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Bio
Danville native Melissa Charles has returned to her hometown to spread her love of the performing arts. This member of Actors Equity Association (AEA), Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) began performing in professional theatre as a child at Mill Mountain Theatre in Roanoke, Virginia.

She is the owner of DMR Adventures (Dreams Made Real), which offers training, consulting, and production resources and implementation in the performing arts. Melissa is also the founder and Artistic Director of the Union Street Theatre, the first black box theatre and only designated performing arts space in Danville, VA. 

DMR Adventures worked with the City of Danville Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department on a successful collaboration, entitled the Broadway Adventure, from 2009-2010.  Broadway Adventure was a series of classes and musical theatre productions, providing scholarships to over 50 children, and engaging thousands of area youth and adults in the performing arts. Shows produced include Alice in Wonderland Jr., High School Musical, Disney's the Jungle Book Kids, Annie, and 101 Dalmatians. Broadway Adventure also offered a Broadway Masterclass with Leslie Goddard, and a variety of musical theatre and audition classes.

Melissa coordinated the first ever Art on Main, an arts festival on Downtown Danville's Main Street, through the Danville Area Association for the Arts and Humanities. She wrote and received over $15,000 in grants for an expanded version of Art on Main in May of 2011, and led a collaboration between Arts & Humanities, the Danville Science Center, the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History, and the City of Danville Parks & Recreation Department, titled the GREEN ART COLLABORATION. Melissa is so thankful to the many volunteers who who brought Art on Main to life, especially those on the planning committee, the Danville Regional Foundation, the Community Foundation of the Dan River Region, the City of Danville and Portia Henry. 

Melissa has an accomplished past in the arts as an actor, model, director, producer, instructor and choreographer.  She has shared screen time with James Caan, Brent Spiner and Bill Paxton, starred in a national commercial campaign for NobelSmile, and starred in many other commercials, including: Papa John’s, Charter Communications, Honda, Sony Playstation, Barbie & Me, Rescue Pets, PC Richard & Sons and many more!

Her television and film credits include: Big Love, Las Vegas, Threshold, As the World Turns, the Bold and the Beautiful, General Hospital, One Life to Live, When Love Walks In, My Crazy Life and Cookin’ in Brooklyn.  Melissa was also a host on NBC’s  “Your LA,” and recurred for 2 years on the Fox Comedy, Talkshow with Spike Feresten.

Melissa is a graduate of the University of Virginia where she was nominated for an Irene Ryan award, received her certification in Stage Combat and was honored to receive the Departmental Award of Excellence from the Drama Department at the University.

Melissa has performed in many places throughout the country, including: the United Nations, the prestigious Sacramento Music Circus, American Music Theatre, Surflight Theatre, Mill Mountain Theatre Heritage Theatre Festival, Hershey Park, and the Tony-award winning McCarter Theatre.  

While working as an actor in New York and Los Angeles, Melissa realized that many fellow actors and friends new to the industry needed guidance and support in their career. She began to focus some of her energy on career coaching and acting training and has coached hundreds of actors of all ages, helping many clients find agents and book television, commercial and film work. 

She recently led several workshops on acting for commercials, film and television at the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Nebraska.  She continues to coach and train actors at the Union Street Theatre in Downtown Danville, VA. 

Melissa is represented by Artist Resource Agency and Locke Model Management. Her production company, DMR Adventures, is based out of Danville, Virginia.  Melissa owned and operated The Invitation Destination, a stationery and gift boutique, for 5 years, and has recently closed the business to focus on her family and her first love - the performing arts. She is married to Matt Charles, a professional actor, model, writer and communications expert, and their most important production to date is their amazing son.