The new Calvert Street theater is up and running for the Chesapeake Shakespeare Co. They celebrated their grand opening recently with a ribbon cutting ceremony – more appropriately called a sword cutting ceremony. They cut the ribbon using swords to open the $6.7 million theater which people hope will revitalize the Calvert Street corridor downtown.

Many other establishments are planned for the area including a series of apartments, according to Kirby Fowler,  president of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore Inc.

As Fowler said, “When you think off all the projects that are filling in, this is the best time for downtown in decades. I’ve always been perplexed why Calvert Street has looked the way it has for years when it’s a block away from the Inner Harbor.”

Chesapeake Shakespeare Co. will make its Baltimore debut with performances of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” starting this weekend, with a black tie gala Saturday night. They still have $1 million to raise for pay for the theater.