The Yellow Sign Theatre

01/10/2024

10/20/2019

European astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti tweeted a photo of herself aboard the International Space Station, wearing a uniform from the "Star Trek: Voyager" TV series.

08/06/2019

Scheduled power outage at 10 pm on Charles St. Come drink by lantern light at Club Charles. Yeah, we'll be open. Cash only!

07/30/2019

Hi gang. It's time to announce the...SECOND KROGER BABB PLAYWRITING COMPETITION!!!!

TL;DR version: Win money by making lurid exploitation movie art!!!!

As some of you recall YST held a competition a few Artscapes back in which we asked playwrights to create a 20 minute play based on a poster and title we came up with. All this was in honor of exploitation film producer/distributor Kroger Babb -- known for "classics" like "She Shoulda Said No," "Mom and Dad," and "Halfway to Hell" -- a guy who was our kind of huckster.

This year, we're ramping up the game and holding THREE separate competitions -- one to create our poster, one to come up with a title, and one to write the plays. Today I'm letting you know that you could win $250 plus a secret item from the legendary YST props and costume hoard if you can give us a poster with an image that makes us say "I wanna see whatever THAT is about!" Here's what you do:

1. Come up with a shocking, lurid, visually compelling poster idea -- NO TEXT, JUST IMAGES AND GRAPHICS, though you can paint, draw, photoshop, collage, or whatever you need to do to make it POP

2. Make that poster and send us a digital copy at [email protected] no later than August 17

3. Bring us a PHYSICAL COPY of your poster along with your name and contact information no later than August 18. The poster should be 11" x 17" and of a quality that is suitable for hanging in a gallery show. Posters should be brought to The Mercury Theatre (1823 N. Charles St.). Contact us through [email protected] to arrange a drop off time.

All entries will be on display at The Mercury Theatre through August 31. On that date, we'll hold a judging party at which our secret panel of three judges PLUS THE AUDIENCE will select the winner. All rights to these posters REMAIN WITH THE ARTISTS and you will be free to price and sell your work at the event -- we do require the winner to grant YST permission to use the poster for the remaining length of the competition and performance of the plays. We also ask that if the winning poster sells at the event that it not be transferred to its owner until the end of the second part of the competition (titling the poster).

We'll be judging work based on three criteria:

1. Pure visual quality and impact -- how visually arresting is it?

2. The broad range of potential stories the work immediately evokes -- how many radically different plays could someone make out of this?

3. How shocking, lurid, and "expoitation movie-ish" is it -- does it fit with the deliciously sleazy aesthetic we love (want some good examples? Go here: http://wrongsideoftheart.com)

NOTE THIS WELL!!!! EXPLOITATION MOVIE-ISH DOES NOT MEAN DELIBERATELY RACIST, HOMOPHOBIC, MISOGYNISTIC OR ANY OTHER OF THE MORONIC BELIEF SYSTEMS THAT MAKE WEAK AND COWARDLY A**H***S FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES BY BELITTLING OR HARMING OTHERS. WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE WALKING A FINE LINE IN CELEBRATING THE EXPLOITATION TRADITION OF "INTRIGUING AND SHOCKING CRAP" WITHOUT SUPPORTING OR SEEMING TO ENDORSE CRAPULENCE. WE EXPECT THE WORK SUBMITTED TO BE CHALLENGING AND PERHAPS BOUNDARY-PUSHING. BUT WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND SIMPLE HATEFULNESS...AND SO DO YOU!

Want more info (are you still reading this)? DM us at the YST page on this here FaceHole or email to [email protected]. Hope to see your work, and please forward or share this post freely so we can pull in as much beautiful sleaze as possible. We want the Mercury Theatre to look like Times Square at midnight on a cold evening in 1977 by the time we're through

02/13/2018

Oh, wait. You'd like MORE from YST at our benefit for Jeremy Crawford this Friday night at 8PM? I swear, we do, and we do, and we do for you kids....

Howzabout ART? Not the YST style performing arts, but the take it home, put it on the wall and get transported somewhere else when you look at it kind of art?

OK. At 1825 N. Charles St, starting at 6PM on Friday Feb 16th, there'll be an exhibition and sale of some of Jeremy's work and work donated by other local artists. (Right next to the Mercury Theatre and just before doors open for the show...funny how that worked out!)

If you've seen Jeremy's stuff at the many shows he's had, you know he works in a wide range of styles and media and always produces compelling, intelligent, affecting work. You also know that he's incredibly prolific ... he just can't stop art-ing. Therefore, you can conclude that coming to the art show before the performance is something you should really do, right?

You're welcome!

02/12/2018

Rounding out our list of performers for YST's benefit for Jeremy Crawford (https://www.facebook.com/events/186260055476776/)...I'm guessing you're sold on coming by now, but we always try to over deliver!

Lucas Gerace started performing magic in 2013. Since then he has been named 2015s Best Late Night Entertainer by the City Paper, performed on the Food Network and the Travel Channel, worked on theatrical productions with Baltimore Rock Opera Society, Annex Theatre, Yellow Sign Theatre, and Nevermore Haunt. Gerace headlined his own comedy magic stage show "Spaced Out Magic" show during Artscape 2016 and has performed and taught magic workshops at MAGfest. His award-winning close-up magic show, Smirk & Mirrors, is in its third year and can be seen every week at Club Charles.

Caza Blanca is the Lovechild of Tim Curry & Marilyn Monroe!!
This Zany Enchantress has been performing for 3 years and she currently studies burlesque at Boom Boom Basics Burlesque & Performing Arts Studio under the tutelage of Deanna Danger and at the Creative Alliance with Kay Sera at Burlesque for EveryBawdy under Jo B***s, Tigger!, Darlinda Just Darlinda, Foxy Tann and Poison Ivory.

This Tri-City Lovely has performed in Baltimore, MD; Washington, DC and Richmond, VA. She is a classically trained actress having studied abroad in merry ol' England, doing Shakespeare, drama, puppetry, comedy, and avant-garde.
But she has not always been a burlesque beauty...She had a heart attack, stroke, heart transplant, and cancer. Nevertheless she persisted!!
This Vivacious Thespian of Burlesque will charm her way into your pants... em... heart!!

Dirk Hamfist is a man of few words and is the official Burlesque stage wrangler of Twisted Knickers Burlesque. Dirk Hamfist scrubs himself with a pine cone, brushes his teeth with a tumbleweed and flosses with a rattlesnake. Dirk always refers to himself in the third person. His favorite color is steak.

02/12/2018

It strikes me that some of you might not have seen what YST does with variety performance. With our event in support of our dear pal Jeremy Crawford coming up on Friday, here's a primer ... our inaugural GONG SHOW from 2013:

Yellow Sign Theatre presents Gong Show December 31, 2013

02/11/2018

Part 2 of our performer profile for Friday's benefit for Jeremy Crawford at the Mercury Theatre (February 16, doors at 7PM, show at 8PM, $8 at the door...such a deal!!)

Hot Todd Lincoln is no stranger to YST audiences. He is a Baltimore based emcee, and strongman, and sideshow performer. He connects with audiences using dry wit, bad puns, snappy suits, and inventive takes on strongman and sideshow stunts! He has been hosting and performing throughout the I-95 corridor, also dubbed the Tassel Trail! (He wrote that) over the last 6 -7 years. At YST he's appeared in The Grind and the Glitter, our radio theatre performances, and may (or may not, we're not telling) have repeatedly mocked Chuck Berris at The Gong Show.

He has performed in shows in far off and mystical lands such as NYC, Falls Church, VA, New Orleans,LA, Washington, DC, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Richmond, VA,...just to name a few. He is an emcee, and sideshow performer in Harm City Sideshow, and is the current emcee for Twisted Knickers Burlesque. He has been a guest emcee for such troupes as Wasabassco Burlesque, Black Tassel Boolesque, Peek-A-Boo R***e, Gilded Lily Burlesque, Sticky Buns Burlesque, and Birdcage Burlesque.

Shaggy Wilcox has been performing since all the way back in 2014, breaking out at YST in Curioso on Charles Street. He is Baltimore's least favorite son and he aims to prove it. A strong-man, fire-eater, glass-walker and so much more, heralded as the ultimate entertainer, songbird of our generation and a world famous lover. His performance as Baby New Year at YST's Gong Show drew rave reviews, threats of legal action, and many hard to process feelings from crowds far and wide.

He has been called "A werewolf in transition" by 98 Rock's Justin Scoot and Speigel and "A car payment" by numerous waxers, he is the Beast from the East, the Hair to Beware, The Muscles in Tussles. He will shock you, he will awe you... and then you will shock him with a 500,000 volt taser. He is the one and only, the extremely narcissistic SHAGGY WILCOX!!!

02/10/2018

So, you ask, who's performing at The Mercury Theatre on February 16 for YST's benefit for our old pal Jeremy Crawford? (if you're not familiar with the event, check yesterday's post -- newly boosted!) Remember, doors at 7PM, show at 8PM, $8 at the door!!!

Well, Let me tell ya! Here are the first two of our seven performers:

Tapitha Kix is the producer of Baltimore Based Twisted Knickers Burlesque and a long time dear friend and partner of Yellow Sign Theatre. A classically trained dancer, she combines ballet, tap and jazz into her routines merging grace and elegance with old-school bump and grind. Beyond being an award winning burlesque performer and sell-out producer throughout the region, she also co-conceived and performed in YST's "The Grind and the Glitter" and joins us onstage for our classic radio recreations (War of the Worlds, The Day the Earth Stood Still)

Cinnamon is a drag legend. Performing over five decades, she is the subject of two documentaries on drag in America -- The first, the award winning "Dragged" tells the story of Cinnamon and the lives of other drag queens including Ru Paul, Bob the Drag Queen and members of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. The producer of Dragged then went on to do a documentary on Cinnamon's life -- "Spice Girl" tells the story of a performer, striver and survivor. She describes herself as one of the oldest Drag Queens in captivity, but don't be fooled ...no one can constrain (or restrain) Cinnamon!

More to come tomorrow! Also, consider helping Jeremy out with a donation here (but still come to the show!!!): https://www.gofundme.com/jeremys-liver-transplant

02/09/2018

OK, gang.

One night only at the Mercury Theatre at 1823 N Charles Street, some dear friends and cast members of YST will come together in a sideshow/magic/burlesque/drag performance in support of our dear old Club Charles friend Jeremy Crawford.

In September, Jeremy was diagnosed with advanced liver disease and miraculously has already gone through a life-saving liver transplant. He is now in a process of recovery. Station North
has been Jeremy’s home base for over a decade, representing as an artist and as public servant. His community is now coming together to support and thank him for the years of friendly service he has provided as one of the faces of Station North and as a gallery operator at 1825 Charles St.

The show will be Friday, February 16th. Showtime will be 8 PM (doors at 7PM), cost at the door will be $8. Starting tomorrow, I'll be posting our line up of performers, including a surprise guest who's never graced YST's stage before.

But wait, there's more! After the show, go dance at Metro Gallery (1700 N. Charles) with DJ Matt Walter of Underground.

And before and between the shows, there'll be an Art Sale and Auction at 1825 Charles St. Featuring the work of Jeremy Crawford and other local artists and other surprising pieces at stake in our one night only auction.

Come out and support Jeremy...and if you can't make it, support him through this link:

This GoFundMe campaign has been started for Jeremy Crawford, one of the most sweet, good-natured people I have ever known. An artist, a loving friend and companion. This fund raising campaign is to help relieve the financial burden of lifetime medication needs, medical bills, physical therapy, c...

02/08/2018

WATCH THIS SPACE!!! Also...watch Joe Franklin!

11/19/2017

If you've ever come to see us at YST or hung out at Club Charles next door, you've probably met Jeremy. If you have, he's given you a drink, a smile, and a story ... very possibly lots of them in the course of a great night out. He could use a hand from you right now. The stage is the stage, but the dramas of real life are more important and demand your action to be resolved. Please support this man:

This GoFundMe campaign has been started for Jeremy Crawford, one of the most sweet, good-natured people I have ever known. An artist, a loving friend and companion. This fund raising campaign is to help relieve the financial burden of lifetime medication needs, medical bills, physical therapy, c...