Drama Club

Build confidence and expand creativity with the ultimate team sport: Theatre.

Offered in partnership with City of Staunton Parks and Recreation.

With Shakespeare’s text as our touchstone and his technology as our laboratory, ASC Drama Club meets once a week in ~12-week terms to explore Shakespeare’s wordcraft and stagecraft through play, building confidence and expanding creativity by working together to craft and rehearse a final performance at the Blackfriars Playhouse. Included in the cost of each Drama Club is a ticket for each participant to join the group on a field trip to the Blackfriars Playhouse.

Registration for Fall 2026 ASC Drama Clubs is not yet open. Please check back later.

View all ASC Drama Club videos

DATES & INFO

Fall 2026 CYCLE: September 13 – December 6, 2026

Final Performance: Sunday, December 6 @ 7:30pm

ASC Drama Club – Junior

Ages: 8-13

Play: The Tempest

Cost: $190 for residents, $192 for non-residents

Learn the theatrical basics by working on an abridged production of a Shakespeare play. Participants audition at the beginning of the cycle to receive their parts and spend the remainder of the cycle rehearsing for their final performance on the Blackfriars Playhouse stage. Included in the registration cost is a ticket for each participant to attend a special field trip to see a mainstage American Shakespeare Center production.

SCHEDULE OVERVIEW:

Weekly Rehearsals: Sundays from 1-3 PM (1-4 PM beginning November 1), September 13 – December 6

Playhouse Field Trip to see The Tempest: Saturday, October 10 from 1:45-4:30 PM

Playhouse Dress Rehearsal: Saturday, November 7 from 9 AM-12 PM

Final Performance: Share the Light on Sunday, December 6 at 7:30 PM

(View full details and mandatory dates under the “Schedule” tab above)

Registration for Fall 2026 ASC Drama Clubs is not yet open. Please check back later.

ASC Drama Club – Senior

Ages: 14-18

Cost: $190 for residents, $192 for non-residents

Develop a deep appreciation for Shakespeare’s stagecraft while learning more about his wordcraft. Participants will work on a variety of scenes and speeches throughout the cycle, culminating in a final performance of scenes on the Blackfriars Playhouse stage. Included in the registration cost is a ticket for each participant to attend a special field trip to see a mainstage American Shakespeare Center production.

SCHEDULE OVERVIEW:

Weekly Rehearsals: Sundays from 4:30-6:30 PM, September 13 – December 6

Playhouse Field Trip to see The Tempest: Saturday, October 10 from 1:45-4:30 PM

Playhouse Dress Rehearsal: Sunday, November 8 from 5-7 PM

Final Performance: Share the Light on Sunday, December 6 at 7:30 PM

(View full details and mandatory dates under the “Schedule” tab above)

Registration for Fall 2026 ASC Drama Clubs is not yet open. Please check back later.

Why join a drama club?

ASC Drama Clubs introduce participants to the vocabulary of theatre, generally (things like “blocking” and “stage right/left”) as well as Shakespeare’s language, specifically (why do they talk like that?).

Participants gain all the benefits of theatrical training: greater collaborative skills, enhanced creative and critical thinking, increased awareness of physicality and movement, personal responsibility, and group camaraderie (to name a few). Specifically, they learn how to work together to put on a performance and gain valuable skills and experience in doing so. Making theatre isn’t just about memorizing lines and writing down blocking: it’s also about listening actively and responding genuinely, taking care of yourself and your teammates, and working together on a project that will always be greater than the sum of its parts.

Participants also gain an advanced, early understanding of Shakespeare—often before they encounter his plays in an academic environment. The objective of all ASC Drama Clubs is to foster a lifelong love of theatre in general and Shakespeare in particular. Available evidence suggests early exposure (before the onset of “Shakesfear” in high school) to be the best way to achieve that objective.