September 11, 2025 – November 15, 2025
“For he was more than over-shoes in love.”
–Act 1, scene 1
Friendship. Loyalty. And the foolish things we do for love.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona follows Proteus and Valentine, two young men who swear nothing can come between them. But when love enters the picture, everything changes. Loyalty is tested. Disguises are donned. Hearts are broken. And yes – it’s the one with the dog.
This is Shakespeare at his most playful, where friendship tangles with romance and characters stumble through the beautiful, messy chaos of growing up. Expect sharp banter, laugh-out-loud moments, and a surprisingly tender look at how far we’ll go for love, for ambition, and sometimes for all the wrong reasons.
This fall at the Blackfriars Playhouse, join us for a funny, fresh, and heartfelt spin on one of Shakespeare’s earliest and most overlooked comedies. View our Fall 2025 Season Digital Program.
Acting Fellow
Samuel M. Acosta is an Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center (ASC). Explore his extensive theatre experience and upcoming roles.
Lydia Sophia Christensen is a dynamic performer whose versatility and passion bring captivating characters to life at ASC and beyond.
Madeleine Cook is a dynamic performer whose versatility and passion bring captivating characters to life at ASC and beyond.
Maggie Lengerich is an Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center.
Kathleen Mitchell is a passionate performer whose compelling portrayals bring Shakespearean and contemporary characters to life at ASC and beyond.
Pete Sheldon is a versatile performer and musician whose passion for Shakespearean theatre and dynamic storytelling shine at ASC and beyond.
Emmett Temple is a is a versatile performer and theatre artist whose dynamic talent shines in productions at ASC and beyond.
Nick Trusty, Acting Fellow at the American Shakespeare Center.
Larisa West is a passionate performer whose dynamic talent and dedication to storytelling shine at ASC and beyond.
Johnny Williams III is a dynamic performer whose versatility and passion bring captivating characters to life at ASC and beyond.
Cast
Geoffrey Warren Barnes II is a gifted actor whose compelling and elegant performances light up the ASC stage and beyond.
Maya Danks is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse.
Nick Ericksen is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, VA.
Britt Michael Gordon is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center, appearing in classical and contemporary productions at the Blackfriars Playhouse.
Angela Iannone is a celebrated actor, known for her nuanced performances and captivating presence at ASC and beyond.
Sara Linares is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center, appearing in classical and contemporary productions at the Blackfriars Playhouse.
Joe Mucciolo is a skilled actor known for his nuanced performances that bring timeless stories to life at ASC and beyond.
Isabel Lee Roden is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, VA.
Isabel Sanchez is an actor at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, VA.
Christopher Seiler is a seasoned actor and musician whose performances embody transformation and connection, captivating audiences at ASC and beyond.
Artistic Team
Aidan O’Reilly is an actor and director with the American Shakespeare Center, known for his work on Shakespearean classics.
Thomas J. Coppola was part of the American Shakespeare Center from 2015 to 2025.
Alexander Carey is a Stage Manager whose expertise and passion bring seamless productions to life at ASC and beyond.
Jess Casanova is a Stage Manager whose expertise and passion bring seamless productions to life at ASC and beyond.
Vera Conrad is a skilled Assistant Stage Manager with a passion for bringing both timeless classics and modern productions to life on stage.
Mili Koncelik is the Playhouse Patron Loyalty Manager for the American Shakespeare Center.
Conrad Gothard worked at the American Shakespeare Center from 2023 – 2026
Assistant Prop Shop Manager/Artisan
Danielle Pecchioli is a Prop Artisan at the American Shakespeare Center.
Elizabeth Wislar is a costume designer at the American Shakespeare Center. Explore her theatre experience and education.
Marie Lupia served at the American Shakespeare Center from 2022–2025.
Amy Monsalve is Wardrobe Manager & Design Assistant at the ASC, recognized for her attention to detail and passion for bringing costumes to life.
Trina Yager is the Costume Coordinator & Wardrobe Supervisor at the American Shakespeare Center.
Rebecca Bailey is a versatile performer and theatre artist whose dynamic talent shines in productions at ASC and beyond.
Christopher Seiler is a seasoned actor and musician whose performances embody transformation and connection, captivating audiences at ASC and beyond.
Doreen Bechtol is a seasoned movement consultant, actor, and educator with extensive experience in theatre, choreography, and original devised works.
Cory Douylliez-Willis is a skilled Dance Choreographer with expertise in contemporary, jazz, ballet, & tap. His work brings movement to ASC & beyond.
John Paul Scheidler is a fight choreographer, director, and actor whose work has been a cornerstone of ASC productions since 2003.
Haley Fentriss Roberts is an accomplished Intimacy Choreographer dedicated to fostering meaningful connections on stage at ASC and beyond.
- Valentine and Proteus, the two gentlemen of Verona, part ways when Valentine departs for Milan, leaving Proteus behind to court Julia.
- Julia pretends to her servant, Lucetta, that she has no interest in Proteus—even though she’s secretly in love with him.
- Proteus’s father, Antonio, decides his son needs worldly experience and sends him to join Valentine in Milan.
- In Milan, Valentine falls in love with Silvia, the Duke of Milan’s daughter. The Duke, however, wants her to marry the wealthy Sir Thurio.
- Before leaving Verona, Proteus and Julia exchange rings as a token of their love.
- Proteus’s servant, Launce, laments leaving Verona behind — but at least he gets to bring along his beloved dog, Crab.
- In Milan, Proteus reunites with Valentine and meets Silvia. Valentine confides in Proteus his plan to elope with her. Unbeknownst to Valentine, Proteus has fallen in love with Silvia at first sight.
- Back in Verona, Julia disguises herself as a boy and sets off for Milan to find Proteus.
- The Duke discovers Valentine’s plan and banishes him; Valentine flees to the forest with his servant, Speed.
- Julia arrives in Milan, outlaws capture Valentine in the Forest, and Silvia flees to the Forest to seek Valentine.
- Hot pursuit, misbehavior, and reconciliation ensue…
Two Gents was the first play by Shakespeare I ever saw. I was eight at the time. It was an outdoor production, staged amongst stone arcades, with live music, and the actors talking poetry directly to the crowd — sound familiar?
My favorite character was Crab, of course, played with cavalier nonchalance by a beautiful basset hound named Killer. I was hooked completely. Understandably I’ve got a nostalgic attachment to this play. It’s one of Shakespeare’s first — as far as we can tell — and he was arguably a teenager when he wrote it which seems appropriate considering the story is all about what it means to grow up.
(Director Aidan O’Reilly at the Table Read for The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Photo by Madison Patterson.)
The turmoil of joy, heartbreak, fear, and wonder that you go through when you’re discovering how the world works is captured here on full display (blemishes included). What’s it like to leave home for the first time, when your friends are more important to you than family, and romance is all you want but you’re also not entirely certain what romance really is?
Innocence can be dangerous when it’s holding hands with ignorance but maybe love can show you a better way if you don’t get caught up trying to be somebody else. Maybe growing up is something we shouldn’t lose our capacity to always do.
There’s a line of Samuel Beckett’s that, I find, echoes the riddle of Two Gentlemen of Verona pretty sweetly: “Paths look different when you walk back along them.”