Our Mission
The mission of Shared Radiance Performing Arts Company is to educate, entertain, and explore interactive theatre through the works of Shakespeare, thoughtful storytelling, and community-elevating projects of shared humanity.
SRPAC is a member of the North Carolina Theatre Conference and the Shakespeare Theatre Association. Administrative offices are located at 609 NC Hwy 62 East in Pleasant Garden with performance sites throughout the Triad and beyond. SRPAC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national and/or ethnic origin, age, disability, or military or veteran status in any of its educational programs, employment practices, and activities.
Core Values
Entertain
Theatre has been a form of entertainment since its invention. The arts are a human right and essential to many things such as expression, connection, intellectual stimulation, and more, but they are also meant to be joyful. Let's have a little fun!
Educate
Education is near and dear to essence of Shared Radiance. In fact, Sherri Raeford, our artistic director, was a teacher for over twenty years. We believe the works of Shakespeare to be educational in nature and crucial to gaining a deeper understanding of the human experience, and there are many other ways we seek to educate. BARDS, or Band of Aspiring Radiant Drama Students, is a free program for teens and preteens who want to learn about Shakespeare and theatre overall. ShakesCollage, our touring Shakespeare Revue, teaches people of all walks of life about Shakespeare across North Carolina. History and community based projects, such as Serial Killer's Daughter, Sisters of Mine, and Warnersville Chronicles, are important to us. Workshops, or "playshops" as we like to call them, are one way we strive to provide development opportunities.
Explore
Exploration can be both internal and external. As artists and theatre makers, we can discover things about the world around us and examine our own inner workings. We have a history of producing original works and adaptations such as Judgmental Much? A Rapid Retelling of Pride & Prejudice, and constantly seek to try new things.
Interact
The name "Shared Radiance" comes from the original practices of Shakespeare. Performing at the Globe Theatre meant performing outdoors with the sun for light. The performers onstage literally shared the light with the audience. While many of our performances are outdoors and also involve literally sharing light, our goal is always to share metaphorical light as well, whether it be in the form of uplifting others, building relationships, or engaging in outreach. We endeavor to make our plays, educational opportunities, and everything we do personal for each and every audience member, student, and artist.
Theatre has been a form of entertainment since its invention. The arts are a human right and essential to many things such as expression, connection, intellectual stimulation, and more, but they are also meant to be joyful. Let's have a little fun!
Educate
Education is near and dear to essence of Shared Radiance. In fact, Sherri Raeford, our artistic director, was a teacher for over twenty years. We believe the works of Shakespeare to be educational in nature and crucial to gaining a deeper understanding of the human experience, and there are many other ways we seek to educate. BARDS, or Band of Aspiring Radiant Drama Students, is a free program for teens and preteens who want to learn about Shakespeare and theatre overall. ShakesCollage, our touring Shakespeare Revue, teaches people of all walks of life about Shakespeare across North Carolina. History and community based projects, such as Serial Killer's Daughter, Sisters of Mine, and Warnersville Chronicles, are important to us. Workshops, or "playshops" as we like to call them, are one way we strive to provide development opportunities.
Explore
Exploration can be both internal and external. As artists and theatre makers, we can discover things about the world around us and examine our own inner workings. We have a history of producing original works and adaptations such as Judgmental Much? A Rapid Retelling of Pride & Prejudice, and constantly seek to try new things.
Interact
The name "Shared Radiance" comes from the original practices of Shakespeare. Performing at the Globe Theatre meant performing outdoors with the sun for light. The performers onstage literally shared the light with the audience. While many of our performances are outdoors and also involve literally sharing light, our goal is always to share metaphorical light as well, whether it be in the form of uplifting others, building relationships, or engaging in outreach. We endeavor to make our plays, educational opportunities, and everything we do personal for each and every audience member, student, and artist.
Staff
Sherri Raeford, former Outreach & Education Director for the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, founded and became Artistic Director of Shared Radiance Performing Arts Company in 2013. She interned and studied at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London through Shakespeare Lives in 2003 and 2005 and in 2016 returned for continued work with Globe practitioners. Sherri has continued studies through the American Shakespeare Center in Virginia and the McMaster Seminar Series at Stratford Shakespeare in Ontario. She has an M. Ed. in Theatre from UNC Greensboro and enjoys working with all age groups exploring the works of the Bard and beyond. She has a strong foundation as an educator and taught public school theatre for over 25 years. Though she loves acting and directing she considers herself an educator first. As an actor, dancer and music enthusiast, Sherri enjoys incorporating movement, rhythm and music into her work. Along with Shakespeare, she loves developing and producing original works based on history and our shared humanity.
|
Chappell Upper first joined Shared Radiance as Helena in their 2016 production of A Misdsummer Night's Dream. Fun facts: that's how she met her husband - and she has a dog named for Snug the Joiner. Several shows, workshops, and ShakesCollage tours later, she began working as the company's Assistant Managing Director in February of 2018 before becoming the Assistant Artistic Director in November of 2023 and the Lead BARDS Practitioner in April of 2025. Chappell earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from the School of Stage & Screen at Western Carolina University where she was also able to study directing and playwrighting. Before college, she began her journey in theatre locally at Weaver Academy. She is perpetually excited for the opportunity to engage audiences through the works of Shakespeare and beyond.
|
|
Sarah Wilson is the Assistant Managing Director of Shared Radiance. She has been working with the company for four years in various productions such as Twelfth Night as Signor Fabian, The Merry Wives of Windsor as Stage Manager and Pistol and Richard III as Stage Manager. She is also the Stage Manager for ShakesCollage, our touring Shakespeare show. Sarah graduated from Lees-McRae College with a BA in Theatre Arts Studies with concentrations in Stage Management and Costume Design and a Minor in Technical Theatre.
|
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jamila Curry
Linda Jackson
Jackie Jackson
Jennifer Long
Eugenia Pruette
Chaunte Rankin
Joey Upper
Martha Yarborough
