Charleston Stage Company

THE MISSION OF CHARLESTON STAGE COMPANY IS TO PRODUCE LIVE THEATRE OF THE HIGHEST CALIBER FOCUSING ON PLAYS WHICH EXCITE AND INCITE THE IMAGINATION, AND INCLUDE INDIGENOUS AND ORIGINAL WORKS THAT CELEBRATE THE RICH HERITAGE AND HISTORY OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA LOWCOUNTRY.

FOUNDED IN 1978 BY PLAYWRIGHT JULIAN WILES, WHO WAS MOST RECENTLY INDUCTED INTO THE COLLEGE OF FELLOWS OF THE AMERICAN THEATER IN APRIL 2024 AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, CHARLESTON STAGE IS SOUTH CAROLINA'S LARGEST PROFESSIONAL THEATER COMPANY. CHARLESTON STAGE IS A 501(C)3 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION RESIDING AT THE HISTORIC DOCK STREET THEATRE. OVER ITS 46-YEAR HISTORY, CHARLESTON STAGE HAS PRESENTED OVER 360 PRODUCTIONS AND ENTERTAINED A COLLECTIVE AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN TWO MILLION. BEYOND PRODUCING ENGAGING, HIGH-QUALITY PERFORMANCES, WE ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO OUR MISSION OF THEATRE ARTS EDUCATION, EMPLOYING A STAFF OF PROFESSIONAL THEATRE ARTISTS DEDICATED TO SHARING THEIR EXPERTISE WITH THE NEXT GENERATION.THE MISSION OF CHARLESTON STAGE IS TO PRODUCE LIVE THEATRE OF THE HIGHEST CALIBER, FOCUSING ON CLASSIC AND CONTEMPORARY MUSICALS AND PLAYS THAT EXCITE AND INSPIRE THE IMAGINATION. CHARLESTON STAGE CELEBRATES THE SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY BY PROVIDING A COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEATRE PROFESSIONALS SHARE THEIR TALENTS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, TEACHERS, AND SCHOOLS IN THE COMMUNITY, INSPIRING PARTICIPANTS TO CELEBRATE THEIR OWN CREATIVITY.

WHILE CHARLESTON STAGE PRESENTS HIGH-QUALITY, PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIONS AT THE HISTORIC DOCK STREET THEATRE, THAT IS ONLY HALF THE STORY. CHARLESTON STAGE BOASTS ONE OF THE LARGEST ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN SOUTH CAROLINA, EXTENDING OPPORTUNITIES TO 20,000 STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE LOWCOUNTRY EACH YEAR. CHARLESTON STAGE OFFERS SIX PROGRAM INITIATIVES: THEATRE SCHOOL ACTING CLASSES, SUMMER CAMPS, THEATRE WINGS HIGH SCHOOL APPRENTICE PROGRAM, SCHOOL MATINEES, CITYSTAGE (COMMUNITY OUTREACH), AND ARTS-INTEGRATED LITERACY KITS. ACTING CLASSES AND SUMMER CAMPS ENROLL OVER 250 STUDENTS ANNUALLY, MORE THAN 35 HIGH SCHOOLERS RECEIVE HANDS-ON TRAINING IN THEATRICAL PRODUCTION, OVER 12,000 STUDENTS ATTEND MATINEE SHOWS AT THE DOCK STREET THEATRE, 4,000 STUDENTS EXPERIENCE FREE LIVE THEATRE THROUGH CITYSTAGE, AND STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE GAIN ACCESS TO UNIQUE ARTS-INTEGRATION WORKSHOPS THROUGH LITERACY KITS.

CITYSTAGE, AN INITIATIVE BY CHARLESTON STAGE, AIMS TO EXTEND OUR WORK BEYOND THE WALLS OF THE DOCK STREET THEATRE AND INTO THE BROADER COMMUNITY. THE CITYSTAGE TEAM FOCUSES ON EXPANDING PARTNERSHIPS WITH SCHOOLS, RELIGIOUS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS IN THE CHARLESTON AREA. THIS INITIATIVE NOT ONLY BRINGS THE WORK OF CHARLESTON STAGE INTO THESE COMMUNITIES BUT ALSO PROVIDES SUPPORT AND PROFESSIONAL THEATRE RESOURCES TO ENHANCE THE MISSIONS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS, FOSTERING TRUE TWO-WAY PARTNERSHIPS.