Fall Into Story

First Loves, Fierce Friends, & Flags Aloft

THE CAST OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL 2024. PHOTO BY OCTOBER GRACE MEDIA.

A Timeless Holiday Tradition

Share the season with family, friends, and unforgettable theatre.

Shakespeare Uncorked featuring Devils Backbone Brewery 2023. Photo by October Grace Media.

Go Beyond The Show

Make the most of your visit with tours, talks, and tastings.

Executive Director Vanessa Morosco and the ASC Spring Company 2024. Photo by October Grace Media.

Find Your Adventure

Experience one-night-only performances, family-friendly adventures, and unique events you won’t find anywhere else.

Take the Playhouse Home

show pins, fashion-forward tees, and gifts from local makers.

Romeo and Juliet 2025

Fall into the rush of first love in the early 2000s with Romeo and Juliet—Shakespeare’s iconic story of passion, defiance, and connection that can’t be stopped. When two young hearts find each other at the turn of a new millennium in a world built on hate, they risk everything to hold on to what feels true.

August 28, 2025 – November 15, 2025
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Isabel Lee Roden as Juliet and Nick Ericksen as Romeo in ASC’s Romeo & Juliet, 2025. Photo by Madison Patterson.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona 2025

How far would you go for love - and would your best friend forgive you? In The Two Gentlemen of Verona, friendship collides with romance in a fast-paced tale of loyalty, love, and the foolish choices we make along the way.

September 11, 2025 – November 15, 2025
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Geoffrey Warren Barnes II as Launce and Maple Patterson as Crab in ASC’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Photo by Madison Patterson.

The Pirate Ballad of Bonny and Read 2025

Two legendary pirate queens come to life in a museum, crash through the fourth wall, and pull one teen into a story of rebellion, sea shanties, and charting your own course. The Pirate Ballad of Bonny & Read is bold, brash, and ready to set sail.

October 16 – November 16
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Isabel Sanchez as The Kid, Maya Danks as Anne Bonny, and Sara Linares as Mary Read in ASC’s The Pirate Ballad of Bonny & Read. Photo by Madison Patterson.

A Christmas Carol 2025

Celebrate the holiday season with A Christmas Carol, a heartwarming production that reminds us of the joy, generosity, and togetherness of the holiday season.

December 4 – 27
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A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Adapted by Jay McClure. Graphic shows text and the ghost of christmas present's green robe with a brown belt on a dark green christmas background. Summary Image 2025. Model Kenn Hopkins Jr. Photo by October Grace Media..png

Shakespeare Uncorked

Sip, savor, and experience a pre-show wine and beer tasting at the American Shakespeare Center. Enjoy Virginia’s best craft beverages from top wineries and breweries before select performances at Blackfriars Playhouse. Limited tickets available—reserve your spot today.

Pre-show Event on Select Saturdays
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Shakespeare Uncorked at the American Shakespeare Center – two people in historical costumes toasting with vintage goblets, promoting a pre-show wine and beer tasting experience featuring Virginia craft beverages.

Bard and Bites 2025

Savor a locally sourced charcuterie box featuring cured meats, cheeses, dried fruits, olives, macarons, and house-made baguettes—perfect for sharing before the show. Available by pre-order only for select performances. $17 per box. Reserve by 5 PM the Friday before your Sunday show. Pick up upstairs one hour before the performance.

Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options available by request.

May 25, 2025 – November 9, 2025
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Three theatergoers enjoy the Bard & Bites Box charcuterie during a show at the Blackfriars Playhouse, sharing a delicious, immersive experience.

Lights ON Blackfriars

FNLO is now Lights ON Blackfriars—your pre-show deep dive into the plays and performances at ASC. Featuring Shakespeare scholars, theatre experts, and ASC artists, this series of insightful discussions, workshops, and panels unpacks the stories, staging, and themes that shape each production.

Select Fridays at 5 PM
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Panel discussion during Lights ON Blackfriars (formerly Friday Night Lights ON) at the Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, featuring four speakers engaging in a lively conversation on stage. The event showcases ASC’s interactive theater programming, connecting audiences with experts in Shakespeare and the performing arts.

Playhouse Tours

Our ASC Education Tour Guides will take you up, down, and around the world's first re-creation of Shakespeare's indoor theatre and share secrets and anecdotes from the past and the present!

Year Round
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Virtual Playhouse Tour

Interested in exploring our beautiful Blackfriars Playhouse, but can't attend an in-person tour? Purchase access to our Virtual Playhouse Tour instead! You'll be able to learn about our modern theater and its historical predecessor—with added locations inaccessible to the public on in-person tours!

Year Round
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"No Kidding" Programs for Adults

"No Kidding" Programs happen throughout the year to give adult theatre lovers (ages 18+) the chance to read, rehearse, and perform classic plays. Join in the fun and perform on the Blackfriars stage along with ASC Education Artists and other special guests.

All Year Round
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Halloween Night with Bonny and Read 2025

Celebrate Halloween at the Blackfriars Playhouse with The Pirate Ballad of Bonny & Read. A swashbuckling adventure for all ages who love pirates and Halloween. Put on your finest pirate shirt and join the crew. Dressing up is optional.

October 31
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Promotional image for the world premiere of THE PIRATE BALLAD OF BONNY & READ (Fall 2025) at the American Shakespeare Center. Ginna Hoben, in a red and gray pirate costume, holds crossed cutlasses beneath bold white show title text. Photo by Alaina Shefelton.

Blackfriars Playhouse Gift Shop

Take a piece of Shared Light with you. Shop show pins, fashion-forward tees, and gifts from local makers. Every purchase brightens the chandeliers for new artists onstage, welcomes neighbors into community, and opens doors for students at the ASC. Open pre-show, at intermission, and online 24/7. Just click "MORE INFO" to shop now.

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these varsity crewnecks let you pick a side: Capulets red or Montagues blue. Pair with your Y2K fit or your coziest Sunday. Inspired by the ASC’s 2025 Romeo & Juliet. Soft fleece, unisex fit. Available at the Blackfriars Gift Shop and online.

Plan Your Trip to ASC:

Real Stories. Real Impact.

We’re proud to share the Summer 2025 Donor Impact Update, a celebration of everything you make possible.

Every seat, every performance, every moment of connection begins with your belief in this work.Explore the full report below or download your copy to read and share.

Read the 2025 Impact Update

Everything happening this Fall

Pick up your printed copy at the Box Office, but what you see there is only half the story.

The real inside scoop? The wine tastings, the charcuterie, the late-night conversations are waiting in the blog below. Don’t miss what everyone else will be talking about.

Discover the Fall Season Events

Paws For The Cause

This fall has gone to the dogs—in the best way. The ASC is teaming up with Augusta Regional SPCA and Friends of the Staunton–Augusta–Waynesboro Animal Shelter for Project Goodfellow.

Bring your pet supply donations to the Playhouse and support animals in need.

Learn More About Project Goodfellow

Your Support Matters

At ASC, your support does more than keep the lights on—it makes magic happen. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, each gift fuels performances, education, and community events. Your donation is the heartbeat that keeps live theatre alive, creating unforgettable moments and touching lives.

Donate to Make a Difference

Blackfriars Circle Membership

Join the Blackfriars Circle for priority seating, discounted tickets, and early access to events at the American Shakespeare Center. Get behind-the-scenes access, member-only gatherings, and personalized service—all while supporting the magic of live theatre. Share your passion and elevate your experience.

Learn More About Membership

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Have questions about your visit to the Blackfriars Playhouse?
Find everything you need on our general FAQ page, where we’ve compiled answers to the most common inquiries—whether it’s about tickets, seating, or what to expect during your theatre experience!

Visit our FAQ page