A native of York, South Carolina, Charles is an honor graduate of Duke University where he was an A.B. Duke Scholar and recently received the Distinguished Alumni Award. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Roundabout Theatre, and is a founding member of the Wright Family Foundation of South Carolina.

His productions have received numerous awards, including NAACP Image, Backstage Garland, Dean Goodman Choice, Bay Area Critics, Drama-logue, LA Weekly Theatre, Robbie, Helen Hayes, Ovation and Audelco as well as Grammy and Tony nominations. Charles was awarded grants from the Theatre Communications Group, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the NEA, and also is the recipient of the S.C. Medal of Honor in the Arts, the Creative Spirit Award from the New Professional Theatre, The Pasadena Playhouse Theatrical Diversity Award, an honorary MFA from ACT, and is the 2010 recipient of the Paul Robeson Award from Actors’ Equity.

He serves on the Board of Directors of Roundabout Theatre Company, the artistic board at Duke University and is a founding member of the Wright Family Foundation of South Carolina. Charles established the workshop series “Different Voices” at Roundabout and “Create Carolina,” an arts festival in the Carolinas.