Charlotte Shakespeare

Charlotte Shakespeare is a professional, non-profit theatre company in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company specializes in intimate and accessible performances of traditional and modern classics, with an emphasis on the plays of William Shakespeare and with a mission of presenting plays "that reflect timeless truths about the human condition and honor Shakespeare’s genius for storytelling and language".

The company was founded by Elise Wilkinson and Joe Copley in 2006 under the name Collaborative Arts Theatre. It was granted status as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in 2008. The name was changed to Charlotte Shakespeare in 2012. Charlotte Shakespeare has never had a performance venue of its own. In its first two years productions took place in a tavern, in a series of apartments, and on the Green. Since that time all plays have been produced in theaters at Spirit Square or on The Green.

2012 Season

2011 Season

2010 Season

2009 Season

2008 Season

2007 Season

2006 Season

Each summer Charlotte Shakespeare produces the Charlotte Shakespeare Festival which begins in June with a show presented outdoors on The Green, an uptown pocket park.Charlotte Magazine described the annual return of Shakespeare on the Green as, "one of the best cultural gifts Charlotte will get all year". Admission is free and the company depends on voluntary donations. A second show is presented in August at Spirit Square. Most productions are from the Shakespeare canon, but an exception was made in 2011 when the outdoor summer play was Tartuffe by Moliere.

The Metrolina Theatre Association (MTA) is a Charlotte organization which gives awards each year to support and advocate for local theatre, and these awards are a major source of public recognition for theatres, shows, and individuals. A selected list of MTA awards won by Collaborative Arts is shown below.