Isabel Gonzalez

Title: Professional Actor, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, UNC Charlotte (2019)

Hometown: Los Ángeles, California

Since earning her degree in 2019, Isabel Gonzalez has made a vibrant impact on Charlotte’s theatre scene. She performs regularly as a resident actor with Children’s Theatre of Charlotte (CTC) and can also be seen in productions at Three Bone Theatre. Favorite CTC roles include Sophie in The Invisible Boy, Mama in Esperanza Rising, and Cinderella/Gretel in Grimmz Fairy Tales, which received a Drama League Award nomination for Outstanding Digital Theatre. Her portrayal of Josefina in the Three Bone Theatre production of Mojada earned Isabel a 2024 Broadway World Charlotte Nomination, and she appears again with Three Bone Theatre in the 2025 production of Electricidad. 

Isabel has recently expanded her creative work to include choreography for local musical theatre productions. Among her choreography credits are James and the Giant Peach for The Lotus Project, Beetlejuice for the CTC SummerStage program, and Pippin at Central Cabarrus High School, which was honored with a 2024 “Blumey” Award for Best Musical by the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. 

Isabel credits the education she received from UNC Charlotte in preparing and shaping her current career. “The UNC Charlotte Department of Theatre taught me to adapt, develop, play, and process,” she says. “Some of the key things that resonate from my time at Charlotte is the fact that Theatre truly is a community, which very quickly becomes a family that will help you succeed. In addition, recognizing the curriculum is very important because it allows students to see the many components of their certain career, leading to developing not only a more efficient performer or artist but a well-rounded person.”

What memories at UNC Charlotte stand out for Isabel? “Every time I think about a memorable experience from UNC Charlotte, I have a difficult time picking just one,” she says. She continues, “If I had to choose, it would be playing Maria in Twelfth Night directed by Andrew Hartley. Everyone in the cast felt like family by the end of the process, and it was the first time anyone had put their trust in me to portray a role in a classic piece which truly meant the world to me – especially because a lot of people that look like me are very rarely seen in Shakespeare plays. Also, my costume for that show was superb, and all thanks to Aly Amidei!” 

When we asked Isabel if she had any advice for students interested in pursuing theatre, she responded, “Don’t be afraid. There are going to be instances where things don’t go our way, and it’s up to us to make the best of situations and to keep going! Network with your peers, you never know how or where this career will take you, and building strong relationships with those around you could be very beneficial in the long run. Last but not least, remember why you do what you do. Never forget why you started this path and let that passion guide you to the opportunities that are awaiting.”