Press Releases

Shakespeare Celebrates 461st Birthday with Week-Long Festival at the American Shakespeare Center

A festive digital graphic for Shakespeare’s Birthday Festival. The background is deep red with scattered confetti and balloons in red and gold. A black-and-white portrait of William Shakespeare is decorated with a striped party hat, yellow sunglasses, and a beaded trim, giving him a playful and celebratory look. Bold white and gold text announces: 'SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHDAY FESTIVAL' with the tagline 'A WEEK-LONG BARD BASH' followed by 'WORKSHOPS, WONDERS, & SHAKESPEAREAN SHENANIGANS.' The event details, 'April 21–26, 2025, Staunton, VA,' appear prominently in white text.

Press Release: March 24, 2025

Staunton, VA — For the first time ever the American Shakespeare Center (ASC) presents Shakespeare’s Birthday Festival, a week-long celebration of theatre, learning, community, and Shakespeare’s 461st birthday.

April 21-27, the ASC will hold workshops, exclusive Playhouse tours, and lively evening events, serving as a fundraiser for the ASC Theatre Camp (ASCTC).

Interactive Daytime Workshops for ages 7-18, allow participants to experience Shakespeare first-hand, including workshops like fan favorite Blood Workshop, “Words, Words, Words” with the Rustic Mechanicals, “Much Ado About Clowns” with Streetlight Shakespeare Ensemble. Join a single workshop for $15, or make it a package deal.

Extended Playhouse Tours dive deep into the world’s only re-creation of Shakespeare’s indoor playhouse. Led by ASC Education Tour Guides, these immersive experiences go beyond the usual tour, with a hands-on look at Shakespeare’s audience interaction, cue script techniques, ensemble-based soundscapes, and more.

Each evening, Shakespeare’s Birthday Festival celebrates creativity, performance, and community. With free events like Shakespeare & Friends open house and “How to Build a Career in the Arts” networking panel, to paid events like #Shakespearaoke, a Taylor Swift & Shakespeare literary crossover, there’s something for everyone.

To view the full festival schedule visit and download the digital calendar:
americanshakespearecenter.com/2025/03/shakespeares-birthday-festival-2025/