Charles has directed numerous benefit performances, including HAIR … FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, the 20th anniversary show at the United Nations, which was the first event of its kind for children with AIDS, and MUSIC AND REMEMBRANCE (starring Leontyne Price, Itzhak Perlman, and James Galway) at Carnegie Hall. His productions have received numerous awards, including NAACP Image, Bay Area Critics, Drama-logue, LA Weekly Theatre, 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, the Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award, 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 the Paul Robeson Award from Actors’ Equity. Charles serves on the Board of Directors of the Roundabout Theatre, and is a founding member of the Wright Family Foundation of South Carolina. Charles established the workshop series “Different Voices” at the Roundabout and “Create Carolina”, an arts festival in the Carolinas.

Charles also directed and co-wrote ME AND MRS. JONES (a musical which starred Lou Rawls, and featured the classic R&B music of the Sound of Philadelphia) at the Prince Music Theatre, THE DIVA IS DISMISSED (starring Jenifer Lewis) at the NYSF Public Theater and the Hudson Theatre (LA), and HOMEWORK (starring Kim Coles) in NYC, Crossroads (NJ), and LA. He also directed ANTHEMS and OAK AND IVY at Arena Stage; TARTUFFE, INSURRECTION: HOLDING HISTORY, and BLITHE SPIRIT at ACT, HUNDREDS OF SISTERS at New York Theatre Workshop, and CABARET VERBOTEN at the Mark Taper Forum (with Bebe Neuwirth and Roger Rees).