“The city's leading
professional troupe...”
- The Charlotte Observer

“Children’s Theatre of Charlotte
is fast growing into its role
as the city’s flagship troupe …”
- SouthPark Magazine

“I would say that the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is the finest children’s theatre in the United States. There is no question. We hear that from our peers across the country, that [they are] setting the standard…”
- Robert Bush, Arts & Science Council, on Charlotte Talks

“In America, there are some splendid children’s theatre buildings...
The most exciting of all is in North Carolina. Three years ago, the
60-year-old Children’s Theatre of Charlotte opened their wonderful
new building called IMAGINON. It’s an amazing facility… a model that should be admired, envied and hopefully imitated world-wide.”
– David Wood O.B.E.
England’s “national children’s dramatist’ (The London Times)

Awards and Recognition

The Mecklenburg County division of the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission has awarded $30,000 to Children’s Theatre of Charlotte to support our Drama for Healthy Living Program. The program highlights the dangers of substance abuse with an engaging original theatre piece called The Ice Cream Man, which will be performed for all eighth-graders throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools during the 2010-11 school year.

The Women's Impact Fund has awarded $62,000 to Children's Theatre of Charlotte to develop an Early Childhood Global Theatre series featuring the Theatre's Resident Touring Company, the Tarradiddle Players. The mission of the Women's Impact Fund is to maximize women's leadership in philanthropy by engaging and educating its membership, increasing charitable contributions, and strengthening communities though the impact of collective giving. The Women's Impact Fund is designed to achieve greater levels of community impact by building an inclusive membership of women interested in the power of collective giving. The Women's Impact Fund funds projects that: 1) address emerging community issues and/or 2) apply creative, substantive approaches to critical community needs. To date,the Women's Impact Fund has donated $2.1 million to worthy causes.

Best Live Performance
2010 Charlotte Parent Family Favorites

Best Enrichment Program
Charlotte Magazine 2010 "Best of the Best" Awards
"Give those drama queens and kings a creative outlet or help shy guys and girls come out of their shells via Children's Theatre of Charlotte's classes and camps taught by actors at uptown's ImaginOn, as well as satellite locations in Ballantyne and Davidson. Programs for the youngest players—in the three- to six-years-old group -- are especially popular, but the theater also offers more intensive training for kids in fourth grade and higher who are serious about a career as a thespian."

Readers' Choice - Best Performing Arts Company
Editors' Choice - Best Kid Friendly Cultural Outing
Charlotte Magazine 2009 "Best of the Best" Awards

2008 Medallion Award - Children's Theatre Foundation
Children’s Theatre Foundation of America acknowledged the quality of our staff, artistic standards, and the extent of our ever-growing audience, as well as our unique collaborative venture with the Public Library in the creation of ImaginOn.  As the recipient of this award, we join other nationally-known winners such as Charles Schultz and the Peanuts Gang, Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and Dr. Seuss.

2008 Nonprofit Sector Stewardship Award - NC Center for Nonprofits
Children's Theatre of Charlotte was named one of three statewide recipients of this award, which honors organizations that exhibit exemplary stewardship of the resources entrusted to them. In particular, the Center recognized our careful stewardship of financial, human, and natural resources in reaching new audiences, our high priority placed on active and accountable board membership, and significant level of support for our employees.

Selected Partner - US Airways New Plays Festival for Families
Children’s Theatre, along with Childsplay in Phoenix, AZ and People’s Light and Theatre in Malvern, PA, were winners of a single national grant from US Airways with a joint proposal to create a two-year new play festival for families entitled Imagination Begins with US!

NC Arts Council cARTwheels Grant Recipient
The North Carolina Arts Council selected Children’s Theatre as one of seven professional arts organizations in the state to participate in the 2007-2008 cARTwheels Educational Touring Program, an initiative that provides live arts experiences to school children in primarily rural counties across North Carolina.

Best Place For A Family Outing
Creative Loafing, 2008 Best of Issue

Financial Excellence in Culture Award
In January 2007, we received the inaugural Financial Excellence in Culture Award presented by Stanford Group Company in partnership with the Arts & Science Council. The initiative recognizes and rewards a cultural organization that demonstrates exemplary financial management.

McColl Award - Arts and Science Council
Following a rigorous application process,Children’s Theatre was presented with the 2007 McColl Award by the Arts and Science Council.  Named for Hugh McColl, former CEO of Bank of America and his wife, Jane, the award supports a single arts organization in the creation of a new work for the community.

Community Service Award - Leadership Charlotte
Leadership Charlotte’s 2006 Legacy Awards honored ENCORE! with the Community Service Award, presented to an organization that displays creativity and innovation in enriching the quality of life in the community.

Sara Spencer Award - Southeastern Theatre Conference
Children’s Theatre received the 2006 Sara Spencer Award, awarded annually by the Southeastern Theatre Conference to a youth theatre in recognition for distinctive achievements in the field.

George Parides Professional Theatre Award - NC Theatre Conference
Children's Theatre of Charlotte was selected as the winner of 2005 George Parides Professional Theatre Award presented to an outstanding North Carolina professional theatre by the NC Theatre Conference.

Spirit Award
Our Advisory Board Chair, Robin Branstrom, and ENCORE! were recipients of a 2005 Spirit Award, honoring community members whose contributions of time, talent or resources enhance the relevance and vitality of the arts in Charlotte.