Current Covid Policy: **For the safety of our artists, crew, staff and patrons, we encourage properly worn masks when in Black Cherry's theater while not actively eating or drinking. Thank you!**
If you have accessibility needs or questions, please call 410-752-7272 or email [email protected]
If you have accessibility needs or questions, please call 410-752-7272 or email [email protected]
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tuesday February 18th, 2025 Sam & Sami Hot Club Jazz Concert and Jam Session

Gypsy/Hot Club Jazz Jam Night at Black Cherry
Tuesday February 18th
Concert at 7pm, Jam at 7:45pm
$10 Suggested Donation
Sam Farthing and Sami Arefin are bringing their guitars back to Black Cherry to play a short concert and host a Gypsy Jazz Jam.
Bring your instrument or sketch book and join the circle, or just come to listen. Either way, it's fun way to spend a Tuesday evening!
Wednesday February 19th, 2025 Puppet Potluck
It's Puppet Potluck time!
Come out and join us at Black Cherry Puppet Theater 1115 Hollins Street, Baltimore, MD 21223 on Wednesday, February 19th from 6:30-8:30pm for the next Puppet Potluck! Puppet Potlucks are a circle of puppet enthusiasts sharing ideas and works in progress! These sessions aim to build a supportive community for those interested in developing and sharing puppet shows! Have an idea to pitch, a work in progress you want to get feedback on, or just seek creative community around puppetry? We'd love to see you there! Free! Bring some food and your ideas to share...No need to sign-up, just show up! If you have accessibility needs or questions, please call 410-752-7272 or email [email protected] |
Friday February 21st & Saturday February 22nd, 2025 Erik Ruin & Elizabeth LaPrelle
Erik Ruin & Elizabeth LaPrelle
at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Friday, February 21 & Saturday, February 22
Showtimes at 7:30pm Doors open at 7pm
Tickets Sliding Scale $12.50-$17.50 Available HERE!
Folk musician Elizabeth LaPrelle (Doran, Anna & Elizabeth) and visual artist Erik Ruin (Justseeds) combine forces for an evening of ballads and crankies. From the mountains of Appalachia to the isolation wing of a German prison, the duo will explore haunting songs of love and loss, playful lullabies, passionate protests of the world as it is- and dreams of how it could be.
See an example of this magical duo HERE
Erik Ruin is a Michigan-raised, Philadelphia-based printmaker, shadow puppeteer, paper-cut artist, etc., who has been lauded by the New York Times for his "spell-binding cut-paper animations." His work oscillates between the poles of apocalyptic anxieties and utopian yearnings, with an emphasis on empathy, transcendence and obsessive detail. He frequently works collaboratively with musicians, theater performers, other artists and activist campaigns. He is a founding member of the international Justseeds Artists' Cooperative, and co-author of the book Paths Toward Utopia: Graphic Explorations of Everyday Anarchism (w/ Cindy Milstein, PM Press, 2012). Current projects include the Ominous Cloud Ensemble, an ever-evolving, collectively-improvising large ensemble for projections and music.
Elizabeth LaPrelle is a scholar and singer of Appalachian Ballads from Rural Retreat, Virginia. She built her style and repertoire from research into archival recordings, and family and friends. She started making recordings with her family as a teen, and received her undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary with a major in Southern Appalachian Traditional Performance. In the experimental folk duo Anna & Elizabeth, she toured internationally and helped re-popularize the “crankie” performance art form. She’s also a banjo-player, and a visual and interdisciplinary artist. She lives with her husband Brian Dolphin and their young son.
at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Friday, February 21 & Saturday, February 22
Showtimes at 7:30pm Doors open at 7pm
Tickets Sliding Scale $12.50-$17.50 Available HERE!
Folk musician Elizabeth LaPrelle (Doran, Anna & Elizabeth) and visual artist Erik Ruin (Justseeds) combine forces for an evening of ballads and crankies. From the mountains of Appalachia to the isolation wing of a German prison, the duo will explore haunting songs of love and loss, playful lullabies, passionate protests of the world as it is- and dreams of how it could be.
See an example of this magical duo HERE
Erik Ruin is a Michigan-raised, Philadelphia-based printmaker, shadow puppeteer, paper-cut artist, etc., who has been lauded by the New York Times for his "spell-binding cut-paper animations." His work oscillates between the poles of apocalyptic anxieties and utopian yearnings, with an emphasis on empathy, transcendence and obsessive detail. He frequently works collaboratively with musicians, theater performers, other artists and activist campaigns. He is a founding member of the international Justseeds Artists' Cooperative, and co-author of the book Paths Toward Utopia: Graphic Explorations of Everyday Anarchism (w/ Cindy Milstein, PM Press, 2012). Current projects include the Ominous Cloud Ensemble, an ever-evolving, collectively-improvising large ensemble for projections and music.
Elizabeth LaPrelle is a scholar and singer of Appalachian Ballads from Rural Retreat, Virginia. She built her style and repertoire from research into archival recordings, and family and friends. She started making recordings with her family as a teen, and received her undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary with a major in Southern Appalachian Traditional Performance. In the experimental folk duo Anna & Elizabeth, she toured internationally and helped re-popularize the “crankie” performance art form. She’s also a banjo-player, and a visual and interdisciplinary artist. She lives with her husband Brian Dolphin and their young son.
Thursday February 27th, 2025 DiTrani Brothers & The Bandit Queen of Sorrows

DITRANI BROTHERS &
THE BANDIT QUEEN OF SORROWS
with Sam & Sami
Thursday February 27, 2025
at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Show at 7pm
Doors open 6:30pm
Tickets $12-$20 Sliding Scale Available HERE!
DiTrani Brothers play original songs from and about the dystopic present, and ragtime and jazz tunes from the underside of the past. Learn More about the DiTrani Brothers
and give them a listen Here!
Bandit Queen of Sorrows plays heartworn folk tunes crafted from lonely highways, boxcars, and desolate places, always with her heart filling the room. Whether she's playing guitar, banjo, or cello, she invokes the world's lonesome beauty with her musical offerings. Listen Here!
The amazing Hot Jazz duo Sam and Sami are Sam Farthing and Sami Arefin. Together, they curate the Django Jam at Black Cherry and are bringing their amazing guitar work to open this show.
THE BANDIT QUEEN OF SORROWS
with Sam & Sami
Thursday February 27, 2025
at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Show at 7pm
Doors open 6:30pm
Tickets $12-$20 Sliding Scale Available HERE!
DiTrani Brothers play original songs from and about the dystopic present, and ragtime and jazz tunes from the underside of the past. Learn More about the DiTrani Brothers
and give them a listen Here!
Bandit Queen of Sorrows plays heartworn folk tunes crafted from lonely highways, boxcars, and desolate places, always with her heart filling the room. Whether she's playing guitar, banjo, or cello, she invokes the world's lonesome beauty with her musical offerings. Listen Here!
The amazing Hot Jazz duo Sam and Sami are Sam Farthing and Sami Arefin. Together, they curate the Django Jam at Black Cherry and are bringing their amazing guitar work to open this show.
Saturday March 15th, 2025 Puppet Slamwich

Do you have a short puppet sketch to share? We want to see your act in Black Cherry Puppet Theater's March Slamwich.
This slam will take place at Black Cherry Puppet Theater, 1115 Hollins St. Baltimore MD 21223. There will be two shows, 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm, with doors 30min to show.
This will be an indoor event and all attendees are encouraged to bring masks.
If you have a new piece, an old piece to revamp, or a brilliant idea for a new puppet skit WE WANT TO SEE IT!
Please submit this APPLICATION FORM by February 7th to be considered.
All applicants will be contacted on or around Fed 15th.
If you have any questions please email, [email protected]
PLEASE NOTE: If your proposed piece contains any content that may be considered triggering for an audience such as violence of any kind, the presence of guns, or sexual content you must offer a full description or video of how these topics are addressed in your show. Thank you.
Please contact us if you have questions regarding accessibility in Black Cherry Puppet Theater. We want to facilitate great puppet experiences for everyone in our community. If you or someone in the audience will need assistance, please let us know.
This slam will take place at Black Cherry Puppet Theater, 1115 Hollins St. Baltimore MD 21223. There will be two shows, 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm, with doors 30min to show.
This will be an indoor event and all attendees are encouraged to bring masks.
If you have a new piece, an old piece to revamp, or a brilliant idea for a new puppet skit WE WANT TO SEE IT!
Please submit this APPLICATION FORM by February 7th to be considered.
All applicants will be contacted on or around Fed 15th.
If you have any questions please email, [email protected]
PLEASE NOTE: If your proposed piece contains any content that may be considered triggering for an audience such as violence of any kind, the presence of guns, or sexual content you must offer a full description or video of how these topics are addressed in your show. Thank you.
Please contact us if you have questions regarding accessibility in Black Cherry Puppet Theater. We want to facilitate great puppet experiences for everyone in our community. If you or someone in the audience will need assistance, please let us know.
RECENTLY PAST EVENTS...
Saturday February 15th, 2025 Pique Collective & Black Cherry

Black Cherry Puppet Theater & Pique Collective present
MORE TALES FROM MASTERPIQUE THEATER
puppets, music & performance
Saturday, February 15 at 7:30pm
doors at 7:00
TICKETS $12-$20 Sliding Scale Available HERE!
At Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins St. Baltimore, MD 21223
Part Music…
Pique Collective presents another evening of the quirkiest living-room music they can find; including percussive tables, angular instrumental works, and a real paper-shredding finale. Works by James Young (a premier!), Thierry de Mey, Lou Harrison and more!
Part Puppet…
Black Cherry Puppet Theater will be joining in for several selections, pairing outstanding puppetry with Pique's instrumental music. The show is a feast for the eyes, whether watching the choreographed music or the puppet show, you’re sure to be thrilled.
MORE TALES FROM MASTERPIQUE THEATER
puppets, music & performance
Saturday, February 15 at 7:30pm
doors at 7:00
TICKETS $12-$20 Sliding Scale Available HERE!
At Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins St. Baltimore, MD 21223
Part Music…
Pique Collective presents another evening of the quirkiest living-room music they can find; including percussive tables, angular instrumental works, and a real paper-shredding finale. Works by James Young (a premier!), Thierry de Mey, Lou Harrison and more!
Part Puppet…
Black Cherry Puppet Theater will be joining in for several selections, pairing outstanding puppetry with Pique's instrumental music. The show is a feast for the eyes, whether watching the choreographed music or the puppet show, you’re sure to be thrilled.
Thursday January 23rd, 2025 Classical Music at Black Cherry

Music at Black Cherry and the Amanita Duo present:
CLASSICAL MUSIC AT BLACK CHERRY
Thursday, January 23, 2025
Show at 7:30pm
Doors open at 7pm
Tickets sliding scale $12-20
Click Here to Purchase
Performances include:
Sibelius Duo - Sophia Ross and Maximilian Jacobs
Hungarian Folk Songs and Praeludium and Allegro -
Maximilian Jacobs featuring Sam Farthing
Mozart Clarinet Concerto - Sophia Ross featuring Kiran Kaur, Zoe Kushubar, Henry Bushnell, Nicholas Wilbur
Tuesday January 21st, 2025 Sam & Sami Gypsy Jazz Concert & Jam Session

Gypsy Jazz Jam Night at Black Cherry
Tuesday January 21st
Concert at 7pm, Jam at 7:45pm
$10 Suggested Donation
Sam Farthing and Sami Arefin are bringing their guitars back to Black Cherry to play a short concert and host a Gypsy Jazz Jam.
Bring your instrument or sketch book and join the circle, or just come to listen. Either way, it's fun way to spend a Tuesday evening!
Saturday January 18th, 2025 Puppet Slamwich

Black Cherry's
Puppet Slamwich
Saturday January 18th
at 6:30 & 9:30pm
Doors open 30 minutes before each show
1/14 UPDATE: TICKETS ARE NOW SOLD OUT FOR BOTH SHOWS!
THANKS FOLKS!
Tickets $15/$12 available now!
Click here to purchase
at Black Cherry 1115 Hollins Street
Baltimore, MD 21223
Puppet Slams are evenings of short form puppetry acts intended for adult audiences, with a musical guest!
Performers:
Brzezinski & Schap
Sari Langholt
Mutual Obsession Circus
Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Ursula Populoh
Sunni: Fat & Flourishing
Musical Guest:
Gabby & Nick Cameron
Poster Design by Valeska Populoh
Black Cherry's Puppet Slamwich Series is made possible by the generous support of the Green Feather Foundation and the The Puppet Slam Network and supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council and the Creative Baltimore Fund, a program of Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts
Thursday January 16th, 2025 Curtis Eller's American Circus
Curtis Eller's American Circus
East Coast Album Release Tour
at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Thursday January 16th, 2025
7pm Show (doors open at 6:30pm)
Tickets available now! Click HERE!
The Band:
Curtis Eller is a banjo player, songwriter and rock & roll singer. The lifelong show business veteran began performing at the age of seven as a juggler and acrobat, but has since turned to the banjo because that's where the money is. His band, Curtis Eller’s American Circus, has developed a devoted international following based on spellbinding stage performances that combine a dreamlike vision of American history with silent film style, physical comedy, and explosive rock & roll energy. The iconoclastic troubadour has spent twenty-five years relentlessly touring the clubs, theatres and festivals of North America, Europe, and Australia. This coming January, Eller will embark on a limited run of East Coast club dates, backed by a heavy-hitting, four-piece lineup of The American Circus featuring musicians from both sides of the Atlantic.
The New Album:
The tour celebrates the release of their new album, "Another Nice Mess." The recording captures the band in their ragged, retro splendor, as they guide listeners through a sepia-tinged world of tightrope walkers, heavyweight brawlers, Hollywood scream queens, firing squads, fallen soldiers and conscientious objectors. At the heart of the forthcoming set is ‘Another Nice Mess': A sweet, sentimental waltz about the enduring friendship between Laurel & Hardy. You are invited to run away with the circus when this little big top comes to town!
Band Members:
Curtis Eller: banjo & lead vocals
Stacy Wolfson: harmony vocals
Hugh Crumley: electric bass
Andy Lyth: drums & harmony
East Coast Album Release Tour
at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Thursday January 16th, 2025
7pm Show (doors open at 6:30pm)
Tickets available now! Click HERE!
The Band:
Curtis Eller is a banjo player, songwriter and rock & roll singer. The lifelong show business veteran began performing at the age of seven as a juggler and acrobat, but has since turned to the banjo because that's where the money is. His band, Curtis Eller’s American Circus, has developed a devoted international following based on spellbinding stage performances that combine a dreamlike vision of American history with silent film style, physical comedy, and explosive rock & roll energy. The iconoclastic troubadour has spent twenty-five years relentlessly touring the clubs, theatres and festivals of North America, Europe, and Australia. This coming January, Eller will embark on a limited run of East Coast club dates, backed by a heavy-hitting, four-piece lineup of The American Circus featuring musicians from both sides of the Atlantic.
The New Album:
The tour celebrates the release of their new album, "Another Nice Mess." The recording captures the band in their ragged, retro splendor, as they guide listeners through a sepia-tinged world of tightrope walkers, heavyweight brawlers, Hollywood scream queens, firing squads, fallen soldiers and conscientious objectors. At the heart of the forthcoming set is ‘Another Nice Mess': A sweet, sentimental waltz about the enduring friendship between Laurel & Hardy. You are invited to run away with the circus when this little big top comes to town!
Band Members:
Curtis Eller: banjo & lead vocals
Stacy Wolfson: harmony vocals
Hugh Crumley: electric bass
Andy Lyth: drums & harmony
Thursday December 19th, 2024 Third Thursdays Classical Music Night featuring Joel Michael Schwartz

Music at Black Cherry presents:
This month for our Third Thursdays Classical Music Nights mandolin player, chamber musician, and Associate Director of the Baltimore Mandolin Orchestra Joel Michael Schwartz is taking over for Max and Sophie!
He'll be presenting an assortment of mandolin music from around the world!
Thursday December 19th
Show at 7:30pm
Doors open at 7pm
Tickets Sliding Scale $12-20
Available at the door!
Tuesday December 17th, 2024 Gypsy Jazz Guitar Concert & Jam Session

Gypsy Jazz Jam Night
Tuesday December 17th
7-9pm
$10 Suggested Donation
at Black Cherry!
Sam Farthing and Sami Arefin are bringing their guitars back to Black Cherry to play a short concert and host a Gypsy Jazz Jam.
Bring your instrument or sketch book and join the circle, or just come to listen. Either way, it's fun way to spend a Tuesday evening!
Wednesday December 11th, 2024 Puppet Potluck

It's Puppet Potluck time!
Come out and join us at Black Cherry Puppet Theater on
Wednesday, December 11th from 6:30-8:30pm
for the next Puppet Potluck!
Puppet Potlucks are a circle of puppet enthusiasts sharing ideas and works in progress! These sessions aim to build a supportive community for those interested in developing and sharing puppet shows! Have an idea to pitch, a work in progress you want to get feedback on, or just seek creative community around puppetry?
We'd love to see you there!
Free! Bring some food and your ideas to share...No need to sign-up, just show up!
Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins Street
Baltimore, MD 21223
If you have accessibility needs or questions, please call 410-752-7272 or email [email protected]
Come out and join us at Black Cherry Puppet Theater on
Wednesday, December 11th from 6:30-8:30pm
for the next Puppet Potluck!
Puppet Potlucks are a circle of puppet enthusiasts sharing ideas and works in progress! These sessions aim to build a supportive community for those interested in developing and sharing puppet shows! Have an idea to pitch, a work in progress you want to get feedback on, or just seek creative community around puppetry?
We'd love to see you there!
Free! Bring some food and your ideas to share...No need to sign-up, just show up!
Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins Street
Baltimore, MD 21223
If you have accessibility needs or questions, please call 410-752-7272 or email [email protected]
Saturday December 7th, 2024 Cherry Blossom Special Concert and Bluegrass Jam

Cherry Blossom Special
Concert and Bluegrass Jam
At Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Saturday, December 7, 2024
Show at 7:30pm (doors open at 7)
Tickets sliding scale $15-20
Available HERE!
Cherry Blossom Special is a progressive bluegrass band based in the Baltimore/DC area. The band features Nick Cameron on mandolin and vocals, Justin Heath on guitar, Mari Carlson on Fiddle, Greg Mulley on bass, and Gabby Cameron on banjo and vocals. A truly unique ensemble, each musician draws on a distinct set of influences and together they create a one of a kind sound that bridges the gap between the traditional and the experimental.
We're delighted they'll be leading a bluegrass jam after the show, so bring your instruments if you'd like to play, or if you want to keep listening that's good too!
Concert and Bluegrass Jam
At Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Saturday, December 7, 2024
Show at 7:30pm (doors open at 7)
Tickets sliding scale $15-20
Available HERE!
Cherry Blossom Special is a progressive bluegrass band based in the Baltimore/DC area. The band features Nick Cameron on mandolin and vocals, Justin Heath on guitar, Mari Carlson on Fiddle, Greg Mulley on bass, and Gabby Cameron on banjo and vocals. A truly unique ensemble, each musician draws on a distinct set of influences and together they create a one of a kind sound that bridges the gap between the traditional and the experimental.
We're delighted they'll be leading a bluegrass jam after the show, so bring your instruments if you'd like to play, or if you want to keep listening that's good too!
Thursday December 5th, 2024 Mutual Obsession Circus: The Apocalypse Show
The Mutual Obsession Circus presents:
The Apocalypse Show:
A Dada Cabaret & Tour of Historical Apocalypses!
Thursday December 5th at 7pm
doors open at 6:30pm
Tickets Sliding Scale $12.50-$20
Available now! Click HERE
This show is now SOLD OUT!
The Apocalypse Show: A Dada Cabaret & Tour of Historical Apocalypses! by the Mutual Obsession Circus is an exploration of defiance in the face of annihilation through puppetry and expressionist movement. Set on a retro-futuristic space capsule, two otherworldly tour guides take the audience through some of the highs and lows of human history. In the face of catastrophe, what will we be compelled to do? What new worlds can we imagine in moments of disaster? Climb aboard the way, way back machine to the Apocalypse Show and find out!
**Special guests Valeska Populoh and Peter Redgrave will open the show with a mesmerizing overhead projector shadow crankie!**
The Apocalypse Show:
A Dada Cabaret & Tour of Historical Apocalypses!
Thursday December 5th at 7pm
doors open at 6:30pm
Tickets Sliding Scale $12.50-$20
Available now! Click HERE
This show is now SOLD OUT!
The Apocalypse Show: A Dada Cabaret & Tour of Historical Apocalypses! by the Mutual Obsession Circus is an exploration of defiance in the face of annihilation through puppetry and expressionist movement. Set on a retro-futuristic space capsule, two otherworldly tour guides take the audience through some of the highs and lows of human history. In the face of catastrophe, what will we be compelled to do? What new worlds can we imagine in moments of disaster? Climb aboard the way, way back machine to the Apocalypse Show and find out!
**Special guests Valeska Populoh and Peter Redgrave will open the show with a mesmerizing overhead projector shadow crankie!**
Thursday November 21st, 2024 Classical Music at Black Cherry

Music at Black Cherry and the Amanita Duo present:
CLASSICAL MUSIC AT BLACK CHERRY
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Show at 7:30pm
Doors open at 7pm
Tickets sliding scale $12-20 Available Now Click HERE!
performed by Sophia Ross and Maximilian Jacobs with special guest Snehesh Nag, Hasan Imam Hamdani, Maddie Stohl, Jenna Bachmann
Tuesday November 19th, 2024 Gypsy Jazz Jam Night

Gypsy Jazz Jam Night
Tuesday November 19th
7-9pm
$10 Suggested Donation
at Black Cherry!
Sam Farthing and Sami Arefin are bringing their guitars back to Black Cherry to play a short concert and host a Gypsy Jazz Jam.
Bring your instrument or sketch book and join the circle, or just come to listen. Either way, it's fun way to spend a Tuesday evening!
Sunday November 17th Madison J. Cripps: A Slice of Crazy Pie

Madison J. Cripps performing
A Slice of Crazy Pie
Sunday November 17th
Show at 7pm
Doors open at 6:30pm
Tickets Sliding Scale $12.50-$20
Available Now Click HERE!
For Adult Audiences
Length: 75 minutes
Language: English
Step into the kooky world of A Slice of Crazy Pie, a cabaret-style marionette puppet show that will have you shivering, laughing, and wondering if you had too much to drink. Much like his handlebar mustache, Madison J. Cripps will twirl you and his marionettes around to take you on a journey exploring everything from ecology to the human condition. Meet eccentric characters, visit imaginary locales, and join Madison in considering whether the puppets are really alright. Accompanied by eerie harmonica and interactive hi-jinks, this cheeky one-man show combines vaudeville-esque showmanship with marionette storytelling in one wild ride you don’t want to miss.
About the Artist:
Madison J. Cripps has been performing as a professional puppeteer for over a decade, both in Massachusetts and in North Carolina. His dedication to the art form has earned several accolades, including an UNIMA Citation of Excellence in Puppetry in 2015 for his work on Billy the Liar with Toybox Theater. In addition to performing with and making puppets, he works as a jewelry designer and received formal training in silver jewelry design at Sterling Quest School in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Madison draws on his diverse experiences in fine arts, construction, environmentalism, theater, and travel to create his imaginative, and often surprising, works of puppetry.
Sunday November 17th Workshop: An Exploration in Marionettes with Madison J. Cripps SOLD OUT

An Exploration in Marionettes with Madison J. Cripps
Sunday November 17th
1-4pm at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Cost: $30 (or $20 sliding scale)
Only 10 spots available! To Register Click HERE!
**THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW SOLD OUT***
This engaging workshop offers a two-part journey into the art of marionettes. We’ll start with an introduction to string puppets, exploring the anatomy and mechanics of marionettes. You’ll learn how each element, from parts to tension, contributes to the puppet’s unique movement style, and then dive into crafting your own simple marionette.
Next, experience a hands-on “show and tell” session with exercises designed to get both mind and body in motion—no “just hanging around” here! Embrace the challenge: learn a few key knots, attach strings to materials, and experiment as you go. Discover the expressive potential and movement vocabulary of your creation, sharing insights with the group to expand your understanding of marionette dynamics.
Step into a world of play: explore professional-grade marionettes and see firsthand how design choices influence movement. Through experimentation, discover the fascinating interplay of gravity, momentum, and mechanisms like trick strings and hinges that bring marionettes to life.
Disclaimer: Expect some truly groan-worthy puns along the way.
Sunday November 17th
1-4pm at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Cost: $30 (or $20 sliding scale)
Only 10 spots available! To Register Click HERE!
**THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW SOLD OUT***
This engaging workshop offers a two-part journey into the art of marionettes. We’ll start with an introduction to string puppets, exploring the anatomy and mechanics of marionettes. You’ll learn how each element, from parts to tension, contributes to the puppet’s unique movement style, and then dive into crafting your own simple marionette.
Next, experience a hands-on “show and tell” session with exercises designed to get both mind and body in motion—no “just hanging around” here! Embrace the challenge: learn a few key knots, attach strings to materials, and experiment as you go. Discover the expressive potential and movement vocabulary of your creation, sharing insights with the group to expand your understanding of marionette dynamics.
Step into a world of play: explore professional-grade marionettes and see firsthand how design choices influence movement. Through experimentation, discover the fascinating interplay of gravity, momentum, and mechanisms like trick strings and hinges that bring marionettes to life.
Disclaimer: Expect some truly groan-worthy puns along the way.
Saturday November 16th, 2024 Puppet Slamwich

Black Cherry's Puppet Slamwich--
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 16th
Inside Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins Street, Baltimore MD
Two shows at 6:30pm & 9:30pm
Doors open 30 minutes before each showtime!
Tickets $12-15 available now CLICK HERE!
**BOTH SHOWS ARE NOW SOLD OUT**
Puppet Slams are evenings of short form puppetry acts intended for adult audiences, with a musical guest!
Performers:
Eva Cranky Pantz
Madison J Cripps
String Theory Theater
Andrea Staats
Ollie Goss
DareDevil Psychonautic Research Ensemble and Resurrection Show featuring the Convulsionistas
Musical Guest: Petite Fleur
Need Accommodations?
Please Email: Puppet [email protected]
Thanks Loam @drilosphere for the poster!
Black Cherry's Puppet Slamwich Series is made possible by the generous support of the Green Feather Foundation and the The Puppet Slam Network and supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council and the Creative Baltimore Fund, a program of Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 16th
Inside Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins Street, Baltimore MD
Two shows at 6:30pm & 9:30pm
Doors open 30 minutes before each showtime!
Tickets $12-15 available now CLICK HERE!
**BOTH SHOWS ARE NOW SOLD OUT**
Puppet Slams are evenings of short form puppetry acts intended for adult audiences, with a musical guest!
Performers:
Eva Cranky Pantz
Madison J Cripps
String Theory Theater
Andrea Staats
Ollie Goss
DareDevil Psychonautic Research Ensemble and Resurrection Show featuring the Convulsionistas
Musical Guest: Petite Fleur
Need Accommodations?
Please Email: Puppet [email protected]
Thanks Loam @drilosphere for the poster!
Black Cherry's Puppet Slamwich Series is made possible by the generous support of the Green Feather Foundation and the The Puppet Slam Network and supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council and the Creative Baltimore Fund, a program of Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts
Friday November 15th, 2024 MIRAH and SEÁN BARNA with Underworld Orchard

MIRAH and SEÁN BARNA
with UNDERWORLD ORCHARD
Friday, November 15, 2024
Show at 7pm, Doors open 6:30pm
at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Tickets $15-20 Available HERE
Mirah and Seán Barna: Autumn Tour 2024
Mirah and Seán Barna (Mirah, an alum of legendary label, Kill Rock Stars, and Seán, a current KRS artist) met in Brooklyn at a show to promote the album, Hearts and Minds and Crooked Beats: Songs of The Clash. Both artists appeared on the record.
Their meeting led to collaborating on a recording project, which led to this tour--what each artist believes is the beginning of an exciting, new musical partnership.
Local wonders Underground Orchard will open the show!
-----------
Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she works as a songwriter, performer, producer and mom. In a constant dedication to expanding her tender repertoire of American folk songs into a larger context, her recordings seek to find the magical amity between explorative percussion, orchestral sounds and elements of rock and popular music.
Since starting out in the late 1990’s, she has released over a dozen solo and collaborative recordings on various independent labels including K Records, Kill Rock Stars, Absolute Magnitude Recordings, Double Double Whammy and 7e.p., and toured solo and with countless iterations of her own band in concert halls, music clubs and punk basements all across North America, Japan and Europe.
Mirah has dedicated her creative process to investigating the complicated intersections within communities large and small, believing that with deeper understanding of each other, the seeds of a more generous and less violent world are planted.
“Mirah propels her magical, three-dimensional spaces with her clear beacon of a voice and instrumentation that slips from whisper-in-your-ear intimacy to rushing, tumbling aural avalanches.” -New York Press
-----------------------
In May 2023, SEÁN BARNA released his LP, An Evening at Macri Park, on the iconic indie label, Kill Rock Stars, to widespread critical acclaim from outlets such as NPR, Pitchfork, FLOOD Magazine, and Billboard. In their review of the LP, Pitchfork offered comparisons to Leonard Cohen, Harry Nilsson, and Rufus Wainwright, writing, "this is raucous, messy, and emotionally rich music, as any art about queer nightlife ought to be."
The visceral, intense performances Seán has become known for are animated by the evocative honesty of his songwriting and rooted in a vulnerable, intimate relationship with the audience. His most recent single, a refreshing cover of the Counting Crows song, “Mr. Jones,” was a surprise birthday present to his friend and Counting Crows frontman, Adam Duritz. In the summer of 2021, Seán opened Counting Crows on their 22-date national tour.
with UNDERWORLD ORCHARD
Friday, November 15, 2024
Show at 7pm, Doors open 6:30pm
at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Tickets $15-20 Available HERE
Mirah and Seán Barna: Autumn Tour 2024
Mirah and Seán Barna (Mirah, an alum of legendary label, Kill Rock Stars, and Seán, a current KRS artist) met in Brooklyn at a show to promote the album, Hearts and Minds and Crooked Beats: Songs of The Clash. Both artists appeared on the record.
Their meeting led to collaborating on a recording project, which led to this tour--what each artist believes is the beginning of an exciting, new musical partnership.
Local wonders Underground Orchard will open the show!
-----------
Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she works as a songwriter, performer, producer and mom. In a constant dedication to expanding her tender repertoire of American folk songs into a larger context, her recordings seek to find the magical amity between explorative percussion, orchestral sounds and elements of rock and popular music.
Since starting out in the late 1990’s, she has released over a dozen solo and collaborative recordings on various independent labels including K Records, Kill Rock Stars, Absolute Magnitude Recordings, Double Double Whammy and 7e.p., and toured solo and with countless iterations of her own band in concert halls, music clubs and punk basements all across North America, Japan and Europe.
Mirah has dedicated her creative process to investigating the complicated intersections within communities large and small, believing that with deeper understanding of each other, the seeds of a more generous and less violent world are planted.
“Mirah propels her magical, three-dimensional spaces with her clear beacon of a voice and instrumentation that slips from whisper-in-your-ear intimacy to rushing, tumbling aural avalanches.” -New York Press
-----------------------
In May 2023, SEÁN BARNA released his LP, An Evening at Macri Park, on the iconic indie label, Kill Rock Stars, to widespread critical acclaim from outlets such as NPR, Pitchfork, FLOOD Magazine, and Billboard. In their review of the LP, Pitchfork offered comparisons to Leonard Cohen, Harry Nilsson, and Rufus Wainwright, writing, "this is raucous, messy, and emotionally rich music, as any art about queer nightlife ought to be."
The visceral, intense performances Seán has become known for are animated by the evocative honesty of his songwriting and rooted in a vulnerable, intimate relationship with the audience. His most recent single, a refreshing cover of the Counting Crows song, “Mr. Jones,” was a surprise birthday present to his friend and Counting Crows frontman, Adam Duritz. In the summer of 2021, Seán opened Counting Crows on their 22-date national tour.
Friday November 1st, 2024 DiTrani Brothers & Bandit Queen of Sorrows

DITRANI BROTHERS
and
BANDIT QUEEN OF SORROWS
Friday, November 1, 2024
at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Show at 7pm
Doors open at 6:30pm
Tickets $12-15 Available now Click Here!
DiTrani Brothers play original songs from and about the dystopic present, and ragtime and jazz tunes from the underside of the past. Learn More about the DiTrani Brothers
and give them a listen Here!
Bandit Queen of Sorrows plays heartworn folk tunes crafted from lonely highways, boxcars, and desolate places, always with her heart filling the room. Whether she's playing guitar, banjo, or cello, she invokes the world's lonesome beauty with her musical offerings. Listen Here!
Thursday October 24th, 2024 Chamber Music Series presented by the Amanita Duo
Music at Black Cherry Presents: The Amanita Duo performing the Mozart Clarinet Quintet and works by Bach, Kreisler and Cahuzac The first of a new classical chamber music concert series in our cozy theater! Musicians: Sophia Ross and Maximilian Jacobs with Anna Luebke, Rachel Riese, and Katie McCarthy Thursday, October 24, 2024 Show at 7:30pm Doors open at 7pm Tickets Sliding Scale $12-20 available HERE at Black Cherry Puppet Theater 1115 Hollins Street, Baltimore, MD 21223 Pieces include: Clarinet Quintet, K. 581 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Inventions, BWV 772-786 by Johann Sebastian Bach Recitativo and Scherzo Caprice by Fritz Kreisler Arlequin by Louis Cahuzac |
Tuesday October 15th, 2024 An Exercise in Entertainment

A work in progress showing of
An Exercise in Entertainment
A Solo Performance by
Peter Redgrave
with
Rob Magill
on tour from CA with saxophone
Tuesday, October 15th
at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Show at 7pm
Doors open at 6:30pm
Tickets $12.50-15 Available now Click Here!
Peter Redgrave is a cultural worker, an artist, and educator, based in Baltimore, Maryland. A multivalent performer, his work oscillates between improvisation and score-based pieces, solo practice and collaboration, jest and critique. Redgrave has performed with Mother Country Death Rattle, Smelling Salt Amusements, Breath of the Magi, and Move Move Collaborative among others.
Learn more about Peter here!
Monday October 14th, 2024 Sam, Sami & Zach

Sam, Sami & Zach
Gypsy Jazz Jam Session
Monday, October 14th
Concert at 7pm
followed by Jam Session at 7:45pm
$15 suggested donation
Pay at the door
Sam Farthing and Sami Arefin are bringing their guitars and Zach Serlét is bringing his bass back to Black Cherry to play a short concert and host a Gypsy Jazz Jam.
Bring your instrument to play or sketchbook to draw in and join the circle! Or just come to listen. Either way, it's fun way to spend a Tuesday evening!
Sunday October 6th & Sunday October 13th, 2024 Free Fall Baltimore!

Free Fall Baltimore
at Black Cherry
with FREE Kid Friendly
Puppet Performances
Sunday October 6th
and
Sunday October 13th
This year's Free Fall event will be held
INSIDE Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins Street
Baltimore, MD 21223
Puppet performances at 1pm and 3:30pm
with puppet making in between the shows--
So the whole family can stay after the first show OR come early before the second show to make your own puppets to take home!
Sunday October 6th
Schroeder Cherry with
Civil Rights Children’s Crusade
and Black Cherry with a marionette dance
--------
Sunday October 13th
Kevin Sherry
and Black Cherry
at Black Cherry
with FREE Kid Friendly
Puppet Performances
Sunday October 6th
and
Sunday October 13th
This year's Free Fall event will be held
INSIDE Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins Street
Baltimore, MD 21223
Puppet performances at 1pm and 3:30pm
with puppet making in between the shows--
So the whole family can stay after the first show OR come early before the second show to make your own puppets to take home!
Sunday October 6th
Schroeder Cherry with
Civil Rights Children’s Crusade
and Black Cherry with a marionette dance
--------
Sunday October 13th
Kevin Sherry
and Black Cherry
Wednesday October 9th, 2024
It's Puppet Potluck time!
Come out and join us at Black Cherry Puppet Theater on Wednesday, October 9th from 6:30-8:30pm for the next Puppet Potluck! Puppet Potlucks are a circle of puppet enthusiasts sharing ideas and works in progress! These sessions aim to build a supportive community for those interested in developing and sharing puppet shows! Have an idea to pitch, a work in progress you want to get feedback on, or just seek creative community around puppetry? We'd love to see you there! Bring some food and your ideas to share...No need to sign-up, just show up! Black Cherry Puppet Theater 1115 Hollins Street Baltimore, MD 21223 If you have accessibility needs or questions, please call 410-752-7272 or email [email protected] |
Friday October 4th, 2024 Lynx Lynx with Georgia Beatty
Baltimore Folk Club Presents
Lynx Lynx
(Vidar Skrede and Patrik Ahlberg)
with a special guest Crankie by
Georgia Beatty
Part of the Baltimore Folk Club concert series!
Friday October 4th
Doors at 7:00, Show at 7:30
at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Tickets $15-20 Available Now Click Here to get yours!
Lynx Lynx- Vidar Skrede and Patrik Ahlberg join their Scandinavian fiddle forces together in this Norwegian-Swedish folk music duo – lynx lynx. The variety of strings includes fiddles, Hardanger fiddles, guitars, and even a mandolin. The mix of tunes is put together by both their original and traditional Nordic fiddle tunes.
Georgia Beatty- Baltimore-based strings wizard and folk artist Georgia presents their crankie, The Hardingfele & The Mystical Process of Tune Transmission: "In the southern region of Norway called Telemark, a young hardingfele player is born the fateful day her mother, a beautiful and wise player herself, hands her daughter one of these magical instruments and begins the young girl on her journey into understanding the mysterious and captivating 300-year-old tradition..."
FB Event Page
Lynx Lynx
(Vidar Skrede and Patrik Ahlberg)
with a special guest Crankie by
Georgia Beatty
Part of the Baltimore Folk Club concert series!
Friday October 4th
Doors at 7:00, Show at 7:30
at Black Cherry Puppet Theater
Tickets $15-20 Available Now Click Here to get yours!
Lynx Lynx- Vidar Skrede and Patrik Ahlberg join their Scandinavian fiddle forces together in this Norwegian-Swedish folk music duo – lynx lynx. The variety of strings includes fiddles, Hardanger fiddles, guitars, and even a mandolin. The mix of tunes is put together by both their original and traditional Nordic fiddle tunes.
Georgia Beatty- Baltimore-based strings wizard and folk artist Georgia presents their crankie, The Hardingfele & The Mystical Process of Tune Transmission: "In the southern region of Norway called Telemark, a young hardingfele player is born the fateful day her mother, a beautiful and wise player herself, hands her daughter one of these magical instruments and begins the young girl on her journey into understanding the mysterious and captivating 300-year-old tradition..."
FB Event Page
Saturday September 21st, 2024 Puppet Slamwich

Puppet Slamwich
Saturday September 21st
at Current Space
Outside in the garden courtyard, under the big tent!
421 Tyson St, Baltimore, MD 21201
(enter through the back alley!)
Shows at 5pm (doors 4:30) AND 8pm (doors 7:30)
Tickets: $12-15
Tickets are available now! Click HERE to get yours!
Puppet Slams are evenings of short form puppetry acts intended for adult audiences, with a musical guest!
Performers:
Liz Downing
Cecilia Cackley
Eva Cranky Pantz
Geez and Louise
Brodrick Jones
Sari & Alice
Chuck Nesci
Hosted by Landis Expandis
-----
Events at Current Space are rain or shine. Tickets are non-refundable.
-----
Accessibility and Transportation Info: https://www.currentspace.com/visit
-----
Questions? Email us at [email protected]
Black Cherry's Puppet Slamwich Series is made possible by the generous support of the The HBH Fund and the The Puppet Slam Network and supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council and the Creative Baltimore Fund, a program of Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts
Saturday September 21st
at Current Space
Outside in the garden courtyard, under the big tent!
421 Tyson St, Baltimore, MD 21201
(enter through the back alley!)
Shows at 5pm (doors 4:30) AND 8pm (doors 7:30)
Tickets: $12-15
Tickets are available now! Click HERE to get yours!
Puppet Slams are evenings of short form puppetry acts intended for adult audiences, with a musical guest!
Performers:
Liz Downing
Cecilia Cackley
Eva Cranky Pantz
Geez and Louise
Brodrick Jones
Sari & Alice
Chuck Nesci
Hosted by Landis Expandis
-----
Events at Current Space are rain or shine. Tickets are non-refundable.
-----
Accessibility and Transportation Info: https://www.currentspace.com/visit
-----
Questions? Email us at [email protected]
Black Cherry's Puppet Slamwich Series is made possible by the generous support of the The HBH Fund and the The Puppet Slam Network and supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council and the Creative Baltimore Fund, a program of Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts
Sunday September 15th, 2024 We Wiggle Dolls Puppetry Collective w/a Magic Lantern performance by Georgia Beatty
We Wiggle Dolls
a New York-based puppetry collective is coming to Black Cherry with a traveling puppet cabaret for adult audiences! They will be joined by Baltimore's own Georgia Beatty with a magic lantern performance! Sunday September 15th at Black Cherry Puppet Theater 1115 Hollins Street Baltimore, MD 21223 Doors at 6:30pm Show at 7:30pm Tickets $20/$15 available now CLICK HERE! Central Members of New York's We Wiggle Dolls crew have joined forces with performers from their respective tour stops to bring you a tonally and stylistically diverse evening of modern adult-oriented puppetry! Their ranks run the gamut from avant garde heroes of street theatre cut loose alongside cardboard butchers, to venerable traditionalists, and even performers completely new to the form! Cast: Anthony Selitto Budney @breakfast_puppets Tashi @_tashhi_ Jeremy Quentin @yellowlemonshapedrock Aleah Hyer @aleahhyer Dezy Kosmo |
Tuesday August 27th, 2024 Gypsy Jazz Concert & Jam Session

Sam & Sami & Zach Serlet
Gypsy Jazz Guitar Concert & Jam Session
Tuesday August 27th Concert a
Followed by a Gypsy Jazz Jam and sketch session
(Bring your instruments or sketchbook!)
Concert at 7pm
Jam Session at 7:45pm
$15 suggested donation
Sam Farthing, Sami Arefin and Zach Serlet are coming back to Black Cherry to play a short concert and host a Gypsy Jazz Jam. Bring your instrument or sketch book and join the circle, or just come to listen. Either way, it's fun way to spend a Tuesday evening!
Wednesday August 14th, 2024 Puppet Potluck

It's Puppet Potluck time!
Come out and join us at Black Cherry Puppet Theater on
Wednesday, August 14th from 6:30-8:30pm
for the next Puppet Potluck!
Puppet Potlucks are a circle of puppet enthusiasts sharing ideas and works in progress! These sessions aim to build a supportive community for those interested in developing and sharing puppet shows! Have an idea to pitch, a work in progress you want to get feedback on, or just seek creative community around puppetry?
We'd love to see you there!
Bring some food and your ideas to share...No need to sign-up, just show up!
Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins Street
Baltimore, MD 21223
If you have accessibility needs or questions, please call 410-752-7272 or email [email protected]
Come out and join us at Black Cherry Puppet Theater on
Wednesday, August 14th from 6:30-8:30pm
for the next Puppet Potluck!
Puppet Potlucks are a circle of puppet enthusiasts sharing ideas and works in progress! These sessions aim to build a supportive community for those interested in developing and sharing puppet shows! Have an idea to pitch, a work in progress you want to get feedback on, or just seek creative community around puppetry?
We'd love to see you there!
Bring some food and your ideas to share...No need to sign-up, just show up!
Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins Street
Baltimore, MD 21223
If you have accessibility needs or questions, please call 410-752-7272 or email [email protected]
Saturday July 6th, 2024 Black Cherry Summer Salon!
Featuring Georgia Beatty, Isaac Fosl-Van Wyke, + Special Guest

Black Cherry Summer Salon!
Featuring Georgia Beatty, Isaac Fosl-Van Wyke & Breath of the Magi
Saturday July 6th Show at 8pm
Doors open at 7:30
Tickets $10-20 sliding scale!
Available now online--Click here!
JOIN US SATURDAY JULY 6th, for an array of entertainment from near and far! Exquisite fiddle and cello witchcraft from Black Cherry favorite Georgia Beatty, hopeful, psychedelic, alt-country with one foot in the graveyard from visiting Kentucky puppeteer and musician Isaac Fosl-van Wyke. We are also delighted to be joined by the incredible improvisational trio Breath of the Magi, feat. multi-instrumentalists Che Davis, Orlando Johnson, and Peter Redgrave!
Saturday June 22nd, 2024 Music at Black Cherry: Mole Suit Choir

Mole Suit Choir
with Ruby Mars and Suzanne Doogan
Saturday, June 22nd
Show at 8pm
Doors open at 7:30pm
Tickets available now! Click Here!
$15/$12/$10
Mole Suit Choir is a spectral electro- folk adjacent trio that creates using reverberated guitar, bowed banjo, and alien soundscapes. Formed over a dozen years ago to commune with the spirits of poet friends passed, they now conjure using all the words!
Check out Mole Suit Choir on Bandcamp
with Ruby Mars and Suzanne Doogan
Saturday, June 22nd
Show at 8pm
Doors open at 7:30pm
Tickets available now! Click Here!
$15/$12/$10
Mole Suit Choir is a spectral electro- folk adjacent trio that creates using reverberated guitar, bowed banjo, and alien soundscapes. Formed over a dozen years ago to commune with the spirits of poet friends passed, they now conjure using all the words!
Check out Mole Suit Choir on Bandcamp
May 30th through June 2nd 2024 Alex & Olmsted's Happy Birthday, Mon Ami
![]() |
Join us for the World Premiere of
Alex & Olmsted's newest puppet show Happy Birthday, Mon Ami May 30 - June 2, 2024 at Black Cherry Puppet Theater 1115 Hollins St, Baltimore, MD 21223 Thursday May 30, 7pm (Sold out) Friday, May 31, 7pm Saturday, June 1, 2pm Saturday, June 1, 6:30pm Sunday, June 2, 2pm (Sold Out) Doors open 1/2 hour before showtime with limited seating! Tickets Available Now! Click HERE! Standard Ticket $17.50 Starving Artist/Senior $15 Kids 16 & under $10 Class, cultures, and expectations clash when Jacques' American cousin Sam visits him in Paris for a birthday celebration. Winner of a 2024 Jim Henson Foundation family grant award, "Happy Birthday, Mon Ami" will premiere at Baltimore's renowned Black Cherry Puppet Theater. Learn more about the incredible creators and puppeteers Alex & Olmsted HERE! |
Tuesday May 28th, 2024 Sam Farthing Quintet

Sam Farthing Quintet
Tuesday, May 28 at 7pm
Album Fundraiser Concert with
Max Jacobs- Violin
Sami Arefin-Guitar
Connor Holdridge-Guitar
Tomáš Drgoň -Bass
$10
No tickets needed. Pay at the door
Tuesday, May 28 at 7pm
Album Fundraiser Concert with
Max Jacobs- Violin
Sami Arefin-Guitar
Connor Holdridge-Guitar
Tomáš Drgoň -Bass
$10
No tickets needed. Pay at the door
Weekends April through May 2024-MANY FEATHERS FLOCK TOGETHER: A COMMUNITY PARADE

MANY FEATHERS FLOCK TOGETHER: A COMMUNITY PARADE
We are excited to announce our 2024 community parade, hosted by Black Cherry Puppet Theater and affiliated community artists as part of the annual Sowebo Festival on Sunday, May 26, 2024!
We will be making masks and processional objects this year inspired by birds, and other winged friends. We celebrate birds of different feathers who flock together* because their different abilities make the flock stronger. Join us as we craft bird masks, headdresses and wings. All work sessions will take place at Black Cherry Puppet Theater at 1115 Hollins Street in Baltimore, MD!
This is a volunteer-led event with crowd-sourced materials, by community for community. We welcome donations to the builds and to Black Cherry’s fund for renovating the theater’s facade here. Feel free to bring snacks to share to the parade builds!
For more information and to check in about access needs or questions, please email [email protected] or contact us through social media!
PARADE BUILD SESSIONS:
SUNDAY, April 28, 1-4pm
Sunday, May 5, 1-4pm
Saturday, May 11, 1-4pm
Sunday, May 19, 1-4pm
Saturday, May 25 1-4pm, Make and Take // make a HEADDRESS to wear to the parade
Sunday, May 26, PARADE at 1pm and 3pm starting from Black Cherry
**Update & more info on the parade:
This year's theme, Many Feathers Flock Together, invites you to come to the parade in whatever finery that title inspires! We also have new bird puppets and headdress/ masks made by members of our community, as well as puppets from past years available for folks to carry and wear!
There will be a make-and-take headdress making workshop for families this Saturday, the 25th from 1-4pm. You can make your very own headdress to wear during the parade on Sunday.
Parade Times are at 1 and 3pm on Sunday, the 26th. We will gather 30 minutes before each parade to get organized! If you have windchimes to bring, or whistles/flutes, please feel free to bring them! We will be an improvised whistling wind chiming parade band!
ACCESS INFO: There will be limited parking available on Lombard Street near Black Cherry and the start of the parade. For a list of places to park on Festival Day, visit here. There are curbcuts at the ends of the block where Black Cherry is located (1115 Hollins Street, south of the market), at Carlton Street and Arlington Avenue. For access from the sidewalk, there is one 5" step into the theater. A ramp can be set up to provide access. Please call in advance if you would like to enter the theater so we can set up the ramp. Parade participants will not need to go into the theater to participate in the parade.
The parade will take place at street level and will lead through crowded streets with lots of people. There will be the sound of chimes and whistles or flutes and crowds throughout the route. The route is about four tenths of a mile long.
Image and words by Valeska Populoh who helps make events like this happen!
We are excited to announce our 2024 community parade, hosted by Black Cherry Puppet Theater and affiliated community artists as part of the annual Sowebo Festival on Sunday, May 26, 2024!
We will be making masks and processional objects this year inspired by birds, and other winged friends. We celebrate birds of different feathers who flock together* because their different abilities make the flock stronger. Join us as we craft bird masks, headdresses and wings. All work sessions will take place at Black Cherry Puppet Theater at 1115 Hollins Street in Baltimore, MD!
This is a volunteer-led event with crowd-sourced materials, by community for community. We welcome donations to the builds and to Black Cherry’s fund for renovating the theater’s facade here. Feel free to bring snacks to share to the parade builds!
For more information and to check in about access needs or questions, please email [email protected] or contact us through social media!
PARADE BUILD SESSIONS:
SUNDAY, April 28, 1-4pm
Sunday, May 5, 1-4pm
Saturday, May 11, 1-4pm
Sunday, May 19, 1-4pm
Saturday, May 25 1-4pm, Make and Take // make a HEADDRESS to wear to the parade
Sunday, May 26, PARADE at 1pm and 3pm starting from Black Cherry
**Update & more info on the parade:
This year's theme, Many Feathers Flock Together, invites you to come to the parade in whatever finery that title inspires! We also have new bird puppets and headdress/ masks made by members of our community, as well as puppets from past years available for folks to carry and wear!
There will be a make-and-take headdress making workshop for families this Saturday, the 25th from 1-4pm. You can make your very own headdress to wear during the parade on Sunday.
Parade Times are at 1 and 3pm on Sunday, the 26th. We will gather 30 minutes before each parade to get organized! If you have windchimes to bring, or whistles/flutes, please feel free to bring them! We will be an improvised whistling wind chiming parade band!
ACCESS INFO: There will be limited parking available on Lombard Street near Black Cherry and the start of the parade. For a list of places to park on Festival Day, visit here. There are curbcuts at the ends of the block where Black Cherry is located (1115 Hollins Street, south of the market), at Carlton Street and Arlington Avenue. For access from the sidewalk, there is one 5" step into the theater. A ramp can be set up to provide access. Please call in advance if you would like to enter the theater so we can set up the ramp. Parade participants will not need to go into the theater to participate in the parade.
The parade will take place at street level and will lead through crowded streets with lots of people. There will be the sound of chimes and whistles or flutes and crowds throughout the route. The route is about four tenths of a mile long.
Image and words by Valeska Populoh who helps make events like this happen!
May 18th 2024 Puppet Slamwich at Current Space

Black Cherry Puppet Theater's Spring Puppet Slamwich, outside at Current Space!
An evening of Puppetry & Performance for Grown-ups!
Saturday May 18th
Two Showtimes @ 5:00pm (doors 4:30) & 8:00pm (doors 7:30)
at Current Space 421 Tyson Street
Tickets: $12-15
Tickets available now! Click here to purchase yours via Current Space!
ADVANCE SALES ARE SOLD OUT, BUT CURRENT WILL SELL "STANDING ROOM*" TICKETS AT THE DOOR
*If the weather holds, these "standing room" tickets also include seating along the built-in benches, on stools, and other seating. Those seats are just not protected from potential rain. If it's raining, you can still see the stage from the covered bar area though!
We are excited to welcome Baltimore legend Aaron Henkin
as our host for the evening
with Musical guest Orchester Praževica!
Performances by:
Alex & Olmsted
Chuck Nesci
Kevin Sherry
The Lantern Sisters
Mable Buchanan Palmer & Theron Palmer
And Lambe Lambe performers:
Cecilia Cackley & Kara Turner
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Enter through the back at 421 Tyson Street, Baltimore MD 21201
To ensure all ticketed guests are protected from possible rain, we can pre-sell 80 seats per seating. If the weather is clear the day of the show, we can sell a limited number of additional seats. This event often sells out though, so don't wait to get your tickets!
And don't forget to bring extra cash for popcorn to support Black Cherry!
-----
Events at Current Space are rain or shine. Tickets are non-refundable.
-----
Accessibility and Transportation Info: currentspace.com/visit
Poster by Maya Lawrence
Thursday May 2nd, 2024 Spellbinder Salon

Spellbinder Salon
Thursday, May 2 at 8pm
doors open at 7:30pm
Tickets $15/$12
Tickets available now, click here!
Back by popular demand, Black Cherry Puppet Theater is excited to present another installment of the Spellbinder Salon, hosted and curated by Jake Bee.
For this installment, we are joined by visiting former Baltimorean artist Christine Ferrera, whose unique blend of comedy and performance art has seen her headlining at venues and festivals across the country.
Christine and Jake will be joined by a host of local, spellbinding talent.
Thursday April 25th, 2024 Sam & Sami Gypsy Jazz Concert and Jam Session

Sam & Sami
Gypsy Jazz Guitar Concert & Jam Session
Thursday, April 25 Concert at 6:30pm
Followed by a Django Jam and sketch session at 7:15-10pm
(Bring your instruments or sketchbook!)
$10--No tickets needed, pay at the door
Sam Farthing and Sami Arefin are bringing their guitars back to Black Cherry to play a short concert and host a Gypsy Jazz Jam. Bring your instrument or sketch book and join the circle, or just come to listen. Either way, it's fun way to spend a Thursday evening.
Thursday April 11th 2024 Cast Shadows & Sbowe live score to silent film Vampyr

Cast Shadows and Sbowe
with a live score to the 1932 silent film Vampyr
Thursday, April 11th
Showtime 7pm
Tickets $15/$12.50
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKET NOW!
Cast Shadows channels spooky melodies from far-away places through accordion, piano, violin, guitar, toy piano. Freddy Lau (guitar) is a music conservatory graduate who loves to skateboard and to play the music of Django Reinhardt. Salis Dembling (piano, accordion, toy instruments) has collaborated, recorded and toured with musicians such as Beck, April March, Leo LeBlanc (pedal steel player for John Prine and Merle Haggard), Ronnie Spector of the Ronettes, and Ward Dodson of L.A.’s the Gun Club, and has shared stages with Johnny Cash, Screamin Jay Hawkins, the Buzzcocks, and Elliott Smith.
Sbowe is the solo project of Rachel Icenogle, a versatile cellist and composer based in Calabria, Italy with a mind for new and interesting sounds. Sbowe thrives in the scratchy, creaky, whirly sounds the cello can make, layering diverse musical textures in a lush groundwork for wild fables about insects and impressionistic stories about human batteries. About her EP Morimus (2022), Breaking & Entering Milwaukee wrote, “…the two tracks here create massive, textural, exquisite movements that feel poetic as they feel intentional. It’s like we’re observing both the gorgeous and tense moments of nature unfold in real time, punctuated by a variety of cello sounds.”
with a live score to the 1932 silent film Vampyr
Thursday, April 11th
Showtime 7pm
Tickets $15/$12.50
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKET NOW!
Cast Shadows channels spooky melodies from far-away places through accordion, piano, violin, guitar, toy piano. Freddy Lau (guitar) is a music conservatory graduate who loves to skateboard and to play the music of Django Reinhardt. Salis Dembling (piano, accordion, toy instruments) has collaborated, recorded and toured with musicians such as Beck, April March, Leo LeBlanc (pedal steel player for John Prine and Merle Haggard), Ronnie Spector of the Ronettes, and Ward Dodson of L.A.’s the Gun Club, and has shared stages with Johnny Cash, Screamin Jay Hawkins, the Buzzcocks, and Elliott Smith.
Sbowe is the solo project of Rachel Icenogle, a versatile cellist and composer based in Calabria, Italy with a mind for new and interesting sounds. Sbowe thrives in the scratchy, creaky, whirly sounds the cello can make, layering diverse musical textures in a lush groundwork for wild fables about insects and impressionistic stories about human batteries. About her EP Morimus (2022), Breaking & Entering Milwaukee wrote, “…the two tracks here create massive, textural, exquisite movements that feel poetic as they feel intentional. It’s like we’re observing both the gorgeous and tense moments of nature unfold in real time, punctuated by a variety of cello sounds.”
Sunday March 24th 2024 A puppet Purim Spiel by the Purim Spiel Teen Crew

The Jewish Museum of Maryland and Black Cherry Puppet Theater Present...
A Puppet Purim Spiel by the Purim Spiel Teen Crew!
A family-friendly interpretation of the classic Purim story told through puppets and audience fun. Bring your own noisemaker and come in costume!
Sunday, March 24, 2024
Doors 12:30
Show 1:00-2:30 PM ONE SHOW ONLY
Tickets $5
Advance tickets available Click HERE!
Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins Street, Baltimore MD
Featuring klezmer music by The Baltimorim!
Masks encouraged. Questions about accessibility? Email [email protected]
This program is co-sponsored by Hinenu: Baltimore.
A Puppet Purim Spiel by the Purim Spiel Teen Crew!
A family-friendly interpretation of the classic Purim story told through puppets and audience fun. Bring your own noisemaker and come in costume!
Sunday, March 24, 2024
Doors 12:30
Show 1:00-2:30 PM ONE SHOW ONLY
Tickets $5
Advance tickets available Click HERE!
Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins Street, Baltimore MD
Featuring klezmer music by The Baltimorim!
Masks encouraged. Questions about accessibility? Email [email protected]
This program is co-sponsored by Hinenu: Baltimore.
Saturday March 16th 2024 Puppet Slamwich!

Join us for our March Puppet Slamwich
--a variety show of puppetry and performance for adult audiences!
Saturday March 16th
Two showtimes at 6:30pm and 9:30pm
BOTH SHOWS ARE NOW SOLD OUT!
Tickets $15/$12
CLICK HERE to get your tickets
At Black Cherry Puppet Theater
1115 Hollins St.
Baltimore, MD 21223
Hosted by Tubey!
with Musical Guest Quinton Randall
Puppeteers:
Vida Cripps
Sheila Gaskins
Paige O’Malley
David Greenfieldboyce
Majeedah Johnson
Georgia Beatty
Thanks so much to artist Mika Nakano for creating this beautiful poster! You can check out more of her artwork here: https://mikanart.com/
Friday March 8th, 2024 Charming Disaster & Dream Baby

Charming Disaster & Dreambaby
at Black Cherry!
Friday March 8th
Showtime 8pm
SOLD OUT!!!
Thanks folks!
Tickets $17/$15 Click here to purchase tickets!
Goth-folk musical duo Charming Disaster, based in Brooklyn, NY, perform playfully dark original songs inspired by death, crime, myth, magic, science, and the occult. Inspired by the macabre humor of Edward Gorey and Tim Burton, the murder ballads of the Americana tradition, and the dramatic flair of the cabaret, they write songs that tell stories about death, crime, myth, magic, folklore, science, and the occult. Their latest album, Super Natural History, is a musical cabinet of curiosities inspired by the natural world and the metaphysical realm, uniting the worlds of magic and science with songs that explore subjects like witchcraft, monsters, and the underworld alongside bats, plants, poisons, and parasites.
Learn more: charmingdisaster.com
"Charming Disaster has an affinity for monsters, mortality, paranormal activity and unearthly shenanigans…sparked by flashes of wry humor." –Rock & Roll Globe
Dreambaby is the solo act of Baltimore performance artist Jacob Budenz, whose signature “witch cabaret” style combines ritual, poetry, and mystical meditations with piano and vocal performance. Birthed at the 2013 Transmodern Festival, this act has been featured all over Baltimore—in venues such as The Yellow Sign Theater, The Creative Alliance, The Holy Underground, The EMP Collective, Terault Contemporary, and more—as well as The Black Cat (DC), The Manhattan Inn (NYC), Cafe Istanbul (New Orleans), The Americana Burlesque and Sideshow Festival (Asheville), and La Xata La Rifa (Spain).
Learn more: instagram.com/dreambabyjake
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