Charles Carshon (c. 1920 â October 28, 2011) was an American actor, theatre director, and acting teacher. A veteran of Broadway and Off-Broadway, he taught at several New York City conservatories and for 35 years headed the Studio Theatre at Sarah Lawrence College. The New York Times obituary called him an âÂÂactor, director, teacher, [and] Off-Broadway pioneer.âÂÂ
Carshon's early stage credits included two Broadway productions: The Tower Beyond Tragedy (NovâÂÂDec 1950) and Billy Budd (FebâÂÂMay 1951).
By the mid-1950s he was active Off-Broadway, heading his own company, the Tapestry Theatre. He later performed in the 1975 Off-Broadway production Beethoven/Karl and collaborated frequently with his wife, Gloria Barret Carshon.
Carshon was also closely associated with Sarah Lawrence College for decades. As head of the college's Studio Theatre for 35 years, he directed student and resident company productions and mentored generations of actors. In the late 1970s, the Carshonsâ resident company Green Gate Theatre presented Harold Pinter's Old Times as part of the college's âÂÂSummer Evenings at Sarah Lawrenceâ series, under Charles and Gloria's direction.
Beyond Sarah Lawrence, Carshon taught at New York City's High School of Performing Arts, the Stella Adler Studio, the Neighborhood Playhouse, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. His obituary notes that âÂÂmany famous actors passed through his classes.âÂÂ
Carshon married actress and producer Gloria Barret. They frequently collaborated on productions connected to Sarah Lawrence College, including projects with the Green Gate Theatre company.
In 1948, Carshon resided at 444 East 58th Street, Manhattan (Sutton Place).
Carshon died on October 28, 2011, at the age of 91. He was survived by his wife, Gloria Barret.
As a working actor/director and a long-tenured teacher/mentorâÂÂCarshon was a known figure in New York's mid-century theatre training ecosystem. He also contributed to the growth of Off-Broadway ensembles such as Tapestry Theatre and Green Gate Theatre.