Recent Projects
Penelope: An Epic New Musical
Jobsite Theater
Penelope has been waiting … and waiting … and waiting for her husband, Odysseus, to return from a decade-long war. Given the rest of the soldiers came home years ago — forgive her, but she’s going to need a drink while she tells you about it.
With a beautiful folk-inflected pop score backed by an onstage band of strings, piano, and drums, Penelope confides in us about her loneliness, her son’s disappearance, her suitors, her gods, her faith in her marriage — and ultimately, the faith that she must have in herself.
It has been the honor of my life to get to play Penelope in the southeastern premiere of this new musical. Alex Bechtel, Eva Steinmetz, and Grace McClean created something truly special and I love getting to be a part of the early life of this piece. The music is stunning, the writing is equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, and our audiences have had such a strong emotional reaction to our production. I’ve loved every second of getting to bring this story to life and can’t wait to do it again some day!
Learn more and check out our press and production photos here!
“Colleen Cherry delivers a powerhouse performance, creating a character both elegant and playful. Her voice fills the theater as she is by turns siren and supplicant transitioning between beautiful and ridiculous with the expertise of an actress who understands how to connect with her audience and invite them on an emotional journey. In the intimate space of a small theater, every expression and nuance is visible, and Cherry inhabits the character with a vulnerability and sincerity that sets the performance apart.”
-Audience Review
Girls Rock St. Pete
Girls Rock St. Pete is a grassroots movement that uses music and collaboration to build self-confidence and community. This non-profit is dedicated to empowering girls, gender-expansive folx and women through fearless expression, artistic experimentation and collaboration. “Girls Rock” isn’t just a saying but a community-building force for good, rooted in music, mentorship and love. It’s where girls take up space, love themselves and ROCK OUT.
During camp, the girls have just one week to learn new instruments, form bands, write an original song, and play it for their adoring fans at Jannus Live. Ladies Rock is a shortened version of this where they accomplish the same in just a few days and get to rock out at Bayboro Brewing. They also have workshops with community partners to learn about musical herstory, social justice, and empowerment!
For the last three years I’ve gotten to work with Girls Rock St. Pete as the songwriting coach for their Girls and Ladies Rock Camps and it’s my absolute FAVORITE thing to do! My workshop aims to demystify the songwriting process by giving them a creative toolbox to approach collaborative creation and instill the mantra that anything can be a song. I love watching them tap into their creativity and unleash their brilliant songs on their adoring audience!
Puffs: Or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic
Jobsite Theater
For seven years a Certain Boy Wizard went to a Certain School and conquered evil. You Know. Who He Is. This is not his story, sorry, but that of those who also happened to be there, too. Puffs is a play for anyone who has never been destined to save the world, for anyone who has ever felt like a secondary character in someone else’s story!
This was easily the most fun I’ve ever had on stage with an ensemble of the MOST hilarious, talented friends. As a lifelong Harry Potter fan it was pure magic getting to attend this certain school of - ahem - Magic and Magic with this ragtag team of underdogs. We even won a Creative Loafing Best of the Bay Staff Pick Award for Best Underdogs!
“The mega-talented Colleen Cherry is wildly wondrous in her various roles, especially as a deadly dragon…and the house elf Bippy, who’s fated for a Dobby-like demise.”
-Peter Nason - BroadwayWorld
The Florida Bjorkestra’s Buffy Fest
The Florida Bjorkestra, a 20-piece band of the area’s best local musicians and actors that pay tribute to artists like Kate Bush, David Bowie, and Tori Amos, presented Buffy Fest twice before with year-three meant to happen in March 2020. Five years later we finally got the band back together for the 3rd iteration of Buffy Fest featuring the entirety of “Once More with Feeling” and “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog.”
I love not only starring as my favorite childhood hero, Buffy, but getting to produce this event which features an artist and makers market in The Magic Box, audience interaction, and bringing a dedicated fanbase from all over the country to celebrate a show so deeply engrained in our souls. Buffy fans are truly special.
“The Florida Björkestra is a bonafide gem of the Tampa Bay music scene, and its tribute shows should be the standard for local ensembles.” – Creative Loafing
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play with Tampa Rep
In December 2024 I was thrilled to make my directorial debut with Tampa Rep’s It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. This show is near and dear to my heart, having played Mary Hatch Bailey three years in a row with American Stage and loving the movie since childhood. I had a cast of fearless, fun actors (and the best foley artist/musician in town - Jeremy Douglass!) who truly brought the citizens of Bedford Falls to life and a wonderful production team who helped bring my vision to fruition. This show was a love letter to our community and something I’m so very proud of.
“Director Colleen Cherry proves she has a strong hand both onstage and behind the scenes as well. Her debut as a Director is masterfully rendered. Expertly paced and staged with the finest of detail. Colleen’s work here is a stunning display of vision and storytelling, and I for one cannot wait to see her in the Director’s chair again very soon.” - Drew Eberhard - BroadwayWorld
Gorey Stories at Jobsite Theater
I had a spooky, fun time playing a range of characters as Ortenzia in Jobsite Theater’s GOREY STORIES based on the stories of Edward Gorey. Operatic clown? Check. Demonic child? Check. Murderous cousin? Check. I got to join a fabulous ensemble of performers and we made it through the rehearsal process in three short weeks, after facing two hurricanes. The show was a welcome, hilarious distraction to our audiences. The design was visually stunning in complete grey scale where we brought Gorey’s illustrations to life.
I was nominated for Outstanding Actress - Play and we received and award for Outstanding Ensemble from Theatre Tampa Bay.
“Colleen Cherry is exceptional as Ortenzia. She takes on each character with a different point of view, with a well planned moment to moment leading her through-line amidst the sequence of events. The Operatic moments late in the show are masterful and her vocals are on top display here. With Colleen at the helm, there is always a fascinating performance waiting around every turn, and here is no exception.” - Drew Eberhard - BroadwayWorld
Rocky Horror at Jobsite Theater
I got to spend the summer of 2024 playing Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show! This may have been my favorite show of all time, getting to play a role I’d dreamed about playing ever since I first caught the Rocky bug as a pre-teen. I literally dressed as Columbia in my Rocky Horror themed 12th Birthday party - as they say “Don’t dream it, be it!” Getting to share this much joy with an incredible cast and band to a packed 300 seat theater night after night was an incredible experience. People across generations came dressed up, Time Warped with us, and gave us so much energy. I loved being a part of this sparkly, fabulous party of a show!
“As Columbia, Colleen Cherry once again showcases her awe-inspiring vocal range as well as her onstage courage. She, like the rest of the cast, doesn’t blink when diving into the more sordid side of life. At one point, she sings “It’s a gas!” and then turns her back on the audience, bends over, and bravely mimics breaking wind. Not every performer could accomplish this--turning a fart joke into a moment of crazed exuberance. But Ms. Cherry isn’t every performer; she’s a one of a kind find.” Peter Nason - BroadwayWorld
Theatre Tampa Bay and BroadwayWorld Nominee for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
LIZZIE at Jobsite Theater
I got to reprise the role of the infamous Lizzie Borden in the rock musical LIZZIE at Jobsite Theater after portraying her back in 2016. It was a wonderful celebration of girl power getting to rock out each night with our phenomenal cast and band. Lizzie was a dream role for me back in 2016 and I was thrilled to get to swing the axe and belt my face off to sold out houses night after night!
Arts Annual 2023: ARTSVenture
Creative Pinellas
Creative Pinellas uplifts local artists in our community. I was honored to get to kick off the entrainment of their inaugural ARTSVenture - a family-friendly festival featuring an arts and crafts market, live performances, gallery exhibition, craft activities, and more! I played a solo set of all original songs on their outdoor stage.
Murals in Mind with
St. Pete Arts Alliance
“Murals in Mind” is a new program from the St. Pete Arts Alliance (SPAA) that brings our community of artists together to support and uplift wellness for all, because ART HEALS. I wrote an interactive musical improv song, recorded and accompanied by the brilliant Jeremy Douglass, exploring gratitude inspired by the Shine mural “Can’t Thank You Enough” by Leo Gomez. People who visit the mural can use a QR code to listen and sing along! Check out the mural at 744 6th Ave. S. St. Pete, FL 33701 at Bayfront Health St. Pete and let your gratitude shine!
Jobsite Theater’s Alice
Jobsite Theater’s ALICE is a brand-new cabaret spectacle based on the writing of Lewis Carroll that fuses live music, visual art, puppetry, aerial and circus arts, and plenty of good ol’ fashioned theater magic. It was completely devised by ensemble members of Jobsite and enjoyed a sold out run in the Spring of 2023. I got to write lyrics for several of the songs, inspired by Carroll’s books and poems with music composed by Jeremy Douglass and I portrayed The Queen of Hearts/Bandersnatch.
The Sugar Bats
The Sugar Bats is my musical collaboration with the incomparable Branden Barnett of the indie band Ghost Shirt. We started songwriting together in 2022 and are currently recording an album set to be released in 2024. It’s a little indie rock and a lot of big feelings, with songs about heartbreak, video games, and werewolves! Here’s our song “Origami” from our performance at Jobsite Rocks 2022 at New World Musical Hall.
Custom Songs
I’ve written 100+ custom songs for people’s pets and loved ones. The idea started out as fundraiser for SPCA Tampa Bay’s Virtual Pet Walk in 2020 where I wrote 40+ songs in a few weeks and gained local media attention - including being asked to write a song for Fox 13 Weather Man Paul Dellegatto’s famous pup Brody! I now take orders year-round for custom songs written for your pets, loved ones, business, or special occasion!