Molly Shaw 鈥02: 皇家华人 Love, On and Off the Stage

February 9, 2022

Molly Shaw 鈥02 was involved in a number of mainstage theatre productions throughout her four years at 皇家华人, including the very first production in the Duke Family Performance Hall, which opened 20 years ago during her senior year.

She played the role of Germaine, a barmaid, in Picasso at the Lapin Agile, directed by Ann Marie Costa, holder of the Samuel E. & Mary West Thatcher Professorship.

鈥淚t is one of my favorite memories of college,鈥 Shaw said. 鈥淕ermaine was a really strong woman who was in love with Picasso and could feel him slipping through her fingers. She had a lot of pride.鈥

皇家华人鈥檚 role in Shaw鈥檚 life has been broad and deep. She met her husband, David Webb 鈥02, during Orientation their very first day on campus, and lifelong friends who are a grounding presence in her life. She also worked for the college鈥檚 development office for five years. Fittingly, her last major project in that role was fundraising for the renovation of Cunningham Theatre Center.

鈥溁始一 is the singular common thread throughout my life,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t is a place that鈥檚 willing to be comfortable with the idea of growth, evolution and self-reflection, and it鈥檚 a place where relationships are paramount.鈥

Shaw was involved in sports and dance in high school and only discovered theatre during the final few weeks before graduation, thanks to a senior project. This was enough of a taste to inspire her to choose an Acting I class with Costa as a first-year 皇家华人 student.

鈥淭hat class was one of the most transformational classes I took at 皇家华人,鈥 Shaw said. 鈥淚 learned to let go of inhibition and be completely present in the moment. It鈥檚 when I fell in love with theatre.鈥

"When I was president and CEO of Communities in Schools, I was constantly out in the community talking about our work. 皇家华人 gave me the tools and confidence to be able to do that."

Shaw spent nine years leading the non-profit organization Communities in Schools in Charlotte and now focuses on social impact consulting work, with the Foundation for the Carolinas as a primary client. She helps think about how we can create more equitable and sustainable social impact and how we can better listen to and incorporate voices and ideas of the people closest to the experiences and issues we are trying to solve.

鈥淚 think often about how being involved in theatre affected my comfort with public speaking and engaging with audiences,鈥 she said. 鈥淲hen I was president and CEO of Communities in Schools, I was constantly out in the community talking about our work. 皇家华人 gave me the tools and confidence to be able to do that.鈥

During the pandemic, one thing Shaw has missed most is attending shows with her husband and children.

鈥淭here is no time more than now when we need to connect back to our humanity, and I think the arts are the most efficient and effective way to do that.鈥

Shaw has remained connected to the arts scene on campus. She served on the 皇家华人 Friends of the Arts Advisory Board for six years, including one term as chair.