Since 1988, the American Shakespeare Center has produced English Renaissance plays in a bold, fresh style, bringing Shakespeare and other early modern works to communities across the country and around the world. Direct from the stage of the Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, VA, the ASC On Tour employs Shakespeare’s own staging conditions to break down the barriers that traditionally separate performer and audience.

"We scour the country for the right 10-12 actors to perform all these roles in all of these plays," said ASC Artistic Director Jim Warren. "Not only are we looking for the right talent to do these shows in true rotating repertory (a great lost joy in today's theatre world), but we're also looking for personalities we think will gel into a dynamic, well-balanced ensemble on and off the stage. On top of all of that, we're also looking for singers and musicians because we perform all of our music live and unplugged; join us for our pre-show a half-hour before show time for some musical treats."

Let the American Shakespeare Center on Tour recreate the magic of the Blackfriars Playhouse in your venue. From single-day showcases to week-long interactive residencies, the ASC on Tour has earned its reputation as one of America's most respected theatre companies.

To book the ASC on Tour for your venue, please call our tour operations manager, Darlene Schneck, Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at 540.885.5588 ext. 11 or emaildarlenes@americanshakespearecenter.com.

2013/2014 25th Anniversary World's Mine Oyster Tour

The 25th Anniversary World's Mine Oyster Tour is scheduled to perform at venues through the Mid-Atlantic and New England from September through November of 2013 and through the South and Midwest from January through March of 2014. In April 2014, the troupe will return to Staunton to present the spring season at the Blackfriars Playhouse through the middle of June.

In this magnificently complex study of extremes, Shakespeare pairs his most loving and trusting leading man with his most conniving and ruthless villain in a dangerous dance of deceit and revenge. The radiant language of love transforms into delirious ravings as his characters descend into jealousy, fear, and rage. Both expansive and claustrophobic, Othello is Shakespeare at the height of his creative power— a ravishing and unforgettable classic.

Urban legend claims that Queen Elizabeth asked Shakespeare to write a play featuring “the fat knight in love.” In the effervescent The Merry Wives of Windsor, Falstaff may not be truly in love, but he is certainly in lust. The objects of his desire, two clever Windsor wives, team up to outsmart and outmaneuver one of Shakespeare’s wittiest and most beloved bad boys. Shakespeare blends romance, farce, and festival in his liveliest and most affectionate portrait of domestic life in Elizabeth’s England. Audiences now, as then, cannot resist this comic confection.

In this thrilling and poignant coming-of-age story, Shakespeare gives us the whole world: the fabulous fat knight, the troubled king, the hot-blooded warrior, the prodigal prince, and the crew of big-hearted Eastcheap rabble rousers. Henry IV, Part 1 is Shakespeare’s masterful exploration of family and friends; honor and happiness; and those moments when we are forced to choose between the thing we desire and the thing we know we must do.

The 2013/14 25th Anniversary World's Mine Oyster Tour is proudly sponsored by

• Meet the 2012/13 Tempt Me Further Tour
• ASC On Tour FAQs
• Program Offerings
• ASC on Tour - High School Shows
• Testimonials
• 2013/14 25th Anniversary World's Mine Oyster Tour

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