Charlotte Shakespeare was a professional, non-profit theatre company in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company specialized 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".
History 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 Festival on the Green in Uptown 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. The company went on hiatus in the summer of 2015 and has not reopened.Charlotte Shakespeare cancels summer season By Lawrence Toppman, The Charlotte Observer June 29, 2015
Production history 2012 Season The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare August McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square The Tempest by William Shakespeare June outdoors at The Green Bad Dates by Theresa Rebeck March Duke Energy Theatre at Spirit Square
2011 Season Time Stands Still by Donald Margulies November Duke Energy Theatre at Spirit Square King Lear by William Shakespeare August McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square Tartuffe by Moliere June outdoors at The Green Women of Will Shakespeare’s heroines March Duke Energy Theatre at Spirit Square
2010 Season Incorruptible by Michael Hollinger November Duke Energy Theatre at Spirit Square Othello by William Shakespeare August McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare June outdoors at The Green
2009 Season Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare August McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare May–June outdoors at The Green
2008 Season Sitcoms Live! Classic television sitcom episodes performed live September Duke Energy Theatre at Spirit Square Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare August McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare June outdoors at The Green Closer Than Ever by Richard Maltby and David Shire March Duke Power Theatre at Spirit Square
2007 Season The Sublet Experiment by Ethan Youngerman October various venues As You Like It by William Shakespeare June outdoors at The Green Fiction by Steven Dietz March Duke Power Theatre at Spirit Square
2006 Season Bad Dates by Theresa Rebeck September A luxury apartment at 1315 East Condominiums A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare May outdoors at The Green Tavern Shakespeare by Jocelyn Rose and Elise Wilkinson March Ri-Ra Irish Pub, near 208 N Tryon St
Charlotte Shakespeare Festival Each summer Charlotte Shakespeare produced the Charlotte Shakespeare Festival which began 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".Director Matt Cosper talks about Shakespeare's "The Tempest" Admission was free and the company depended on voluntary donations. A second show was presented in August at Spirit Square. Most productions were from the Shakespeare canon, but an exception was made in 2011 when the outdoor summer play was Tartuffe by Moliere.
Awards & reviews Metrolina Theatre Association awards 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. 2011 Outstanding Supporting Actor - Female - comedy: Meghan Lowther (Dorine) - Tartuffe 2011 Outstanding Costume Design - drama: Suzy Hartness - King Lear 2010 Outstanding Production - comedy: Incorruptible 2010 Outstanding Direction - comedy: Peter Smeal - Incorruptible 2010 Outstanding Supporting Actor - Male - comedy: Joe Copley (Brother Martin) - Incorruptible 2010 Outstanding Costume Design - comedy: Erin Dougherty - The Comedy of ErrorsAnnual Metrolina Theatre Awards: 2009-2010 2010 Outstanding Cameo: Alan England (Duke/Musician) - Othello 2008 Other Exemplary Performance/Element - comedy: Sitcoms Live!Metrolina Annual Theatre Awards: 2008-2009 2008 Outstanding Set Design - comedy: Chris Timmons - Much Ado About NothingAnnual Metrolina Theatre Awards: 2007-2008
Creative Loafing's Annual Charlotte Theatre Awards Creative Loafing (CL) is a publisher of newsweeklies and their associated websites focusing on local affairs, including arts and entertainment. A selected list of CL awards won by Collaborative Arts is shown below. 2011 Best Supporting Actress - drama: Christine Dougan (Emilia) - OthelloCreative Loafing, A full list of all the winners, by Perry Tannenbaum, May 24, 2011 2011 Top 20 Shows: Othello 2011 Top 20 Shows: Incorruptible 2010 Outstanding Costume Design - comedy: Erin Dougherty - The Comedy of ErrorsCL's 2010 Annual Charlotte Theater Award winners 2010 Outstanding Cameo - drama: Alan England (Duke/Musician) - Othello 2007 Best Performing Arts Overachiever: Elise WilkinsonCreative Loafing: Best of Charlotte 2007 2007 Best Supporting Actress - drama: Elise Wilkinson (Abby) - FictionCL's 21st Annual Charlotte Theater Awards 2007 Sweet 16 Award: The Sublet Experiment 2007 Sweet 16 Award: Fiction 2006 Theater Event of the Year: Shakespeare on the GreenCL's 20th Annual Charlotte Theatre Awards 2006 Sweet 16 Award: Bad Dates 2006 Sweet 16 Award: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Selected Reviews
Tavern ShakespeareRough-edged fun at uptown pub, by Julie York Coppens, Charlotte Observer, March 14, 2006 Tavern ShakespeareExcavating For A Bard, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, March 15, 2006 A Midsummer Night's Dream'Midsummer Night' makes delightful free debut in uptown park, by Julie York Coppens, Charlotte Observer, May 13, 2006 A Midsummer Night's DreamKicky Bard on The Green, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, May 17, 2006 Bad DatesUnusual Location suits collaborative Arts' funny 1-woman show, by Julie York Coppens, Charlotte Observer, September 9, 2006 Bad DatesBetter Than Jefferson? Surviving the Nazis in pearls and a dowdy dress, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, September 19, 2006 FictionOpen Diaries Reveal Lies of Love, by Julie York Coppens, Charlotte Observer, March 10, 2007 FictionTwo Dire Diaries, Plus, A Beauty of a Ballet, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, March 14, 2007 As You Like It As You Like ItBushels of bard: Summer theater in the city, by Perry Tannenbaum, Loafing, May 30, 2007 The Sublet Experiment The Sublet ExperimentA Den of Identity Thieves, Plus, Murder most fun, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, October 10, 2007 Closer Than Ever7 lean women, Plus, Collaborative Arts' first musical, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, March 05, 2008 Romeo and Juliet Romeo and JulietWhat the Puck? Sympathy for the jobless: Taking chances with Shakespeare, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, June 11, 2008 Much Ado About Nothing Much Ado About NothingTheatre Review, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, August 06, 2008 Sitcoms Live!Single mom dives into the ‘Date’ pool, by Julie Reed Bell, Charlotte Observer, March 16, 2012 Sitcoms Live!Ted Bundy crafts a toilet, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, September 23, 2008 Twelfth NightA pentameter picnic with Collaborative Arts' Twelfth Night, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, June 02, 2009 Julius CaesarA Very Modern Julius Caesar, by Emily Williams, charlotteviewpoint, August 11, 2009 Julius CaesarGender bending in Collaborative Arts Theatre's Julius Caeser, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, August 11, 2009 The Comedy of Errors The Comedy of ErrorsTheater review: The Comedy of Errors, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, June 08, 2010 OthelloThe green-eyed monster returns in Othello, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, August 10, 2010 IncorruptibleCorruptible characters, 'Incorruptible' vision - Comedy at Duke Energy Theater asks us to contemplate faith, cynicism and possible miracles, by Lawrence Toppman, Charlotte Observer, Nov. 03, 2010 IncorruptibleeBay goes medieval: Incorruptible, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, November 09, 2010 Women of WillTo her, Bard looks like a lady - In 'Women of Will,' Tina Packer uses Shakespeare's words to trace his increasing understanding of females, by Lawrence Toppman, Charlotte Observer, March 15, 2011 Women of WillTheater review: Women of Will, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, March 23, 2011 TartuffeTheater review: 'Tartuffe' - Hypocrisy à l’Anglais, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, June 8, 2011 King LearOlder Smith, younger company do 'Lear', by Lawrence Toppman, Charlotte Observer, August 03, 2011 King LearTheater review: King Lear, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, August 12, 2011 Time Stands StillDays of guns and roses: Ethics debated in provocative new play, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, November 22, 2011 Bad DatesUniversal appeal to ‘Bad Dates’ - One-woman show touches every emotion, by Ryanne Persinger, Charlotte Post, March 8, 2012 The TempestShakespearean sea-change: The Tempest - Outdoor production from Charlotte Shakespeare whips up a storm, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, June 07, 2012 The Merchant of Venice‘Merchant’ means business - Charlotte Shakespeare’s show finds comedy but sticks to the hard truths of a tricky play, by Lawrence Toppman, Charlotte Observer, August 16, 2012 The Merchant of VeniceTheater review: The Merchant of Venice, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, Aug 27, 2012 Opus Musical chairs at the White House - The violin's the thing in Charlotte Shakespeare's latest production, by Perry Tannenbaum, Creative Loafing, October 18, 2012
References
External links Charlotte Shakespeare Festival on the Green in Uptown A Retrospective Photo Essay