The foyer of Roving Peregrine Theatre Company’s new building matches the company’s quirky style and eclectic production selection. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — A Martinsburg-based theater company, founded by Inwood resident Heather Lee Perry in 2021, has found its permanent home in Shepherdstown.

This past month, the Roving Peregrine Theatre Company (RPTC) was gifted the capital of the Black Box Arts Center (BBAC), located at 113 South Princess Street. To make this exchange possible from the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the company was, also, recently granted 501(c)3 nonprofit status, according to RPTC Treasurer Chris Leatherman.

“Now that we have our own space and that we’re actually a nonprofit, we have the ability to do much bigger things than were previously possible. I just thought we were going to be a theater club forever, going to random spaces and doing shows, but now we’re a ‘company’ company and we have a large board of directors,” Leatherman said. “It’s a lot of change, but I’m excited to see where everything goes.”

In recognition of its origin, the theater building will retain its name.

“We are going to keep it the ‘Black Box Arts Center,’ but we are the company that works out of it,” Leatherman said.

According to Leatherman, RPTC and BBAC had a preexisting relationship, with RPTC having used BBAC’s space to put on productions in the past. But being offered to be given the building by BBAC founder Laura Bakin, when she decided to retire this year, was a complete surprise.

“She approached Heather and said, ‘I want this to be yours,'” Leatherman said. “The word ‘roving’ in our company’s name hints at the fact that we never planned on having a permanent location. We were content doing theater out of here, but not attached to the building. So we had to have a very long discussion about how Laura wanted to give us this theater and how we had never planned on owning a theater.”

While accepting Bakin’s gift required some serious discussion, Leatherman said it proved to be an offer they couldn’t refuse.

“I don’t think we would get this opportunity again to put down roots. I’m glad it was here rather than anywhere else,” Leatherman said, noting that RPTC will continue to act as a traveling theater, holding some performances at locations throughout the region.

Currently, RPTC’s board and membership is comprised of thespians from West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland, including Boonsboro, Md. resident Abby Gaver.

“I work in D.C. When I first started doing theater, I thought it would just be something I was doing on the side until I moved to D.C. –nothing too crazy. But I’ve loved all of the people I’ve met here. It is such a welcoming environment and we do some really fun stuff,” Gaver, who is also a RPTC board member, said. “Now I’m really thinking, like, ‘I need to move to a midway point!'”

Leatherman, who himself is a resident of Waynesboro, Pa., said audition opportunities for the company’s productions will be posted on RPTC’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

“We always love to see new faces and help them learn more about theater! A big thing with our company is we want to provide a safe space for young actors to work in, and also for seasoned actors, because we know some theater companies don’t provide a safe environment for actors to work in,” Leatherman said, mentioning that intimacy coordinators are used, when appropriate.

Currently, RPTC is running summer camps and workshops for children in its new building. It will continue Bakin’s legacy of putting on children’s productions, but will intermix those productions with ones open to both children and adult actors, as well as ones only open to adult actors.

The Roving Peregrine Theatre Company’s 2024-2025 season will include: “The Pirates of Penzance” in August, a Haunts & Horrors Play Fest in October, “Sherlock Holmes & The Baker Street Irregulars” in November and “The Nutcracker” play in December.

Learn more at https://rovingperegrine.squarespace.com/.