American Shakespeare Center

American Shakespeare Center Home of the Blackfriars Playhouse, the first-ever re-creation of Shakespeare's indoor theatre, nestled in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley.
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Home of the Blackfriars Playhouse - the world's only re-creation of Shakespeare's indoor theatre

06/03/2026

The smell of fresh pancakes and local maple syrup. The sound of a wooden bat cracking as the ball soars past the outfield. The look of your first love staring up at the moon, while you stare at the moon in their eyes.

Moments like these happen in Staunton, VA, Grover’s Corners, and every small town in America.

Join us this summer at the Blackfriars Playhouse for Thornton Wilder’s OUR TOWN, opening in just 3 weeks.

☀️OUR TOWN opens June 25 and runs until August 8, 2026
🗓️Set your calendars and join us under the shared light for this timeless classic.
🎟️Tickets on sale now americanshakespearecenter.com

✨Featured in video:
Ronald Román-Meléndez as Stage Manager-

🎥 Video by Madison Patterson

06/02/2026

Spring, you saw Viola disguise herself as Cesario. This summer, you get to see Rosalind disguise herself as Ganymede. Comment below who wears the pants better. 👖

🌿AS YOU LIKE IT is running until August 8th, 2026, at the Blackfriars Playhouse.
Get your tickets today. 🎟️

✨Featured in video:
Summer England

🎥 Video by Madison Patterson

We asked. You answered. And honestly? We love you for it.You loved the charcoal, but didn’t necessarily love the fit. Yo...
05/30/2026

We asked. You answered. And honestly? We love you for it.

You loved the charcoal, but didn’t necessarily love the fit. You asked for options, coverage comfort and something you could wear while running away to the woods.

So we got both.

ASC’s Shakespeare’s Flowers design is now available in charcoal in both a boxy tank and a fitted V-neck, just in time for the woodsy, floral summer escape that is the Forest of Arden in ASC’s AS YOU LIKE IT.

Available now at the Blackfriars Playhouse Gift Shop. Link: Home | American Shakespeare Center Gift Shop: https://american-shakespeare-center-gift-shop.square.site/

Shop in-person or order online. Be sure to vote in our next merch poll coming soon, and drop some 💐for our wonderful models!

✨Featuring:
Audience Services Manager - Rosemary Richards
Volunteer Usher - Sally Walton

📸Photos by CJ Clark

05/29/2026

🌿Happy Opening to the Cast & Crew of ASC’s AS YOU LIKE IT. Escape to the Forest of Arden, where Shakespeare lets comedy run wild with moments that remind us that sometimes you have to lose yourself to find yourself. 🌿

📅 Opens May 29th– Runs Through August 8th, 2026
🎟 Reserve your seat now at americanshakespearecenter.com

💌 Drop a 💌 in the comments if you’ll be joining us.

✨Our wild cast
Geoffrey Warren Barnes II as Touchstone -
Summer England as Rosalind -
Nick Ericksen as Orlando - .ericksen
Morgan Rose Ford as Audrey -
Angela Iannone as Duke Frederick
Hannah Nguyen as Phoebe -
Aidan O’Reilly as Jaques -
Ronald Román-Meléndez as Oliver -
Isabel Sanchez as Celia -
Christopher Seiler as Duke Senior -

✨Creative Team
Director - José Zayas
Assistant Director - Megan Parlett
Stage Manager - Jocelyn A. Thompson
Assistant Stage Manager - Rachel Kilgore
Assistant Stage Manager - Kaela A.C. Wilson
Intimacy Choreographer - Haley Fentriss Roberts
Movement Consultant - Emily Oleson
Production Coordinator - J. Paige Hilton
Prop Designer & Shop Manager - Conrad Gothard
Costume Designer - Elizabeth Wislar
Wardrobe Shop Manager & Design Assistant - Amy Monsalve
Costume Coordinator & Wardrobe Supervisor - Trina Yager
Props Artisan & Assistant Shop Manager - Grace Easterday .upsidedown_artisan
Wardrobe Assistant - Kassandra Loera

🎥 Video by Madison Patterson

05/28/2026

Looking for your seat? The ASC volunteer ushers have your back.

Give them your thanks during opening tomorrow night for AS YOU LIKE IT.

Looking to join the ASC Volunteer Usher Guild? Join us on July 11th for our next usher training.
Sign up using the link: https://americanshakespearecenter.com/volunteer-with-asc/

✨Featuring:
Michael Swanberg

🎥 Video by Madison Patterson

Lights ON Blackfriars invites you inside the work—before the performance begins.These live, in-person theatre conversati...
05/27/2026

Lights ON Blackfriars invites you inside the work—before the performance begins.

These live, in-person theatre conversations at the Blackfriars Playhouse bring together the artists and scholars behind each production to explore the stories, ideas, and creative choices shaping the show you’re about to see. You’ll hear behind-the-scenes insight, learn more about the play’s themes and staging, and discover what to listen for during the performance.

🕰 Select Saturdays | 11:00 AM
📍 Blackfriars Playhouse, Staunton, VA
✨ About 1 hour | Just after the Playhouse Tour

Upcoming Schedule:
May 30 – Dr. Ralph Alan Cohen On William Shakespeare’s As You Like It
June 6 – Dylan Mabe “Fight Call!” A Narrative Writing Intervention Through the Lens of Stage Combat
June 20 – Director K.P Powell discusses Our Town
August 1 – The ASC Props Team talks all things Summer Repertory at the Blackfriars Playhouse
August 8 – Johnny Williams III Our Town in Our Playhouse: Examining Wilder’s Our Town at the ASC

No prior Shakespeare knowledge required—just curiosity.

Free for Blackfriars Circle members. Tickets available for all other guests.

Pair it with a Playhouse Tour and make a full morning at the theatre under Shared Light.

05/27/2026

We know what you want, and we want to give you what you want.

Join us THIS FRIDAY as we open our summer season with William Shakespeare’s AS YOU LIKE IT.

📍Blackfriars Playhouse, Staunton, VA

🎟 Reserve your seat now at americanshakespearecenter.com

✨Featuring:
Darin F. Earl II –
Aimee Amelia Greco -

🎥 Video by Madison Patterson

🌿AS YOU LIKE IT opens THIS WEEKEND. Take a sneak peek as the troupe is transported to the Forest of Arden. Directed by J...
05/26/2026

🌿AS YOU LIKE IT opens THIS WEEKEND. Take a sneak peek as the troupe is transported to the Forest of Arden. Directed by José Zayas, don't miss this classic Shakespeare comedy where poems hang from trees, hearts awaken, and everyone turns over a new leaf.🌿

📍Blackfriars Playhouse, Staunton, VA
✨ PWYW Preview Thursday, May 28, 2026
🥂Opening Night, Friday, May 29th.
📅 Runs Through August 8th, 2026
🎟 Reserve your seat now at americanshakespearecenter.com [Link in Bio]

✨Our wild cast
Geoffrey Warren Barnes II as Touchstone -
Summer England as Rosalind -
Nick Ericksen as Orlando - .ericksen
Morgan Rose Ford as Audrey -
Angela Iannone as Duke Frederick
Hannah Nguyen as Phoebe -
Aidan O’Reilly as Jaques -
Ronald Román-Meléndez as Oliver -
Isabel Sanchez as Celia -
Christopher Seiler as Duke Senior -

✨Creative Team
Director - José Zayas
Stage Manager - Jocelyn A. Thompson
Assistant Stage Manager - Rachel Kilgore
Assistant Stage Manager - Kaela A.C. Wilson
Intimacy Choreographer - Haley Fentriss Roberts
Movement Consultant - Emily Oleson
Production Coordinator - J. Paige Hilton
Prop Designer & Shop Manager - Conrad Gothard
Costume Designer - Elizabeth Wislar
Wardrobe Shop Manager & Design Assistant - Amy Monsalve
Costume Coordinator & Wardrobe Supervisor - Trina Yager
Props Artisan & Assistant Shop Manager - Grace Easterday .upsidedown_artisan
Wardrobe Assistant - Kassandra Loera

📸Photos by Madison Patterson

05/23/2026

This Summer Season, Summer England returns to the playhouse, playing one of our favorite Shakespearean tropes: Girlies being badass hunky dudes.

🌿AS YOU LIKE IT opens NEXT FRIDAY.
Come see Shakespeare as he would want it to be seen, under shared light.

✨Featuring:
🎭Summer England -

🎥 Video by Madison Patterson

Address

10 S Market Street
Staunton, VA
24401

Opening Hours

Wednesday 1pm - 5pm
Thursday 1pm - 5pm
Friday 1pm - 5pm
Saturday 12pm - 4pm
Sunday 12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+18776824236

Website

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