Chris Riehl - Baltimore Personality, 42 E Cross Street, Baltimore, MD (2025)

04/05/2025

03/10/2025

“Chris Riehl plays the role of the show’s main agitator, factory worker Don. It’s so important to cast Don perfectly. He’s got to be kind of a jerk, but not so much of a jerk that no one will like him at all. It’s imperative that he have a character journey the audience can be invested in, and he does. Chris Riehl deftly manages the delicate balance between annoyingly awful and absolutely unsalvageable.”

The Cindy Lauper musical demands a diva performance, divine dance moves, daring dresses, and working-class heart — and this production delivers.

03/06/2025

Kinky Boots doesn't even open for one more day, but we are already looking to have sold out shows this weekend! Tickets are almost gone for March 7 and 8, and we are also on track to sell out the March 16 and 23 shows! If you want to see this incredible show on those dates, get your tickets ASAP! SilhouetteStages.com/box-office

10/31/2024

Happy Halloween! Do you know spooky significance of these two Baltimore sites?

10/31/2024

Congrats to the World Series champion L.A. Dodgers!

10/30/2024

My thoughts on Question F and the future of the Inner Harbor -

Baltimore doesn't exist without the water. Since long before 1729 when this land was inhabited by the Piscataway and Susquehannock peoples, our history, heritage, culture, cuisine, economy, and recreation have all sprung from the Patapsco River.

The Inner Harbor is our city’s front porch. What was once a working cargo terminal, was transformed more than 40 years ago into an internationally renowned entertainment district. Now this bit of Baltimore is poised to transform yet again, and just as it was in the late 1970s when James Rouse was pitching his festival marketplace idea, not everyone agrees on the best way forward.

First, it's important to address how we got here in the first place. Out of state management of the Harborplace pavilions was an unmitigated disaster. Longtime local retail tenants were either priced out or left because of poor maintenance. They were replaced by national chains with no connection to Baltimore, and soon even they couldn’t tolerate the dilapidated conditions. Harborplace continued to deteriorate as bankruptcy and receivership cases slowly worked their way through the court system. Nothing could be done until the process was completed and we all watched with sadness and frustration as our once vibrant jewel faded into a ghost town.

After years of uncertainty a developer with local ties has stepped in with a bold new vision for the Inner Harbor. One that will expand public space, reconfigure dangerous and inefficient traffic patterns, and inject a needed shot of vitality into Baltimore. At long last there is a light at the end of this dark tunnel. But rather than embrace and celebrate this new chapter, many are digging in their heels and staunchly opposing it. The main sticking point for most opponents seems to be the inclusion of two residential towers in the Inner Harbor footprint that would require voter-approved zoning adjustments.

There are good people who love Baltimore and have the city’s best interest at heart who oppose this development but I believe they are misguided. Residential units would certainly change the dynamic of the waterfront, but I believe they would do so in a positive way. The most successful cities have a strong population base and vibrant tourism economy. Baltimore already has incredible tourism assets, but our population has been dwindling. So let’s give people an exciting new reason to not just visit Baltimore but to live in Baltimore! The proposed Inner Harbor development would do both. Additionally, new residential units would also ease the burden on an already stressed housing market, ultimately making housing more affordable across the board.

Many fear that these residential towers will restrict public access to the waterfront, but there's no reason to believe that would be the case. On the contrary MCB’s plans create additional green space, a new amphitheater for public events and performances, and unobstructed sight lines to the shoreline at street level; far more welcoming than current pavilions that block the waterfront view.

People are the lifeblood of any city and a healthy community requires residents who live there 24/7, not just visitors. The more, the better! So let’s move forward and grow together! The USS Constellation, the Science Center, the Aquarium, and the World Trade Center aren’t going anywhere. On the contrary, those beloved attractions and our public waterfront promenade will be reinvigorated as new residents and new businesses, new artists, and new entertainers, Baltimoreans all, populate the landscape.

Vote yes on Question F and a better future for Baltimore!