Mission & History
MISSION & VISION
Mission
Theatre Charlotte is a volunteer-based community theatre dedicated to creating outstanding theatre opportunities relevant to the people of the Charlotte region.
Vision
Theatre Charlotte will strive to increase the relevance of theatre in the lives of more people by demonstrating that theatre can uplift, educate and unite communities. Theatre Charlotte will create alliances, partnerships and collaborations with organizations that share our vision, as we continue to present outstanding theatre by the community for the community.
HISTORY
1927-2011
In 1927, the Charlotte branch of the American Association of University Women decided to study the Little Theatre movement. This grassroots effort to mount amateur theatricals swept the country during and after the First World War.
That group performed its first production in 1928, a reading of "Outward Bound", in the Carnegie Library uptown and the Charlotte Drama League was born. This organization soon became The Little Theatre of Charlotte and throughout the 1930s presented productions in venues such as Baird’s School, Alexander Graham Junior High, Central High School, Thompson Orphanage Auditorium and Presbyterian College Auditorium on College Street. Since 1941, the theatre has been housed at 501 Queens Road, located in the heart of the historic Myers Park district of Charlotte. The first production at this location was George Washington Slept Here, which opened on December 1, 1941 and concluded a highly successful run on Saturday, December 6. The next day came the attack on Pearl Harbor and many of the theatre’s volunteers went off to war. The theatre continued to present plays, as it had every season during the depression and as it has done every season during its history.
With over 445 main stage productions presented to over half a million audience members, an annual participation of approximately 500 volunteers, and outreach programs that serve the schools and the community at large, Theatre Charlotte is Charlotte’s community theatre.
