.

>> LOVE, SUPER KIDS.

THEY JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE.

A LITTLE BIT OF SUPPORT, A LITTLE BIT OF GUIDANCE AND THE THINGS THEY DO ARE UNREAL.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE SURROUNDINGS, IT IS A TOUGH PARK WHERE THEY ARE.

SOUTH PROVIDENCE, PARTS OF ELMHURST ARE TOUGH.

REALLY TOUGH.

WHAT THEY DO COMING OUT OF THAT, UNBELIEVABLE.

>> NEXT, WE GO OUT TO A BEACH IN LITTLE COMPTON WHERE SOME SAY SURFERS ARE PERFORMING MIRACLES WITH CHILDREN AND OTHERS WHO ARE OFTEN LEFT BEHIND.

JUSTIN KENNY HAS THE STORY.

>> WE SERVE WITH OVER 3000 ATHLETES AND -- SURFT WITH OVER 3000 TABLETS AND FAMILIES.

OUR ATHLETES ARE TYPICALLY NEURODIVERGENT.

WE BUILD OUR PROGRAM ON INCLUSION BUT I WOULD SAY OVER 95% OF OUR ATHLETES HAVE EITHER AUTISM, DOWN SYNDROME, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY.

I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF THIS PROGRAM.

>> MY NAME IS MACKENZIE PALOMBO.

THESE ARE TWIN BOYS.

THEY WERE DIAGNOSED AT 15 MONTHS OF AGE WITH AUTISM AND A HANDFUL OF OTHER DIAGNOSES.

BOTH OF MY BOYS ARE NONVERBAL.

THESE ARE KIDS THAT TYPICALLY DON'T GET INVITED FROM BIRTHDAY PARTIES -- INVITED OVER TO BIRTHDAY PARTIES OR SLEEPOVERS.

TO SEE THEM DOING SOMETHING, HAVING FUN, DOING SOMETHING THAT TYPICAL KIDS DO.

IT IS A FEELING LIKE NO OTHER.

THIS IS WHAT PARENT OF TYPICALLY DEVELOPING CHILDREN MUST FEEL LIKE WHEN THEY WATCH THEIR KIDS PLAY BASEBALL OR FOOTBALL OR SOCCER.

YOU JUST FEEL SO PROUD.

>> I AM THE LEAD INSTRUCTOR HERE.

IT HAS LED TO A WHOLE DIFFERENT HOST OF CHALLENGES FOR ME.

I COULD NOT SPEAK UNTIL I WAS SIX.

THIS HAS BEEN A LONG JOURNEY TO THIS POINT OF VERBALIZATION.

WE HAVE SENIORS -- SEIZURES, MOTOR SKILLS.

YOU HAVE SUPER LOW SELF-ESTEEM, SUPERLOW COMPETENCE, IT HAS HELPED MY BALANCE, MY SOCIAL SKILLS AND IT TURNED ME INTO A MORE WELL-ROUNDED HUMAN AND ATHLETE I WOULD SAY.

I STARTED SURFING SEVEN YEARS AGO AND AFTER TEACHING THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.

I KNOW WHAT THE SERVE THERAPY DOES AND HOW AMAZING OF AN IMPACT IT HAS IN THE TRUE HEALING POTENTIAL.

I CAN SEE FROM THE INSTRUCTOR SIDE AND HOW I CAN TEACH AND THEN HAVE THE HERE THE KIDS.

-- BE HERE FOR THE KIDS.

>> ABBEY'S PEDIATRICIAN SUGGESTED WE LOOK AT AN MRI AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE GOING ON.

ON THAT MRI, IT SHOWED THAT SHE HAD LESIONS ON HER BRAIN AND ELEVATED LACTATE WHICH WAS CONSISTENT WITH LEE'S DISEASE.

THEY SAID SHE HAD ABOUT TWO YEARS TO LIVE.

THAT HAS SINCE CHANGED.

SHE IS 11 AND SHE HAS BEEN STEADY.

WE ARE DYING -- TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN FOR, GETTING OUT AND DOING STUFF LIKE SURFING AND HORSEBACK RIDING.

ABBY LOVES ADVENTURE AND SHE LOVES WATER.

ANY WATER ACTIVITY ALWAYS BRINGS HER TO LIVE.

WHEN WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY SURFING, I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD SUPPORT HER SINCE SHE IS 100% RELIANT ON SOMEONE TO HOLD HER UP.

SHE CAN'T SIT UP ON HER OWN, SHE CAN WALK.

I SAW SOME VIDEOS AND SAID THEY SEEM TO HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON IT.

THE FIRST TIME WE CAME, THEY SAID MOM, DON'T WORRY, WE GOT IT.

EVEN PUSHING HER ACROSS THE SAND.

I AM SO USED TO GIVING CONTROL AWAY.

WE CANNOT WAIT TO HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT.

DO YOU LIKE SURFING ?

>> IT SAVED MY LIFE.

I STRUGGLE WITH ADHD, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND WAM -- WHEN I AM OUT OF THE WAVES WITH HIS KIDS, I COME DOWN.

KIDS.

IT HAS MADE MY LIFE A THOUSAND TIMES BETTER.

I AM LUCKY ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT MY PURPOSE ON EARTH IS.

WHEN I STARTED, I MADE WELL OVER SIX FIGURES.

A VERY SUCCESSFUL AND LUCRATIVE PLAYER.

IT CAME TO HER I NEEDED TO MAKE THE DECISION TO CONTINUE TO BE AN EXECUTIVE BANKER AND FOR ME, THAT DECISION WAS EXTREMELY EASY.

WHEN I LOOK OUT ON THE WATER AND CDS MILES SMILES OF THESE CHILDREN THAT DEPEND ON ME, I KNEW THEY ONLY HAD ONE CHOICE TO MAKE.

I DECIDED TO GO SERVE FULL-TIME.

IT ALSO BECAME -- I BECAME A FIREFIGHTER IN THE CITY.

I CHANGE LIVES AND I STAY LIVES.

I TRIED TO SHELTER THE TEARS A LITTLE BIT FROM THE FAMILIES BECAUSE I KNOW IT IS PRETTY EMOTIONAL FOR THOSE PARENTS AS WELL.

IT MAKES ME QUIET EMOTIONAL TO KNOW THAT WE ARE DELIVERING SOMETHING TO THIS FAMILY THAT NORMALLY THEY DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTAKE IN.

AND TO SEE THE PARENTS SMILE AND TO TEAR UP AND TO SEE THEIR CHILD BREAKING BARRIERS FOR PROVING THE SCHOLARS WRONG, IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY MEANINGFUL AND DEEP FOR ME.

>> HOW DO YOU NOT GET EMOTIONAL WHEN YOU HAVE A CHILD WHO IS NONVERBAL AND ALL HE CAN DO IS SMILE FROM EAR TO EAR BECAUSE HE IS JUST SO HAPPY?

HOW DO YOU GET EMOTIONAL WHEN YOU HAVE A CHILD WHO IS WHEELCHAIR-BOUND?

OR MEDICALLY FRAGILE?

AND YOU SEE THEM ON THE BOARD.

THOSE ARE THINGS YOU NEVER PICTURED FOR YOUR OWN KID.

YOU SEE THEM DOING SOMETHING THAT MAKES THEM FIND JOY AND IT IS EMOTIONAL.

>> SHE COULD BE FEELING CRAPPY AT HOME OR EVEN IN THE HOSPITAL AND SHE STARTS TO PERK UP.

JUST HER PLAYING WITH WATER, I DON'T KNOW, IT MAKES HER HAPPY.

I THINK JUST BEING OUT THERE SURROUNDED BY HER, SHE IS IN HER ELEMENT.

ARE YOU A SURFER GIRL?

YES?

CAN YOU SAY THANK YOU?

THANK YOU.

>> FINALLY TONIGHT, VLADIMIR PUTIN MADE A MAJOR PUSH TO INVADE AND TAKE OVER UKRAINE.

FOR MANY, THIS TYRANNICAL MOVE IS NOT A SURPRISE.

HERE IN RHODE ISLAND, ONE THEATER DECIDED TO CLOSELY EXAMINE THE CONTROVERSIAL LEADER TIERNEY.

MICHAEL JONES HAS OUR STORY.

>> WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN POLICE COME AND POUND ON THE DOOR?

>> I OPEN IT.

>> THAT IS WHAT YOU DO.

IF YOU DON'T, WE WILL BREAK IT DOWN.

>> ALL OF THESE WORDS, DO YOU DENY THAT YOU WROTE ALL OF THESE WORDS?

>> DIRECTING AND REHEARSING A PLAY IS A CRAZY PROCESS BECAUSE YOU START WITH ACTORS AND PEOPLE SITTING AROUND A TABLE AND A READ OR ACT APPLY FOR THE FIRST TIME TOGETHER ON DAY ONE.

YOU SET ALL SORTS OF STUFF AND MOTION ABOUT MEETINGS WITH DESIGNERS AND YOU THINK ABOUT THIS AT AS BEING BUILT.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS AROUND COSTUMES AND ALL OF THAT.

YOU WANT TO LEAVE ROOM.

AS MUCH OF THE PLANNING AS YOU HAVE OR NEED.

YOU WANT TO LEAVE ROOM IN THE REHEARSAL ROOM FOR IMPROV AND WHAT IS UNKNOWN.

>> I SIT ALONE AND WONDER HOW LONG BEFORE I START TO LOSE MY MIND.

>> YOU HAVE THIS BEVY OF ARTISTS THAT ALL COME TOGETHER TO GET TO DO THAT AND OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT THREE WEEKS YOU GO FROM SITTING AT THE TABLE READING THE PLAY TO -- IT IS LIKE AN EVOLUTION.

>> WHAT IS IN THE SUITCASE?

>> NOTHING.

>> BY THE END, YOU ARE UP THERE AND HOPEFULLY BY THAT POINT, YOU HAVE THIS THREE-DIMENSIONAL LIVING BREATHING ORGANISM.

>> DESCRIBE THE NIGHT.

THE NIGHT.

DESCRIBE IT.

>> WHICH NIGHT?

>> THIS NIGHT.

>> THE INVASION OF UKRAINE HAVEN'T.

I WAS LIKE HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THIS?

I FOUND THE PLAY AND I READ IT FOR THE FIRST TIME.

IMMEDIATELY, IT FELT LIKE THE PLAY THAT WAS NECESSARY TO BE DONE.

IT IS WRITTEN BY RAJIT JOSEF.

HE WROTE BENGAL TIGER AT THE ZOO.

I THINK IT WAS ROBIN WILLIAMS'S LAST THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE.

>> IF WE BOTH DESCRIBED THE SAME THING AT THE SAME TIME, WOULD ONE OF OUR DESCRIPTIONS BE MORE TRUE THAN THE OTHER?

>> THE PLAY BEGINS IN 1920 DURING THE POSTWAR WHERE THE RED CAVALRY IS IN POLAND AND IT BEGINS WITH TWO HISTORICAL FIGURES.

THERE ARE FOUR FIGURES IN THE PLAY THAT ARE RIPPED FROM HISTORY.

ONE THAT IS STILL AMONGST US.

IT STARTS WITH THE GREAT RUSSIAN SHORT STORY WRITER, JOURNALIST AND PLAYWRIGHT AND SCREENWRITER.

THEY WERE BOTH YOUNG AT THE TIME.

THEY WOULD LATER BECOME FRIENDS.

HE WAS BETTER KNOWN FOR BEING THE ARCHITECT OF THE GREAT PURGE.

ALL OF THIS BEFORE HE HIMSELF WAS PURGED.

IT BEGINS IN 1920 WITH THESE TWO GUYS AND THEN IT GOES UP TO 2010.

AND WE ARE IN THE SIGHT OF THE POST AIRLINE DISASTER WHERE MUCH OF THE POLISH GOVERNMENT WAS ON HIS WAY TO COMMEMORATE THE MASSACRE IN THE NICOTINE FOREST.

KILLING THE PRESIDENT OF POLAND AND MUCH OF HIS CABINET, HIS WIFE.

AND IN THE CENTER OF IT, WE FIND 1989.

WE ALL KNOW THE EVENTS OF 1989, THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL, THE COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM AND THE RISE OF THE FOURTH HISTORICAL FIGURE IN THE PLAY.

>> MY NAME IS JEFF CHURCH.

I AM PLAYING VOVA.

HE IS LETTING REPORT AND.

I PLAN FROM 1980 9010.

MOST OF THE LAY FOCUSES ON HIM AS A YOUNGER MAN.

>> I AM A MAN WHO GOES TOWARD A FIGHT, NOT AWAY.

>> WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE MAN AS A YOUNGER MAN.

WE HAVE ANECDOTES.

HIS VERSION OF FOOD AND SEEMS TO BE A DIFFERENT VERSION OF THE PUTIN THAT WAS OPERATING IN 1989.

IT IS IN A MEASURED OF PUTIN BASED ON SOME HISTORICAL FACTS, SOME HISTORICAL INACCURACIES AND THEN THERE IS A WHOLE NEW PUTIN CREATED ON STAGE.

>> TRYING TO PICK UP THE THINGS HE DOES PHYSICALLY AND THE WAY HE SPEAKS AND PHRASES THOUGHTS.

THAT IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE HE SPEAKS RUSSIAN AND DOES NOT SPEAK A LOT OF ENGLISH.

>> WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD, I THREW A BRICK AT A MAN'S HEAD WHO SWORE AND MY BROTHER IN THE STREET FOR NO REASON.

>> HE HAS TRIED TO CREATE THIS DOUG CHARACTER WHO IS QUICK TO TEMPER AND THE GOAL IS TO ULTIMATELY FIND THE HUMANITY THERE.

THAT IS A TOUGH THING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INSTANCES OF HIS HUMANITY.

WE GET TO WATCH PUTIN REINVENT HIMSELF AND WATCH THE STEPS IN A VERY THEATRICAL WAY.

HOW DOES ONE GET FROM LOW-LEVEL KGB THUG TO ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE?

IT IS NOT OFTEN WHEN YOU GET TO DO A PLAY WHERE THERE IS A LIVING PERSON DEPICTING IT.

THIS PLAY IS A FICTION AND ONE OF THE GREAT THEMES IS WHAT IS FICTION, TRUTH, LIES?

DESCRIBED DENY IS ALSO ABOUT HOW WE MANIPULATE THE TRUTH, HOW WE USE TRUTH TO GAIN POWER, TO GAIN CONTROL OVER OTHERS.

HE BECOMES THE -- THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLY OPPRESSIVE FORCE THAT LITERALLY REWRITE HISTORY.

THERE IS A VERY FAMOUS PICTURE OF AND STALIN.

HE BECAME NO ONE WHEN HE WAS PURGED AS IF HE NEVER EXISTED.

WHAT MORE COULD -- WHAT COULD BE A MORE RELEVANT STORY?

WE ARE LOOKING AT INFORMATION, DISINFORMATION, YOU ARE LYING, YOU ARE LYING, CONSPIRACY THEORIES.

WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME WHERE EVERYBODY THINGS THEY HAVE THE ANSWER FROM ALL SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM.

EVERYBODY IS YELLING AT EVERYBODY ELSE AND TELLING THEM WHAT THEY OUGHT TO BE THINKING.

I THINK THE THEATER HAS TO THINK ABOUT HOW EVERYONE IS THINKING, HOW DO WE LIVE TOGETHER AND HOW DO WE EXIST AND OFFERING A MULTIPLICITY OF VIEWS THAT COMPLICATES REALITY.

THAT IS THE PEOPLE SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE.

WE HAVE REHEARSED THAT PLAY.

WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE GOING WITH IT.

WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL IS THAT THE AUDIENCE COMES IN AND IT FINISHES AND IT GOES AWAY AND IT DISAPPEARS AND WE HAVE TO REBUILD IT AGAIN.

WE HAVE A WHOLE NEW STORY TO TELL.

>> DO YOU HEAR THE RUMBLING?

>> THAT IS OUR BROADCAST THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I AM PAMELA.

>> I MICHELLE.

WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH A NEW EDITION OF RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

UNTIL THEN, YOU CAN SEE ALL OF OUR PAST EPISODES ON OUR WEBSITE OR LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST ON ALL OF YOUR FAVORITE AUDIO STREAMING PLATFORMS.

THANK YOU, GOOD NIGHT.

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