Collins, a University of Central Florida graduate who has served as an executive consultant for the theater since December, brings plenty of experience, including her tenure as executive director of Orlando Ballet (from 2016 to 2024) and more than 15 years with Orlando Health Foundation.
“We are excited to have Cheryl join us,” Board President A. Noni Holmes-Kidd said in a press release. “She is someone who understands, and has deep relationships within, the Central Florida community.”
Collins helped to lead Orlando Ballet through the pandemic, fundraising for projects like Harriett’s Orlando Ballet Centre and a reimagined Nutcracker, the company says. She also helped to develop community outreach, expanding the STEPS dance program for underserved youth, which has grown from seven locations in 2018 to 44 in 2020.
Now in its 36th season, Orlando Shakes continues to produce a mix of classic and contemporary theater, plus a play development series and educational opportunities. Collins will lead the company alongside artistic director Jim Helsinger.
Collins’ curtain call at Orlando Shakes is just around the corner, setting the stage for a new chapter in the theater’s legacy.
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This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2025.