Carl Cherry Center for the Arts

Witness: The Expanding Worlds of Manuello Paganelli
2025-04-04 - 2025-04-26 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
Witness: The Expanding Worlds of Manuello Paganelli, opens Friday, April 4th, at the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts with a reception from 5-7 pm. A photographer’s walkthrough will be held Saturday, April 12th, from 2-3pm. Both events are free and open to the public.
This dynamic installation provides new perspectives into Mr. Paganelli’s expansive body of work by exploring six distinct geographic regions, bringing together narratives of influence, innovation and humanity from 40 years of his work.
VISIT ONLINE EXHIBIT
Manuello Paganelli grew up in Santo Domingo, Italy and Puerto Rico. After a mentorship with Ansel Adams, he worked as a photojournalist at the Chattanooga Times. In 1989, he began to explore Cuba, its land, its people, and its complex relationship with the United States. In 1995, he had the first solo photo show of his work on Cuba, and that same year earned him a fellowship grant.
The Washington Post wrote, “Manuello Paganelli’s Cuban photographs are a brilliant window on a land and people too long hidden from North American eyes. Working in the tradition of Cartier-Bresson and Robert Frank, Paganelli brings an artist’s eyes and a native son’s sensibility to his superb photographs.” In the early 1990s, Paganelli started work on his Black Cowboys series with a selection being featured at the Annenberg Space for Photography. In the summer of 2012, this same series was selected for the Photo Vernissage at the Manage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Paganelli’s award-winning work has graced the covers and pages of many well-known magazines including Bloomberg Business Week, Forbes, LIFE, Newsweek, Men’s Journal, People, Time, Reader’s Digest, ESPN, Sports Illustrated and many more. He was Ansel Adams last student before death in 1984.
Paganelli’s fine arts work is represented by the iconic Weston Gallery in Carmel-by-the-Sea and Obscura Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He lives in Carmel and in Los Angeles.
Pictured: “Hands of Freedom #3” – Manuello Paganelli

2025 Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts Monterey County High School Poetry Awards
2025-05-03 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
The Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts Monterey County High School Poetry Awards program was designed to recognize and promote excellence in high school poets and develop an interest in creative expression through the written word.
A reading and ceremony honoring this year’s award-winning student poets will be held 2:00pm on Saturday, May 3rd, at the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel.
The program (formerly the Robert Campbell Monterey County High School Poetry Awards) was renamed last year to honor Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts, who provided inspiration and writing instruction to thousands of area high school students.
Cherry Center Poet-in-Schools:
Patrice Vecchione
Our Poet-in-Schools, Patrice Vecchione, is the author of two collections of poetry and three nonfiction books, most recently My Shouting, Shattered, Whispering Voice: A Guide to Writing Poetry & Speaking Your Truth. Patrice has taught poetry in local schools and elsewhere for many years. patricevecchione.com.
Sponsors:
The Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts Monterey County High School Poetry Awards are held each year in conjunction with Thinking Out Loud, the Cherry Center’s annual high school art exhibition. Both programs are made possible through funding from:
Arts Council for Monterey County
Carmel Woman’s Club
Carmel-by-the-Sea Rotary
Community Foundation for Monterey County
Friends of Patrice Vecchione
Gibson Family Foundation
Hazen Family Foundation
Monterey County Board of Supervisors
Monterey Public Library Foundation
Pebble Beach Company Foundation
Yellow Brick Road Benefit Store

SOLD OUT - The Bob Phillips Review Performing the Music of Johnny Mercer
2025-05-04 14:00 - 16:00 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
SOLD OUT
When you think of memorable jazz tunes, their composers and lyricists don’t always readily come to mind. Over a series of concerts, one of the Peninsula’s favorite pianists, Bob Phillips, has been taking us on a musical tour highlighting luminaries whose works have become mainstays in the world of jazz. Bob’s third and final concert on this journey will feature the works of famed lyricist, Johnny Mercer. Highly talented vocalist and stage performer Malinda DeRouen, and special guest vocalist Lee Durley, will be joining Bob for what is sure to be another outstanding Jazz At The Cherry production.
Sunday, May 4th at 2pm. Doors open at 1:30 for wine and light fare included in the ticket price. Tickets are $45, available on Eventbrite.com.

Bob Phillips is a consummate musician and without a doubt one of the finest performers on the Monterey Peninsula. Admired for his exceptional technique and on-stage liveliness, Bob has performed five times at the Monterey Jazz Festival and is currently in demand all over Central and Northern California. He has also been honored by The Monterey Jazz Festival with an endowment in his name which helps to sustain over 20 Monterey County high school students chosen every year from over 28 schools to be members of the Monterey County All-Star Band.

Through Forests of Every Color
2025-05-09 - 2025-05-31 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
“Through Forests of Every Color,” an exhibit celebrating the life of trees and western landscape in painting and photography, opens Friday, May 9th, with an artists’ reception from 5 to 7 pm. An artists’ walkthrough will be held Saturday, May 17th, at 2 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.
The exhibition will include recent paintings by Paul Roehl, Tom Nakashima, Elizabeth Murray, Patrick Ahern, Deanna Forbes, Pat Mahoney, Thomas Paquette, Jeffrey Becom and John Figura; sculpture by Polly Osborne and photography by Kenneth Parker.
Organized to explore various styles and themes in landscape painting and photography, “Through Forests for Every Color” investigates the relationship between abstraction and landscape painting, the effects of photography on landscapes, and the consideration of the materiality in both mediums. The exhibit reflects the complex and ambiguous relationship between humans, trees and the environment—a relationship of particular importance here in the West.
The exhibit can be seen Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 4 pm or by appointment through May 31st.
Pictured: “Dancing Madrones” – Elizabeth Murray

The Life and Writings of John Muir with Barbara Mossberg
2025-05-17 16:00 - 18:00 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
An Exuberant Evening with Barbara Mossberg and John Muir . . . and Louisa Wanda!
Join us Saturday, May 17th, for a magical evening of poignancy and lift in performance arts with Dr. Barbara Mossberg at the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts in Carmel. Tickets are $15, available on Eventbrite.com.
An international scholar of John Muir, teacher of eco literature, and California laureate Poet-in-Residence Emerita (Pacific Grove), Mossberg brings her poetry and scholarship to imagine and help correct the historical record of how purple prose led to public policy and civic commitment to preserve the wilderness. What does love have to do with it? Or a devoted wife? A world premiere concert recitation of a new historical musical drama on John Muir.
Join Barbara and our Cherry community for rounds of cakes and ale (always cake!) and merriment following the presentation.
Dr. Barbara Mossberg
Forest image above: goseedoexplore.com

Age is Only a Number
2025-05-30 - 2025-06-21 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
All New!
The Laugh’s on Us!
AGE IS ONLY A NUMBER
A Comedy
Another glance at age and aging with a wink.
A new play by
TOM PARKS
May 30th – June 21st
Fridays and Saturdays: 7:30pm
Sunday matinees: 2:30pm
Tickets $35
Call (831) 717-7373

Juxtapose
2025-06-20 - 2025-07-26 | CA
A Delicious Concoction of the Sublime and Absurd.
“Juxtapose,” is an inventive, immersive, two-person exhibition featuring paintings, mixed media and assemblage art by Stephanie Langley and Robert Armstrong. The exhibit opens Friday, June 20th, with an artist’s reception from 4:30 – 6:30pm. An artist’s walkthrough with Robert and Stephanie will be held Saturday, June 28th, from 3:00-4:00pm. Both events are free and open to the public.
From the guest curator:
Meeting Stephanie Langley for the first time and walking into her studio was an experience of pure joy! It was as if I had entered into a subliminal realm where images, patterns and painting styles from different eras and disciplines played happily with and off each other. Her work is delicate, surprising, balanced and exciting. In short, her work is remarkable.
When my friend, Robert Armstrong, invited me over to his house and had me open a small green vintage suitcase from the 1950’s filled with 100+ works of what he explained were influenced by “semiotics” (signs and meaning) that he had made in the mid 1970’s- 80’s, I was astounded! I truly had never seen anything quite like it. The work was very funny, very odd, and extremely clever. There was more to it than you could get your head around at first glance. After a while, most pieces evoked laughter, followed by revelatory, “Ah ha!”
This, then, is a very unique, one-of-a-kind, two-person exhibition, with close to 100 works of art, in a small gem of a gallery surrounded by a serene Zen sculpture garden. A juxtaposition all on its own.
I am very excited to have been asked to curate this show, and be able to bring these artists to you.
Jim Dultz

The Michael O’Neill/Tammy Hall Quartet
2025-06-22 14:00 - 16:00 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
Jazz At The Cherry
Proudly presents
The Michael O’Neill/Tammy Hall Quartet
San Francisco Bay Area jazz artists Michael O’Neill and Tammy Lynne Hall have put together a truly heavyweight group of musicians for this very special Jazz At The Cherry performance. A gifted saxophonist, Michael O’Neill will be leading the way along with much sought-after pianist and vocalist Tammy Lynne Hall. Rounding out the quartet are two of the Monterey Peninsula’s favorite artists, the sensational drummer Leon Joyce Jr. and talented bassist Steve Uccello. This stellar group of artists has performed at numerous venues in the SF Bay Area, and while this will be a JATC first for O’Neill and Hall, both Joyce and Uccello have had several Cherry appearances in the past. This is bound to be one of the hottest ever straight-ahead jazz shows to come to our stage, and you surely won’t want to miss it!
Sunday, June 22nd at 2:00pm. Doors open at 1:30pm for wine and light fare included in the ticket price. Tickets are $45, available on Eventbrite.com.
Michael O’Neill
Saxophonist Michael O’Neill is a mainstay in the San Francisco Bay Area jazz scene where he now leads several jazz groups. A San Diego native, Michael began studying clarinet at age eight. He took up the saxophone at thirteen and studied composition and arranging in college. Following graduate school in Texas, he returned to the SF Bay Area and studied with the great Joe Henderson. It didn’t take long for O’Neill to make a name for himself. He signed on to several steady, high-profile gigs including a thirteen-year engagement at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay, a seven-year stint at Cetrella on the coast, and a six-year steady gig at the Sofitel on the San Francisco Peninsula. He has played and/or recorded with Idris Muhammad, Joe Locke, Geoffrey Keezer, Michael Wolff, Rodney Jones, Kenny Washington, Jackie Ryan, Tony Lindsay, Akira Tana, Michael Bluestein, Nicolas Bearde, Smith Dobson, and many others. O’Neill’s first three jazz albums featured the world-renowned SF Bay Area vocalist Kenny Washington. Their partnership spans over 20 years, and the two have performed together in many notable venues including the San Jose Jazz Festival, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, and the Monterey Jazz Festival. O’Neill performs frequently at Yoshi’s and many other major venues in the SF Bay Area.
Tammy Lynne Hall
Tammy Lynne Hall began playing the piano at age four in Dallas, Texas where she was raised by two grandmothers, a grandfather and numerous aunts and uncles. Her earliest memories of the piano were of climbing onto the piano bench and picking out the notes to tunes she heard either on the radio, record player or something the choir sang at church. She attended the prestigious Mills College in Oakland, CA from 1979 to 1981. In pursuit of developing her own voice and the experiences of a ‘Jazz’ life, Tammy left Mills College and began working with local bands in the SF Bay Area. A visit to Brussels turned into a two-year stay. During this time Tammy along with saxophonist, Dr. Josylyn Segal, formed the quintet Touche Differente (Different Touch), playing in numerous venues and festivals, including the Brussels Jazz Club, the North Sea Jazz Festival, Antwerp, France, Holland and Ibiza as well as performing and recording with saxophonist Noah Howard. A truly versatile pianist, Tammy Hall’s own compositions, arrangements and improvisational style are always crowd pleasers. Tammy’s impressive accompanist skills made her a top choice for many well-known singers. She is equally gifted in Classical, Gospel, Latin, R & B and Jazz. Her major influences include Tania Maria, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Mary Lou Williams, Joe Sample and Thelonious Monk. Tammy brings virtuosity to the piano that is never ostentatious, and her approach to the music is always genuine and fresh.
Leon Joyce Jr.
Well-known on the local jazz scene, drummer Leon Joyce Jr. is a native of Meriden, Connecticut where he received his musical training through private instruction under John Oblon and Jimmy Rozelle. While still in high school, he toured Connecticut and Massachusetts with the Greater Hartford Community College Theater Group, performing the Broadway musical Hair. As a drummer, Leon has worked for a wide variety of top artists, including Ramsey Lewis, Nancy Wilson, Smokey Robinson, Teena Marie, Monty Alexander, Clark Terry, Conte Condoli, Ellis Marsalis, Larry Coryell, Gary Bartz, Billy Harper, and Pete Fountain. Leon performs regularly with his own groups as a trio, quartet or quintet format. He has also appeared with the Jamie Davis Quintet, Nicolas Bearde, Rhonda Benin, Destiny Muhammad and Tiffany Austin. Leon has also performed at many of the top International Jazz Festivals, including Montreux and Lugano Jazz Festivals in Switzerland and the Villingen Swing/Jazz Festival in Germany. Nationally, he has appeared in the Monterey Jazz and Blues, Playboy Jazz and JVC Jazz Festivals in California, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in Louisiana, JVC Jazz Festival in Colorado, Chicago Jazz, the South Shore Jazz and the Heritage Festivals in Illinois. He has also appeared in the Dijon, Lyon and Paris Blues Festivals in France, the Luzern Blues Festival in Switzerland, the Zacatecas and Oaxaca Blues Festival in Mexico and the Rhythm & Blues cruise.
Steve Uccello
As a freelance bassist, Steve plays gigs around the Monterey and San Francisco Bay areas. Steve is the bassist in The Latin Jazz Collective with John Nava as well as Monterey’s beloved group, Along Came Betty. He has played gigs with The Roger Eddy Band and legendary guitarist, Bruce Forman. Steve was also a featured soloist with the Monterey Bay Jazz Orchestra in 2009 at the 52nd annual Monterey Jazz Festival as well as with The Andy Weis Monterey Jazz Allstars at the 60th Monterey Jazz Festival in 2017. Steve has played in the Dottie Dodgion trio as well. He can be regularly found playing musical theater engagements at The Western Stage and The Pacific Repertory Theatre. Additionally, he is also the steady bassist at Santa Cruz’s First Congregational Church’s Jazz/Gospel service. Steve studied music formally at Cabrillo College under jazz trumpeter/arranger Ray Brown and Latin percussionist Mike Strunk. He completed extensive coursework in performance, theory, and musicianship, and was the principal bassist in the Cabrillo orchestra for two years. Steve completed his B.A. at CSU Monterey Bay, where he studied with world-renowned bassists Stan Poplin and Ray Drummond and legendary saxophonist Paul Contos.

Soapbox Stageworks Presents: Summer Comedy Kickoff!
2025-06-27 - 2025-06-29 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
It’s time to celebrate the carefree days of summer, and what better way than a night of comedy! Soapbox Stageworks presents four hilarious one-act plays that will lift your spirits and leave you laughing for days. Friday, June 27th through Sunday, June 29th. Curtain time is 7:00pm for the Friday and Saturday performance, and 2:30pm for Sunday. Tickets are $35 general admission, available on their website, SoapboxStageworks.org.

“Break a Leg” by Max Jackson- An understudy is thrust into a performance with a notorious Diva actress, let’s just say, things get interesting.
“Gentlemen’s Agreement” by Rich Rubin – When two Irishmen wrangle over the selling of a couch an unexpected past arises.
“Elephant in the Room” by Kacie Michele- Four strangers get stuck in an elevator and how they cope is less than conventional.
“Judy’s Place” by Karen Devaney- A beloved pub is in danger of getting bulldozed when its owner suddenly dies. Friends and patrons gather as a far fetched scheme is devised to save the place.

Living Art: Jean Cacicedo, Janet Lipkin and the Evolution of Art to Wear
2025-07-12 17:00 - 19:00 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
The Carl Cherry Center is thrilled to present the new documentary “Living Art: Jean Cacicedo, Janet Lipkin & The Evolution of Art to Wear” about two of the founding members of the “Art to Wear” movement in 1970s’ New York. Hear the artist’s talk about their processes of making garments that use the body as a sculptural armature, which comes alive when the body moves through space.
Please join us for this delightful 28-minute film, along with a moderated Q and A with Janet and Jean. This will be followed by a reception in our lovely gallery space and sculpture garden with wine, artful appetizers, a fashion show of their creations and, of course, the artists, themselves.
Janet and Jean each have their remarkable wearable textiles in the permanent collections of some of the most prominent Art museums in the country (and the world), including The Metropolitan Museum (NY), The De Young Museum (SF), The Museum of Art and Design NY, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Philadelphia Museum of Art and Hong Kong Design Institute.
They have been featured in three documentaries and their work has been included in 25 books about Wearable Art.
This is a rare opportunity meet these wonderful creators of an optimistic and fanciful future, at time when we need it most.
This film was produced by Textile Arts Council of the deYoung Museum, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
Saturday evening at 5:00 pm, July 12, 2025. $20 admission includes wine and appetizers. Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite.com.

Mattias Thedens
2025-07-18 19:00 - 20:30 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
Mattias Thedens stands as one of Norway’s emerging talents on the Hardanger Fiddle, Norway’s national instrument. Raised in a musical family, Mattias immersed himself in the world of folk festivals from a young age. He successfully completed his Bachelor of Arts in Hardanger Fiddle performance at the esteemed Norwegian Academy of Music, benefiting from the guidance of distinguished mentors such as Knut Buen and Håkon Høgemo.
In 2023, Mattias won the National competition, Landskappleiken, in Hardanger fiddle class B, and was promoted to the elite A class where he is currently one of its youngest competitors. He is dedicated to keeping the Hardanger fiddle tradition alive, exploring different regional styles and techniques while making sure the music always stays true to its roots.
Friday, July 18th, at 7:00pm. Tickets are $25, available on Eventbrite.com.

Cherry Jam in the Garden
2025-07-26 15:00 - 18:00 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
Get ready to Jam! A special event benefitting the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts.
This extraordinary afternoon will feature live music by the incomparable Rick Forschino and Friends, delicious wine from Scheid Vineyards, and light fare.
BUY JAM TICKETS ONLINE
Auction and Chance Drawing
Don’t miss your chance to win unique items and experiences in our silent auction and chance drawings! Here’s a glimpse of some of the fantastic prizes:

Full-Day Use of the Carl Cherry Theater, Gallery, and Gardens ($1200 value): Imagine hosting your next event in this beautiful space! With its Santa Maria stone fireplace and redwood beams, the gallery offers the serenity and timelessness of old Carmel. The Cherry Center is complemented by a 50-seat theater and a sculpture garden in a setting of Monterey Peninsula native plants and coastal live oaks. A venue perfect for staging a performance, film or literary event!

Three-Day Private Residential Artist’s Retreat in Cachagua ($1250 value): Escape to a 54-acre wooded property for a three-day, private artist’s retreat. Perfect for artist, writer, or anyone seeking a personal retreat, this residency offers the time, space, and quiet needed to create. You’ll stay in a snug cabin with expansive views of the Los Padres National Forest, adjacent to hiking trails and world-famous vineyards. The retreat includes support from artist Kris Swanson, who will be available to guide and assist your art project as requested. The property also features an outdoor stage for performance art and a mountain yoga platform for meditation, yoga, or writing. Enjoy late afternoon drinks and hors d’oeuvres with your hosts and fellow artists on the deck.

Custom Portrait Sitting with Kim Weston ($2500 value): Private Portrait Session with Master Photographer Kim Weston. This is a truly exceptional offering – Kim Weston, renowned master of traditional black and white photography, is donating something he rarely offers: a private portrait session in his Carmel gallery followed by his personal darkroom work to create a museum-quality 8×10 silver gelatin print.
Portrait by Mary Liz Houseman ($1000 value): Portrait by acclaimed local artist Mary Liz Houseman. The portrait can be done in pastel or acrylic from a sitting or photograph.
Season Passes to Jazz at the Cherry ($540 value): Two season passes to 2026 Jazz at The Cherry performances. Enjoy reserved tickets to six concerts held in our intimate Cherry Hall venue.
One Pass to the Carmel Jewish Film Festival ($220 value): This package includes one pass to six films, two VIP receptions, and panel discussions with community leaders. This year’s theme is, “Celebrating Culture, Social Action & Diversity in Contemporary Judaism.” November 2: Opening Celebration at the Golden Bough Playhouse, Carmel.
Festival Dates, November: 6th, 8th, 9th;13th, 15th, 16th.

Take home a piece of singular, expansive, and evocative contemporary art. The artw0rk was donated by the artists from the Cherry Center’s current exhibit, Juxtapose, which combines text, graphics, humor, and verve.

Artwork by Stephanie Langley – Select a work of your choice (up to $500) from the current exhibition.

Artwork by Robert Armstrong – Choose a unique piece (up to $500) from the gallery showing.

Tickets are $60, and can be purchased online at Eventbrite.com, at the door or by calling (831) 624-7491. All proceeds will go to the Cherry Center’s general fund.

To Look Under the Lens
2025-08-08 - 2025-08-23 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
“To Look Under the Lens” is an exhibition featuring historical photographs, poems, and artwork by our founder, Jeanne D’Orge (Mrs. Carl Cherry). To complement the exhibit, a poetry reading will be held Saturday, August 16th, at 4pm. The event will feature reading by Elliot Ruchowitz Roberts, George Lober, and Rachelle Escamilla. Tickets are $15, available on Eventbrite.com or by calling (831) 624-7491. Use this link for more information about the event.
Pictured: Untitled – Jeanne D’Orge

Ukulele Melee - A Celebration of the Uke!
2025-08-09 14:00 - 15:30 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
Ukulele Melee is a celebration of the world’s friendliest four-string instrument: the uke! The event will feature performances by local musicians Ukulele Dick, Steve Mortensen and Dixie Dixon, Sandor Nagyszalanczy and Karen Lehman, Bruce and Pamela Forman, and the Haole Harmony Trio. There’ll also be a special guest (or two), audience sing alongs and more. It promises to be a fun afternoon for all ukulele fans that’s not to be missed!

Sandor Nagyszalanczy

The original Ukulele Melee was created about 15 years ago by Dixie Dixon as a celebration to honor the legacy of her husband Daniel Dixon, a noted local author and musician. The 2025 Ukulele Melee continues this popular celebration for a new generation of ukulele players and enthusiasts.
Saturday, August 9th at 2:00pm. Tickets are $30, available on Eventbrite.com.

"Only to Look: Under the Lens" - Postponed
2025-08-16 16:00 - 17:30 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
This event is postponed due to illness. Please check back for new date and time.
“Only to Look: Under the Lens,” a Poetry Reading with Rachelle Escamilla, George Lober and Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts will be held at the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts on Saturday, August 16th, at 4 p.m. Tickets are $15, available on eventbrite.com or by calling (831) 624-7491.
Each summer, the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts illuminates the connection between the artwork and poetry of Jeanne D’Orge (Mrs. Carl Cherry) and contemporary local artists and poets in celebration of the center’s seventy-seventh year.

About the Poets:
Rachelle Escamilla is a Chicana poet from the Central Coast of California. She is the author of three books of poetry: Imaginary Animal (Willow Books, 2015 & 2021), Me Drawing a Picture of Me[n] (Willow Books, 2019) and Space Junk from the Heavenly Palace (Nomadic Press/Black Lawrence Press 2023). Rachelle is the founder of a number of organizations and literary programs; was the producer and host of the longest running poetry radio show in the US; was a visiting scholar at the Library of Congress, Hispanic Division where she conducted research around her grandfather’s 1969 testimony for the fair treatment of migrant laborers in California. Rachelle is a Jeffers Fellow and the 2024/25 Poet Laureate of Monterey County.
George Lober teaches English at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He received his Bachelor of Arts in English from San Jose State and his master of Arts in English from Fresno State. He is a recipient of the nationally awarded Ruth Cable Memorial Prize for Poetry. His poetry has appeared in numerous magazines and journals. George is the author of three books of poetry, including the recently released, Rainbow Eucalyptus. He lives in Carmel, California.
Elliot Ruchowitz-Roberts is Professor Emeritus at Monterey Peninsula College where he taught composition, literature, public speaking and humanities for 32 years. He serves as President of the Robinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation in Carmel, California. Ruchowitz-Roberts coordinates the Foundation’s annual Prize for Poetry, annual reading series, and serves as a tour docent. He coordinated the National Endowment for the Arts, “The Big Read: The Poetry of Robinson Jeffers,” during which he read and performed Jeffers’s poetry at venues throughout Monterey County, including local libraries, high schools and colleges. The Carl Cherry Center’s high school poetry contest is named in his honor.

The Dick Whittington Trio Presents Music from the Great American Songbook
2025-08-17 14:00 - 16:00 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
Jazz At The Cherry is pleased to bring back to our stage one of the Monterey Peninsula’s most well-known pianists, Dick Whittington. Joining Dick will be another local favorite, drummer Leon Joyce Jr. Rounding out the trio will be the versatile and creative bassist, Dan Robbins. Sunday, August 17th, at 2pm. Doors open at 1:30pm for wine and light fare included in the ticket price. Tickets are $45, available on Eventbrite.com. Be sure to buy yours today – this year, every performance has sold out.
Dick and his trio will treat us to an array of tunes from the Great American Songbook, featuring works by composers Harold Arlen Irving Berlin, Gershwin, Cole Porter and Richard Rodgers, as well as Jazz Standards by Dizzy Gillespie and John Lewis.
Dick Whittington
Dick Whittington grew up in Los Angeles, and while earning a degree in elementary education at Cal State Northridge, he was working gigs with: Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Criss, Barney Kessel, Charles Lloyd, Charlie Haden, Scott Lafaro, Gary Peacock, and Billy Higgins. Dick later went on to accompany vocalists Anita O’Day, Ernestine Anderson, Dinah Washington, and Mel Torme. Over the last five decades, he has performed with many jazz greats, including: Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, James Moody, Lee Konitz, Art Pepper, Eddie Harris, and Chet Baker.
Leon Joyce Jr.
A local favorite, drummer Leon Joyce, Jr has worked for a wide variety of top artists, including Ramsey Lewis, Nancy Wilson, Smokey Robinson, Teena Marie, Monty Alexander, Clark Terry, Conte Condoli, Ellis Marsalis, Larry Coryell, Gary Bartz, Billy Harper, and Pete Fountain. He has also performed at many of the top International Jazz Festivals, including Montreux and Lugano Jazz Festivals in Switzerland and the Villingen Swing/Jazz Festival in Germany. Nationally, he has appeared in the Monterey Jazz and Blues, Playboy Jazz and JVC Jazz Festivals in California, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in Louisiana, JVC Jazz Festival in Colorado, Chicago Jazz, the South Shore Jazz and the Heritage Festivals in Illinois. He has also appeared in the Dijon, Lyon and Paris Blues Festivals in France, the Luzern Blues Festival in Switzerland, the Zacatecas and Oaxaca Blues Festival in Mexico and the Rhythm & Blues cruise.
Dan Robbins
Dan has played and recorded in settings ranging from solo, duo, trio, etc. to big band and orchestra, and is known for driving, creative, harmonically and melodically rich background and lead parts on bass. He doubles on both acoustic bass, and four, five, six, and seven-string electric bass, in styles ranging from solo jazz chord-melody arrangements, to hard-swinging jazz double bass accompaniment, acoustic and electric funk, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, Carribean, rock, R&B, blues, tango, Indian, and fusion styles, as well as arco (played with the bow) classical and contemporary interpretations of composed music. When you hear Dan perform his energetic and spellbinding solos, you will understand why he is one of the most in demand musicians on the west coast and beyond.

Monterey Comedy Improv SOLD OUT
2025-08-30 19:00 - 20:30 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
SOLD OUT
The Monterey Comedy Improv is back! The premier improv comedy troupe on the peninsula will be back in action on Saturday, August 30th, at 7pm.
Similar to “Whose Line is it Anyway,” Monterey Comedy Improv takes audience suggestions or volunteers and instantly creates hilarious scenes right on the spot. Join us for a night of fun and laughs! For audiences 16+.
Tickets are $20, available on Eventbrite.com.

Monterey Jazz - A Visual Legacy
2025-09-05 - 2025-10-04 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
The Carl Cherry Center for the Arts is proud to announce “Jazz at the Cherry Presents: Monterey Jazz – A Visual Legacy,” a vibrant photographic exhibition honoring the rich and enduring heritage of jazz in the Monterey Bay Area.
On view from September 5 through October 4, 2025, the exhibition features a curated collection of iconic and rarely seen images by Monterey Jazz Festival photographers Craig Lovell, Patrick Tregenza and others. Also showcased are works by Ron Jones, longtime official photographer for the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz. Together, these artists capture the intimacy, energy and artistry of some of the world’s most legendary jazz performers – as well as the unmistakable spirit of Monterey’s storied jazz scene.
An artists reception will be held in the Carl Cherry Center’s garden on Sunday, September 21 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. featuring live jazz, refreshments, and artist talks – a chance to meet the photographers and hear the stories behind the images.
Special guest Tim Jackson, recently retired Monterey Jazz Festival Artistic Director and Kuumbwa Jazz Founder, will also be on hand sharing his perspective on the world of Monterey Bay jazz.
The Cherry Center is proud to host this exhibition as part of its ongoing Jazz at the Cherry initiative – a celebration of jazz through visual and performing arts in Monterey County.
Pictured: Dizzy Gillespie by Craig Lovell

Soapbox Stageworks Presents: September SIzzlers
2025-09-18 - 2025-09-27 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
This September, Soapbox Stageworks is serving up four incredibly spicy – and diverse – plays. They return to the Cherry Theater September 18th, 19th, 20th, 26th and 27th. Curtain is 7pm. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased on their website, Soapbox Stageworks.org.
About the Plays:

‘Amusing Willie’, by Donald Loftus – A clever interpretation of the creative writing process and it’s surprising collaborators.

‘Ramifications’, by Alex Bernstein – A young man seeks direction from an unusual source.​

‘Rubbish’, by Earl Crittendon – What begins as a simple rummage sale spirals into a hilarious yet thought-provoking tug-of-war over history, legacy, and identity.

‘Maltese Monkey’, by Margie Semilof – An attorney must determine which of two warring adult children is worthy of a precious and storied family jewel that has no named heir in a will.

About Soapbox Stageworks:
Soapbox Stageworks began in Philadelphia by Karen Devaney, a playwright, performer, director and producer. She wanted to create a space for new works to evolve, grow and thrive.
Now located in the gorgeous Central Coast of California, Soapbox wants to explore plays and playwrights that have diligently worked their craft and are looking to workshop new material. Collaboration with the community along with local performers, directors, and playwrights, they want to give back to the community by donating 10% of all performances to a local nonprofit.
Soapbox Stageworks is a thriving local theatre that thinks and acts globally to include playwrights and thespians from around the world.

Paper Works
2025-10-10 - 2025-11-22 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
Paper Works is a compelling group exhibition that brings together a diverse group of local and national artists to explore the versatility and intimacy of paper as a primary medium. The exhibit opens Friday, October 10th, with a reception rom 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
The exhibit beyond the perception of paper as a mere surface for preliminary sketches, positioning it as a dynamic and central element of artistic creation. The exhibition features over 30 works, including intricate graphite drawings, charcoal compositions, vibrant watercolors, collages and prints. The collection highlights the unique relationship each artist has with their chosen material, showcasing a range of styles from delicate realism to expressive abstraction and free-hand drawings.
Artists include Tracey Adams, Andrea Borsuk, Lisa Esherick, Ken Hale, Lisa Hochstein, Don Hughes, Kirstine Reiner Hansen, Jennifer Brook-Kothlow, Chris Leib, Rick Soto, The Temple Sisters, and Jan Wurm.
Paper Works can be seen through November 22nd, 2025. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday from noon until 4pm or by appointment.
Pictured: “Valor” by Don Hughes

Open Studios Art Tour
2025-10-11 - 2025-10-12 | CA
The Carl Cherry Center for the Arts will host two artists participating in this year’s Open Studios Art Tour. Tour hours are 11am to 5pm on Saturday, October 11th, and 12pm to 5pm on Sunday, October 12th. The event is free and open to the public.
Artists Showing at The Cherry:
Renata Abma (acrylic and oil paintings)
Gloria Shaw (fine art monotypes)

SMILE: A Clown’s Ascension
2025-10-16 - 2025-10-18 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
For the first time in the United States, Henry Miller’s luminous parable, “The Smile at the Foot of the Ladder” comes to life on stage in a bold new adaptation: SMILE: A Clown’s Ascension.
An Event to Remember
This is not just another play — it is a once-in-a-lifetime convergence of literature and theater. It is a threshold where architecture shelters imagination, where laughter deepens into joy. Years from now, the question will be asked: Were you there?
Performances are Thursday, October 16th through Saturday, October 18th at 7:30 pm, and a matinee on Saturday, October 18th at 2pm. Tickets are $40, available on Eventbrite.com using the links below. Due to language and subject matter, the play is suggested for 14 and up.
October 16 – Carl Cherry Center for the Arts, Carmel (7:30 pm)
October 17 – Carl Cherry Center for the Arts, Carmel (7:30 pm)
October 18 – Carl Cherry Center for the Arts, Carmel (2:00 pm)
October 18– Carl Cherry Center for the Arts, Carmel (7:30 pm)
Presented, not coincidentally, during the international symposium Henry Miller in the 21st Century — already described by one writer as “Live Aid for Miller aficionados”—this production promises to be one of the highlights of the cultural season.
About the Play
At the center of SMILE: A Clown’s Ascension is Auguste, a world-famous circus clown known for his smile of mystic bliss. Yet fame leaves him unsatisfied. He yearns to give audiences more than laughter — he longs to offer them nothing less than everlasting joy. What could be more fitting, or more impossible, for a clown?
Where pantomime, music, and performance merge into one luminous gesture. Inspired by the cubist painter Fernand Léger — whose postwar circus imagery inspired and accompanied Miller’s fable, reinforcing its parable-like quality — this adaptation reimagines a modern fable as a living parable for our times.
The Creative Team

Dennis Leroy Kangalee — Actor/Writer, starring as Auguste. A celebrated radical artist known for his uncompromising passion and truth.
Magus Magnus — Co-Writer & Director. Poet, playwright, and visionary of Poets Theater with a record of staging works in groundbreaking spaces.
Justine Stock — Producer (J. Stock Productions). A seasoned producer and arts advocate bringing over 20 years of theatrical experience. She is the managing director and co-founder of New Canon Theatre Co.

Don’t Miss This Moment
The performance is more than a play. It is the beginning of something that may resonate for years to come: a unique collaboration, a meeting of artistic giants, and a cultural landmark of lasting importance.
Seating is limited. History will only be made once.
Be there.
Content Disclosure:
SMILE: A Clown’s Ascension is appropriate for ages 14 & up. It contains thoughts of suicide, strong language, violence, racism, and loud bang that may be distressing to some audience members.

Darrell Voss Trio
2025-10-19 14:00 - 16:00 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
Jazz At The Cherry is excited to extend our reach southward, connecting with the vibrant jazz scene of San Luis Obispo. At its heart is drummer Darrell Voss, a driving force on the Central Coast for many years. He’ll be joined by two of the region’s finest — bassist Dylan Johnson and pianist Marshall Otwell — to form a powerhouse trio. Together, they’ll bring an afternoon of spirited, straight-ahead jazz: swinging standards, lyrical ballads, and soulful blues. Their groove is infectious, and after hearing them, you may find yourself planning a trip south to experience more of the exceptional jazz talent thriving in the San Luis Obispo area.
Performance is Sunday, October 19th at 2pm. Doors open at 1:30 for wine and light fare (included in the ticket price. Tickets are $45, available on Eventbrite.com.
Darrell Voss
Band leader Darrell Voss, percussionist and educator, has been a central figure in the Central Coast music community for over 30 years. A member of the Cuesta College music faculty since 2000, he teaches in the applied music program, is a key member of the jazz faculty, and has co-directed the Summer Jazz Workshop for the past eight years. Darrell has performed or recorded with The Starlight Dream Band, Jim Barnett Trio, John Proulx, Rick Jarrett, Jeff Babko, Andy Martin, Charlie and Sandy Shoemake, Randy Brecker, Pat Kelley, Doug McDonald, Robert Alberts Quintet, and Kathryn Loomis, among many others. He continues a full schedule of performing and teaching across the West Coast. He received his degrees from Cuesta College and Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, and studied with Jeff Hamilton, Charlie Shoemake, Steve Houghton, and classical percussionists Ross Sears and Paulene Soderholm. He has also participated in the Stanford Jazz Workshop, USC Masterclasses, Percussive Arts Society, and Jazz Educators Network events.
Marshall Otwell
Jazz pianist Marshall Otwell is internationally recognized for his artistry and extensive career in performance and education. He spent more than eight years as pianist and musical director for Carmen McRae, touring worldwide and recording several albums with her, including the Grammy-nominated Live at the Great American Music Hall with Dizzy Gillespie. He currently resides in Los Osos, California, teaches part-time at Cuesta College, and continues to share his deep love of jazz with students and audiences alike. Marshall has toured with Freddie Hubbard, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Charlie Musselwhite, and has performed or recorded with Michael Brecker, Ray Brown, Chick Corea, Gerry Mulligan, Sarah Vaughan, Mel Tormé, Zoot Sims, Percy Heath, Ernie Watts, Ernestine Anderson, Andrea Carter, Steve Wilson, and many others. He has also been featured at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, opening for Diane Schuur and Lavay Smith, and appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival with his own trio as well as with Dave Becker’s Central Coast All-Stars. He has contributed to jazz education as a faculty member at Jazz Camp West, a trustee for Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz, and as a part-time instructor at Cuesta College.
Dylan Johnson
Electric and acoustic bassist Dylan Johnson has been a mainstay of the Central California music community for over 25 years. In addition to having performed extensively on both coasts of the U.S., he holds a master’s degree from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music and completed his undergraduate studies at Berklee College of Music. Based on the Central Coast of California, he performs regularly with Inga Swearingen, Charlie Shoemake, and often accompanies touring jazz artists in addition to projects in many other styles. Dylan has accompanied John Abercrombie, Ray Vega, Shunzo Ohno, Marco Benevento, Joe Russo, Adam Nussbaum, Jeff Hirshfield, George Schuller, Jim Pugh, Pablo Menendez, Colin Bailey, Lanny Morgan, Gary Foster, Red Holloway, Bruce Forman, John Stowell, Frank Potenza, Pete Christlieb, Stacy Rowles, Ron Stout, Bob Sheppard, Jimmy Branly, Paul Kreibech, Steve Ture, and Wynton Marsalis. He is currently on the music faculty at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, CA.

Playfest '25!
2025-11-22 19:00 - 21:00 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
Playfest ’25! is Soapbox Stageworks’s third annual ten-minute play celebration!
This year, we have six brand new plays to be performed:

“The Productive Cough” by David Kosky — An absurd comedy about a patient’s allergy to news that creates unusual side effects that an MD diagnoses as psychosomatic.
“Meet Me in Paris” by Kacie Devaney — When Judy tells her husband, Marty, that she wants a radical change in their forty-year marriage, the discussion doesn’t go as planned.
“Proxima B” by Robert Paul Moreira — A brilliant Latina astrophysicist yearns for her colleagues’ recognition, but instead gains the attention of a person she wished she’d never met.
“Days of Separation” by Gordon M. Bolar — When a cynical actress and her theatre-critic husband attempt to discuss their impending divorce, a secret is revealed.
“Sacramental Blocks” by Karen Devaney — A dark comedy about Catarina, an Italian woman in Sonoma, California trying to save the family vineyard during Prohibition.
“I’ll Be Seeing You” by Donald Luftus — It’s 1944, and Joey wants his girl Jenny to wait for him before shipping off to Europe. But is she ready to commit?

Come celebrate with us on Saturday, November 22nd at 7pm. Tickets are $35, available at soapboxstageworks.org

Along Came Betty
2025-12-07 14:00 - 16:30 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
Jazz At The Cherry is pleased to bring back Along Came Betty for another traditional December jazz treat. Join us Sunday, December 7th, for some great music, wine and light fare–all included in the ticket price. Doors open at 1:30pm; performance begins at 2:00pm. Tickets are $45, available online at eventbrite.com.
Spark up your holiday spirit with some of the best bebob and straight-ahead jazz on the West Coast. Along Came Betty will delight you with their rich harmonized sax and trumpet, backed by the classic piano, bass and drums rhythm section.
This group of highly talented musicians (Bill Spencer, piano; Brian Stock, trumpet and flugelhorn; Paul Tarantino, saxophone; Pete Lips, bass; Patrick Tregenza, drums) has performed at many local and national jazz venues, including the Monterey Jazz Festival and the Big Sur Jazz Festival. Since 1998, they have been celebrating the spirit of hard-bop, a seminal movement of 50s and 60s jazz.
Sponsored by Robert Evans and Michele Littell

Make Merry at The Cherry
2025-12-12 17:00 - 19:00 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
Make Merry at The Cherry: (With Wine!)
The Cherry Center invites you to Make Merry at the Cherry on Friday, December 12th, from 5-7pm.
Our holiday open house will feature a chance drawing for a wine wheelbarrow filled with a large collection of fine wines, reasonably-priced art by noted local artists, wine poured by Scheid Vineyards, and seasonal goodies. The event is free and open to the public.
Sponsored by: CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)

A Book Party in Three Acts - Reception and Reading From Tom Parks' New Memoir
2025-12-14 14:00 - 16:00 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
“I didn’t really know who I was until I reached 60. I did not want to live the unexamined life. And so, I examined. The results are pending.” from Tom Parks’ new memoir, “A Life Backstage”
A Book Party in Three Acts
Friends and fans of Carmel’s most popular and prolific playwright, Tom Parks, are invited to The Carl Cherry Theater on Sunday, December 14th, from 2 – 4 pm for a reception and reading from his new memoir, “A Life Backstage.”
ACT I: Grab a glass of wine and a copy of Tom’s book in the Cherry gallery.
ACT II: Listen to a few of Tom’s actor/ friends read from his book in the Cherry theater.
ACT III: Return to the Cherry gallery for a food and wine reception.
The event is free. To reserve your seat for the reading, use this Eventbrite Link.

New Year's with The Cherry Trio
2026-01-01 15:00 - 16:30 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
Join The Cherry Trio — Elizabeth Gaver (baroque violin), Penny Hanna (viol), and Michael Peterson (harpsichord) — to ring in the New Year with music from seventeenth century France and Germany!
The trio will perform the third “Piece de Clavecin en Concerts” of Rameau – a suite of French dance movements for the harpsichord accompanied by violin and viol. In addition, they will play trio sonatas by Krieger and Buxtehude, both with solo melody lines for the viol as well as the violin. The program also includes pieces by Abel for solo viol, a solo for harpsichord, and traditional Norwegian dances dating from the 18th century.
Thursday, January 1st at 3pm. Tickets are $40, available on Eventbrite.com.
Please join us after the concert for a reception.

Almost True Stories: New Works by Donald Lee Andrews and Rick Soto
2026-01-16 - 2026-02-21 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
“Almost True Stories: New Works by Donald Lee Andrews and Rick Soto” opens January 16th with an artist’s reception from 5 to 7 pm. The reception offers a unique opportunity for the community to meet the artists, discuss the inspirations behind the collection, and experience the energy of the local art community firsthand. This event is free and open to the public.
The exhibit showcases a vibrant collection of new paintings that bridge the gap between individual identity and shared artistic brotherhood. Attendees can expect a diverse array of works that highlight Rick Soto’s signature approach alongside the distinct, evocative style of Donald Lee Andrews. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 4pm or by appointment. The exhibit will close Saturday, February 21st.
This exhibit is sponsored by Kyler Engineering and Lorna Pierce.

Jazz at The Cherry: Julie Capili and Friends
2026-01-18 14:00 - 16:00 | The Carl Cherry Center, Fourth and Guadalupe, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
To kick off our 2026 concert season with elegance and energy, Jazz at the Cherry is thrilled to welcome local jazz vocalist Julie Capili to our stage. Julie’s subtle phrasing and exquisite vocal control radiate both creativity and playfulness, bringing a joyful sense of exploration to every song she sings. Influenced by a wide range of artists — from Aretha Franklin and Ella Fitzgerald to Eva Cassidy and Tori Amos — she draws from many traditions while forging a style uniquely her own.
While her voice may recall echoes of the great singers of the past, Julie brings a personal touch and emotional depth to each performance, delivering her music with the grace, soul, and spirit of jazz’s legendary women. She’ll be joined by three of the Monterey Bay area’s finest jazz musicians: Bill Spencer on piano, Pete Lips on bass, and Ben Herod on saxophone. Together, they promise an enchanted afternoon of timeless, joyful jazz.
Sunday, January 18th, at 2pm. Doors open at 1:30pm for wine and light fare included in the $45 ticket price. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite.com.
