Today we’d like to introduce you to Sherri Raeford.
Hi Sherri, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In my formative years, I watched my brother become a musical prodigy, my mother pouring her heart into poetry and my father designing all sorts of innovative things. I knew I wanted to be an artist but wasn’t quite sure where I fit. Music, Visual Arts, Theatre Arts and Dance all appealed to me. Over time, I received undergraduate degrees in Visual Arts and Theatre Education and a Master’s in Theatre Education. I learned that in Theatre, ALL of the arts are combined to create a magical whole. I embrace fluidity and connections in all of the arts in my work.
During my career as a Theatre Arts Teacher in public schools, I had the opportunity in 2003 and 2005 to spend time during the summer, interning and studying at the Globe Theatre in London through UNCSA, Shakespeare Lives and Globe Education. Over those two summers, I participated in two one-act performances on the Globe Stage, performed at a school representing the Globe in Guildford, England and team taught a workshop at an inner-city school in London. My professional and personal life were totally impacted by these experiences. I returned to the Globe in the summer of 2016 for further work and study.
After teaching summer Shakespeare through Shakespeare Lives at UNCSA for many years, years of teaching in North Carolina schools and gradually becoming the Outreach and Education Director of the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, I founded and became the Artistic Director of Shared Radiance Performing Arts Company in 2013. As of February 2026, we have been serving audiences, students and stakeholders in North Carolina for 13 years.
The mission of Shared Radiance Performing Arts Company is to educate, entertain and to explore interactive theatre through the works of Shakespeare, thoughtful storytelling and community-elevating projects of shared humanity. We do an interactive, fast paced and relatable Shakespeare tour called ShakesCollage in schools, community groups and public spaces throughout North Carolina. We produce two Shakespeare plays each year in multiple and found venues, often leading audiences through parks from scene to scene. Along with Shakespeare, we seek out stories, plays and projects that are relevant and affirming of our shared humanity.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been a thrilling and winding road with some unexpected twists and turns that have led to growth and constant openness to an ever-changing world. Initially, my vision was just to do a Shakespeare show or two every year that embraced Globe original practices, traveled through green spaces with the audience following and created a feeling of a shared experience in which the audience became an active part of the production. Actors were not paid and it had a community theatre vibe. As the company grew, many talented and creative Theatre Artists became invested in the company and it began to grow beyond my original vision into a shared passion and vision of many. The first challenge was to broaden the vision to a sustainable and growing company rather than a “fixed” entity. We made the decision about 2 years in to create the school show and then to create contracts for theatre artists and to pay our actors and administrative teams. Moving from a volunteer model to a paid contractor model required a growth mindset that involved learning to seek grants, nurture funders, grow the school tour and manage a rapidly evolving company. Of course, the years of COVID shutdowns were difficult, but by that time, we had established a supportive group of funders and stakeholders that kept us alive and in a holding pattern until we could regain our footing. Thankfully, the past years since the shutdown have been strong years for us in growth. I personally have evolved from a “creative with an idea” to an arts administrator seeking every growth opportunity I can find.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Over the years, I have evolved into a Theatre Artist and Educator/Administrator with a specialty in Shakespeare in Performance using original practice. However, I still view myself as a “movement” artist. Early on I combined elements of dance and rhythm into my work and love full body exploration of text. For years, I avoided Shakespeare because it seemed so cerebral and academic, but at the Globe I worked with Glynnie MacDonald, the Globe’s movement specialist who helped me make the connection between text and body. Shakespeare was always meant to be put into motion and performed, not analyzed in a chair sitting. That is one thing I can bring into workshops and the classroom; an understanding of text through movement.
I use my guitar, drums, training in tai chi, experience as a ballroom dancer and general kinesthetic energy in my acting, directing, and teaching. I also like to think that this energy helps to inform my work as an administrator and keeps the company evolving, fluid and alive.
How do you think about luck?
I was lucky to have been born in a family that nurtured the arts and now to have a supportive husband who shares that passion. Professionally, I think the main luck I had later on was meeting Dr. Lynne Murray, who introduced me to Shakespeare Lives and the Globe program. I also felt quite lucky when selected to be a part of the Globe program, as the process to apply was pretty extensive. My father always told me that in order to succeed as a leader, you didn’t have to know everything, you just had to surround yourself with the right people, who empower each other. I have been lucky to meet those people and to continue to meet them daily. I am lucky that they are willing to give of themselves and trust the journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.sharedradiance.org
- Instagram: @sharedradiance
- Facebook: @sharedradiance
