Green Before There Was Green

Long before green became the new black, the theatre companies of Renaissance England put on shows that used natural resources sparingly and created very little waste. Sets were almost nonexistent and costumes were adapted from the clothing of the day. At an outdoor theatre like the Globe, light came from the sun and heat came from dressing warm.

It was only at indoor spaces like the Blackfriars Playhouse that energy was used to create light, through dozens of candles that would have been burned during a performance.

A Head Start

Fast forward to the 21st century, and theatre has grown a much bigger ecological footprint. Elaborate sets can gobble up thousands of pounds of wood, nails, cloth, and plastic, and drink up hundreds of gallons of paint. Then, after a few weeks or months, when closing night comes, dismantled sets can wind up in the landfill. Live performances can also demand hundreds of kilowatts in electricity for stage lighting or sound equipment.

Today at the Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, the re-creation of Shakespeare's original indoor space, we follow Renaissance staging practices because it creates great theatre. But our performance style also happens to be very green theatre.

We follow the tradition of the King's Men in using neither sets nor special stage lighting. We re-use costumes and adapt them from one production to the next for years. And the great music played by our actors as part of our shows is unplugged.

Certified Virginia Green Attraction

As recognition of what the ASC has already done to use energy, water, and other resources efficiently and reduce waste, in January 2010 the Virginia Green Program recognized the ASC as a Green Attraction.

• Top Ten Green Shakespeare Quotes

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