'The Prince of Providence' breaks Trinity Rep box office record

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — The controversial and longest serving two-time Mayor of Providence Vincent "Buddy" Cianci is the subject of a world-premiere play at the Trinity Repertory Company next month.

Buddy Cianci is back! This time around, his life is being explored through the art of the stage play, when it has its world premiere limited run at Trinity Rep Sept. 12 through Oct. 20.

When the show was announced in 2018, the feedback from the public was immediate.

Kate Brandt explained, "They were concerned that we were going to be vilifying a wonderful person or that we were glorifying a criminal."

Cianci was a colorful showman who loved and presided over the city with an iron fist.

He resigned after pleading "no contest" on an assault charge, became a radio talk show host, then mayor again at the helm for the city's renaissance phase, only to be charged and found guilty of running Providence as a corrupt criminal enterprise.

"It really shows a balanced look. And that people are complicated," added Brandt.

"The Prince of Providence" is based on former Providence Journal reporter Mike Stanton's account of Cianci's life, who is also a consultant for the play.

NBC 10 News was given access to Friday's table read, the lead played by Scott Aiello.

Brandt said the net was cast wide to get the right mix of actors. "That willing suspension of disbelief, it's not going to take very long for people to get right into the moment of it and watch Buddy Cianci come back to life on our stage."

First day advance ticket sale set a new record at the theatre.

"The Prince of Providence trumps 'A Christmas Carol'?" "It does! Buddy Cianci tops Ebenezer Scrooge," Brandt added with a big laugh.

We couldn’t get into the Dowling theatre where the play is going to be performed because they're setting up for the show, but it will have its entire run there because it's a more intimate setting, according to Brandt.

Some tickets are still available, a number of shows already sold out.

"If we did a play about somebody who was all good or all bad, it wouldn't be a very interesting play," said Brandt.