Community Calendar

2nd Annual Rotunda Rocks Returns to Hampden Neighborhood this Spring
Family-friendly Night of Rockin’ Fun Begins May 3 and Runs Every Friday Until End of September

Whether you like to jam to rock, folk, blues, Indie, Latin or reggae, there is something for everyone as the second annual Rotunda Rocks concert series returns to Hampden this spring/summer (711 W 40th Street). This family-friendly FREE concert series, presented by MCB Real Estate, features live music on the plaza and a street festival atmosphere with delicious local food and drinks, fun games and local vendors on Fridays, 6-9 p.m. beginning May 3 and running until September 27. Rotunda Rocks is open to the public and welcomes families and pets. A portion of proceeds from beverage sales benefits the Maryland SPCA. For more information, log onto Rotunda Rocks | The Rotunda (rotundabaltimore.com) or call 410-662-0104.

SCHEDULE OF BANDS:
May 3 Mambo Combo (Latin and tropical rhythms)
May 10 Strykers Posse (reggae)
May 17 Go Dog Go with special guest Garage Sale (garage rock and hot rockin’ Surf)
May 24 Harlan County Kings (original rock)
May 31 Patrick Alban & Noche Latina (Latin and acoustic rock with a touch of salsa and South Beach feel)
June 7 Barry Prosser and the Vaguely Absurd (classic rock)
June 14 Monkton Road Band (rootsy folks laced with deep country)
June 21 The Natty Brohs (classic rock and blues)
June 28 The Soularites (SoulFULL reggae and Ska)
July 5 Kyf Brewer & Friends (hues of 60’s pop radio, British invasion, early Nashville, rhythm and blues and ancient Celtic melodies)
July 12 Justin Trawick and the Common Good (Americana-bluegrass, country and folk)
July 19 The Players Band (infectious rhythms and horn-heavy ska sounds)
July 26 Gaelic Mishap (Celtic rock)
August 2 Tumblehome (rock, soul, rhythm & blues)
August 9 Kurt Deemer Band (guitar driven rock & roll)
August 16 Barleyjuice (Celtic rock)
August 23 Red Sammy (honest, slow-burn Americana folks rock)
August 30 La Unica (Irish Latin)
September 6 ZOCKO! (surf garage)
September 13 Western Run (funked-up country rock)
September 20 Guys In Thin Ties (Alternative 80s band)
September 27 The Rock-A-Sonics (rockabilly, vintage country and atomic age rock n’ roll)

"80's R&B Queens" A Tribute to Teena Marie & Stephanie Mills performed by Bridgette Johnson & Angelica Baylor! Doing the #1 HITS of Teena Marie like "Square Biz","Ooo La La La","Out On a Limb","I Need Your Lovin","It Must Be Magic","I'm A Sucker For Your Love" and “Fire & Desire” to name a few. Plus, the Stephanie Mills hits like “I Feel Good All Over”, "Never Knew Love Like This Before", "Home" and "Feel the Fire".

Brigette Johnson began her singing career in 2003, but has provided background vocals for national recording artists such as Ronnie Laws, Miki Howard, and has performed with the late, great saxophonist Wilton Felder. Last year, she performed her first Teena Marie tribute to a sold out audience in Washington, DC. She received numerous rave reviews, the following review from one of the DJ’s of the Washington DC local Radio Station WPFW, Dr. Nick Johnson stated: "Brigette Johnson Pays Tribute To Teena Marie, Covering the hits, both love songs and party songs, one had the feeling Teena was looking down from above and smiling. From the moment Brigette first stepped on the stage, that house was HER house!”

Singer. Songwriter. Arranger. Vocal Consultant. Multi-talented vocalist Angelica Baylor is no stranger to the stage, studio or the entertainment industry. Also often affectionately called, “Jelly”, this small-town Westmoreland County native still calls Virginia her home. Angelica is the embodiment of soul, faith, and favor. After nearly a decade of continually singing with national recording artist Ginuwine, she shared the stage with some of the industries finest talents such as The Isley Brothers, Faith Evans, 112, and the iconic family, The Jacksons.

SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS

BY BESS WOHL
DIRECTED BY PETER WRAY

FEBRUARY 13 – MARCH 15

Preview February 12
ASL Interpreted Performance February 20

Six strangers find themselves at a silent retreat in the woods, each seeking connection while struggling with their own, silent, inner demons. Both awkwardly hilarious and strangely compassionate, Small Mouth Sounds asks how we address life’s biggest questions when words fail us.

In a single room, three women slip between fantasy and reality, acting out the moments they’re too afraid to live in real life. What begins as playful role-play becomes a raw excavation of longing, connection, and the emotional legacies passed between mothers, sisters, and lovers.

Blending the sharp wit of a romantic comedy with the searching depth of an existential drama, Trinity is a lyrical, layered portrait of womanhood that’s as funny as it is fearless. As NPR so aptly put it, “Waithe’s TV shows and films are powerful empathy engines”—and Trinity brings that same emotional truth to the stage. Directed by BCS Artistic Director Stevie Walker-Webb, you’ll want to see it more than once to catch every subtle shift, every emotional turn, and every truth just beneath the surface.

Roll for initiative! Oh Crit performs improv comedy fused with Dungeons & Dragons! Join them as they embark on an adventure of twists and turns, bizarre characters, and occasional epic failure… All with the help from YOU and the whim of an unforgiving 20-sided die!

At all Oh Crit! performances, we will be collecting food donations on behalf of the Frederick Community Fridge.

The holidays already are here and your shopping isn’t finished? Or even started? What to give special friends who say they don’t need anything? Church Hill Theatre has an easy and thoughtful suggestion. Consider a 2026 Season Package—with 5 tickets for the price of 4. You get to choose the plays and the dates.

The coming 2026 season opens in March with a Tennessee Williams classic, The Glass Menagerie, and closes in December with A Christmas Carol. In between, there is a great choice of musicals, comedies and more. Consider Between the Lines, an April musical featuring our talented teens, the major June production of Chicago, or the September musical Something’s Afoot, a spoof of British mystery stories. And who could pass on the spooky November show, The Transylvanian Clockworks?

This special $100 package will make a memorable gift and support a cherished local institution. And if you have been very good all through the year, consider treating yourself to an entire season of outstanding shows. This package is available through the CHT office, at 410-556-6003 or online at churchhilltheatre.org.

This focus exhibition of 10 works explores the relationship between burning fossil fuels—namely, coal—and the emergence of European modernism. Drawing on research conducted by climate scientists and art historians, the exhibition presents a range of paintings and works on paper by Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, James McNeill Whistler, and others to explore the ways that their artistic practices and style emerged, in part, in response to widespread pollution in London and Paris.
Presented as part of the Turn Again to the Earth environmental initiative.

For thousands of years, East Asia’s cultures have viewed human life as part of a much larger system that encompasses the natural world. Drawn from the BMA’s collection, this exhibition boasts more than 40 objects—from magnificent ink drawings to beautifully crafted stoneware and poignant contemporary photographs and prints. They bring into the galleries the mountains and seas, wild and supernatural animals, and plant life that are extensive across East Asian imagery and often carry symbolic meaning.

Works on view include robust 13th-century ceramic vessels, delicate porcelain, carved jade, intricately sewn textiles, and large-scale photography; collectively, these artworks represent the impulse to fully understand the natural world as foundational to our existence, as shaped by human life, and as an enduring metaphor of survival.

In celebration of its 200th anniversary, the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) will mark two centuries of creative impact by honoring its legacy, spotlighting its ongoing transformation, and looking ahead to a bold, vibrant future at the Bicentennial Celebration: Fête of Lights on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

The Fête of Lights will offer a memorable experience to commemorate this historic milestone. MICA’s Main Building and Cohen Plaza will be transformed through light-based sculptures and a fully immersive art environment, where guests are invited to express their creativity through light-inspired, wearable art.

Starting at 6 p.m., the Gala in the Main Building will feature a reception-style dinner, cocktails, and a front-row view of a dynamic, wearable art contest. The event will feature remarks by MICA President Cecilia M. McCormick, JD and honor MICA alumnae Amy Sherald, renowned American painter, and Joyce J. Scott, celebrated artist. 

The Party in the Plaza starts at 7 p.m. with music, dancing, dessert, and a parade of wearable art participants from the Main Building.

The Bicentennial Celebration: Fête of Lights is proudly supported by the MICA Board of Trustees.

To view full event details and purchase tickets, visit: www.mica.edu/fete.

SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS

BY BESS WOHL
DIRECTED BY PETER WRAY

FEBRUARY 13 – MARCH 15

Preview February 12
ASL Interpreted Performance February 20

Six strangers find themselves at a silent retreat in the woods, each seeking connection while struggling with their own, silent, inner demons. Both awkwardly hilarious and strangely compassionate, Small Mouth Sounds asks how we address life’s biggest questions when words fail us.