Charles Pasternak: About the Artist

Click here to listen to his interview.

As an actor, director, and teacher, Charles Pasternak’s national career spans over two decades. Charles has served as the artistic director of Santa Cruz Shakespeare since 2023. Over the past 3 years, Charles has more than doubled SCS’ offerings, expanding from a 3-show summer repertory of shows to add a 2-show fall repertory of shows, a holiday production of A Christmas Carol (now in its third year), and a spring show. During Charles’ tenure, SCS’ yearly budget has grown by over a million dollars and tickets sales are up over 25% across the board.

As an Artistic Director, Charles specializes in fiscally responsible, repertory theatre. He’s passionate about Shakespeare, artistic excellence, and company – knowing each of these elements can build a high-functioning financial model in a difficult field.