Plan Your Visit
Get ready to experience the world’s only re-creation of Shakespeare’s indoor theatre and one of America’s Best Main Streets.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible seating is available on the first and second levels for all our performances.
- Hearing assistance receivers and follow-along scripts are available at the box office.
- Service dogs are permitted in the Blackfriars Playhouse.
- Vision-Impaired patrons may request a complimentary companion ticket.
- Take a 360 Tour of the Theater by photographer Richard Finkelstein to view your seats in advance.
Our Address
10 South Market Street, Staunton, VA 24401
Hours
The ASC Box Office is open Wednesday-Friday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM and Saturdays/Sundays from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
Box Office email: tickets@americanshakespearecenter.com
Parking
Finding parking in downtown Staunton is easy. The New Street Garage is the closest to the Blackfriars, but there are plenty of lots scattered around town (typical exit fee $1 after 5:30 and on weekends). Street parking is available near the Blackfriars and is free on weekends and weekdays after 5:00 PM.
Visit One of America’s best main streets
Named both one of the 20 Most Beautiful Main Streets in America by Reader’s Digest and one of the 25 Best Small Town Main Streets in America You Need to Visit ASAP by Oprah Daily, Staunton is the perfect escape. Surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Downtown Staunton is packed with boutique shopping, local award-winning restaurants, and extraordinary hotels—park you car and leave it all weekend!
Professional Repertory Theater
The American Shakespeare Center performs classics titles, modern shows, and world-premieres in the Blackfriars Playhouse—the world’s only recreation of Shakespeare’s indoor theater. This incredible backdrop is the home of our professional company of actors from all across America. One of the hallmarks of ASC’s work, many of our shows run in “rep”—meaning you can see the same professional cast in multiple shows, all in one weekend! Explore our Calendar to plan your visit!
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Stunning ACCOMMODATIONS
With multiple places to stay downtown, the action is just steps away from your door. Check out our lodging partners for special deals and rates for ticket holders!
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| Blackburn Inn and Conference Center ASC Visitor Rate – 15% off standard rates for anyone traveling to see an ASC show with code ASC22 | Hotel 24 South Mention the ASC discount when booking your room reservation (540-885-4848) or visit us online and use the promo code ASC4ME. This discount is for overnight accommodations only. Tickets are purchased through ASC. | Frederick House A charming small hotel right downtown! |
NEW! ASC Package at the Blackburn Inn and Conference Center
Available Wednesday – Sunday
Join us this season for a show at the American Shakespeare Center and an overnight stay at The Blackburn. This special package includes 2 ASC tickets and breakfast for two.
INCLUDED ADD ONS:
- TICKETS: 2 Premium tier tickets for a show within the American Shakespeare Center’s 2024 season. Shows run Wednesday-Sunday. For shows on Wednesdays or Thursdays, the package will also include a $10 food voucher to be used at the Playhouse bar
- BREAKFAST: Breakfast for Two at the 2nd Draft Bistro. One medium house coffee, a juice, and one breakfast item. Served 7 days a week. Please note that this is non-refundable and has no cash value.
Award-Winning Dining
Staunton boasts a bustling culinary scene—and multiple wineries, breweries, and cideries. Explore our Dining Guide!
On Foot
Besides restaurants and hotels, Downtown Staunton is full of local shops featuring antiques, home decor, handmade jewelry, and fair-trade gifts. Woodrow Wilson’s Presidential Library is just one block from the Blackfriars Playhouse, offering tours of the birthplace of Woodrow Wilson alongside their museum exhibits.
A Short Drive
Access to Skyline Drive, a 105 miles road along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park, is just a short drive from Downtown Staunton and boasts beautiful scenic outlooks and hikes year-round. The Frontier Culture Museum is just down the road, offering glimpses into the lives of early inhabitants of the Shenandoah Valley complete with original homes brought from around the world and living history interpreters.
Whether you’re visiting for the first time or already know your favorite seat, there are plenty of ways to save.
Blackfriars Circle Memberships
Join the Blackfriars Circle and have access to tickets before they go on sale to the public—at a discounted price! Memberships don’t lock you into a specific number of performances. Your benefits can be applied to as many or as few performances as you would like throughout the year while providing you with additional opportunities, content, and engagement.
Group discounts
Three’s a crowd, but ten is a group! Qualified groups receive a special group rate. Learn more.
PAY-WHAT-YOU-WILL PREVIEWS
All preview performances in a production’s season run are always Pay-What-You-Will. Advance reservations are not available for PWYW seats. Instead, please arrive at the Blackfriars Playhouse 30-60 minutes before curtain to join the line and claim your seat on a first come, first served basis. You will be let into the lobby beginning at approximately 6:30 PM where you will stop at the box office desk to get your seat for the performance. PWYW donations will be accepted after the performance.
Upcoming PWYW Dates:
- Twelfth Night Or What You Will – Thursday, February 19, 2026 7:30 PM (Preview)
- The Hound of the Baskervilles -Thursday, February 26, 2026 7:30 PM (Preview)
- A Bold Stroke for a Husband – Thursday, April 9, 2026 7:30 PM (Preview)
- As You Like It – Thursday, May 28, 2026 7:30 PM (Preview)
- Our Town – Thursday, June 25, 2026 7:30 PM (Preview)
Save 50% with Local rush
Live nearby? Take 50% off tickets for performances on Wednesdays and Thursdays if you live in:
- Augusta County
- Albemarle County
- Charlottesville
- Waynesboro
- Staunton
- Bath County
- Nelson County
- Highland County
- Rockingham County
- Harrisonburg
- Rockbridge County
- Lexington
The week of your preferred show, please call our Box Office 1.877.682.4236 or stop by the Playhouse to reserve your local rush tickets. (Seating subject to availability, limit 8 per customer. Local rush not available for holidays or special events.)
Walk-Up Rush Tickets
Not a local? Everyone’s invited. Get 50% off tickets for Wednesday and Thursday performances. Available in person only, starting one hour before showtime at the Blackfriars Playhouse. No advance reservations.
Seating is subject to availability. Limit 4 tickets per customer. Walk-up rush tickets are not available for holidays or special events.
For questions, call the Box Office at 1.877.682.4236.
FLASH SALES & LIMITED-TIME OFFERS
From time to time, the American Shakespeare Center offers limited-time ticket deals on select performances at the Blackfriars Playhouse. Offers are valid only during the stated promotional window and must be applied at checkout either online or by phone.
Important information on ASC’s Flash Sales & Limited-Time Offers:
- Apply the Code at Checkout: Be sure to enter your code before completing your order. Unfortunately, we cannot retroactively apply discounts to tickets purchased before the flash sale or orders completed without the code—even by accident.
- No Double Discounts: Promotions cannot be combined with other discount codes, including member discounts. (Spoiler alert: Members still get the best deal year-round—learn more about membership.)
- Choose Any Seat in the House: Codes work for any seat for the specific performances listed and are good for up to 8 tickets, so grab the perfect spot for you and your group. For groups of 10 or more, contact our Group Sales team at groupsales@americanshakespearecenter.com to explore even better deals.
- Ticket Policies: All offers are subject to ASC’s Ticket Policies, including exchange and performance guidelines. Check out our Ticket Policies.
- Questions or concerns? We’re here to help. For assistance, contact the Box Office at tickets@americanshakespearecenter.com or call 1.877.682.4236
STUDENT DISCOUNT
The American Shakespeare Center is happy to offer one $25 ticket to any performance (excluding special events) for all current college students. Please call our Box Office 1.877.682.4236 or stop by the Playhouse to reserve your discounted ticket. You must show proof of current student ID when you purchase your tickets or when you attend the show, if purchased over the phone.
MILITARY DISCOUNT
The American Shakespeare Center values military personnel in our community and country, and is devoted to ensuring their access to live theatre. ASC is proud to welcome military personnel, veterans, and their immediate families to the Blackfriars Playhouse at a discounted price. Learn More
Playwrights Discount
Playwrights Welcome is a new program to provide free access to theatre for Dramatists Guild of America Members, developed by Samuel French along with Dramatists Play Service, Dramatic Publishing, Music Theatre International, Playscripts and Rodgers and Hammerstein. For more information on this national program, please click here.
ASC is proud to offer one free ticket to any ASC performance for members of the Dramatists Guild. To redeem this offer through Playwrights Welcome, you may either visit or call the Box Office at 1.877.682.4236 to book your ticket the day of the performance. When you arrive, please present your Dramatists Guild membership card at Will Call. One ticket per member, per production, is allowed, based on availability.
WIC RECIPIENT FREE Tickets
The American Shakespeare Center is thrilled to participate in the Virginia Commission for the Arts’ (VCA) Passport Program, an arts-access initiative in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). Through the Passport Program, recipients of Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) benefits in Virginia can access discounts at participating arts and cultural organizations across the state. WIC recipients can receive free admission to any ASC performance for up to 4 family members. Call or visit the Box Office to reserve tickets, then present your WIC card at time of pick-up. Seating is at the discretion of the Box Office and based on availability. For more information about the Passport Program, visit the VCA’s website here.
E-GIFT CARDS
Share the gift of Shakespeare with your loved ones by giving them an American Shakespeare Center e-gift card! Newly available to purchase online, you can email a gift card to the recipient of your choice. If you’d prefer to print out the card to give in person, simply put your email address into both the ‘Recipient’ and ‘Sender’ email fields. This doesn’t affect the recipient’s ability to redeem the gift card. Purchase here
Other Questions?
Visit our General FAQ page to find answers to all our more frequently asked questions.
FIRST VISIT? HERE IS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR ASC TICKETS.
A Warning About Third-Party Tickets
The American Shakespeare Center (ASC) does not sell tickets through brokers or third-party resellers. The only official online source for tickets to performances at the Blackfriars Playhouse is our website: americanshakespearecenter.com.
When searching for tickets online, please use caution. Third-party websites such as: Tickets-Center, eTickets, Ticketsales, VividSeats, StubHub, and SeatGeek often appear at the top of search results. These are not authorized sellers, and ASC cannot verify or resolve any issues with tickets purchased from these sources.
Buying or attempting to resell tickets above face value is a violation of our ticketing terms and conditions. ASC reserves the right to cancel any tickets identified as part of unauthorized resale. All hard tickets and e-tickets display the original face value. Tickets deemed suspicious may be invalid and will not scan at the door.
Do not duplicate tickets or attempt to sell copies. Transferring tickets to another person may require the original purchaser’s ID.
For a secure ticketing experience, always buy directly from ASC.
Refunds and Exchanges
We do not offer ticket refunds for events happening in less than 30 days. We are also unable to retroactively apply discounts to any order, so please ensure all discounts are applied to your order before you complete the check-out process.
If you are unable to attend your ticketed show, we are happy to exchange your ticket for another performance or offer you a ticket placeholder that is good for any show for a calendar year from the issuance date. To obtain the placeholder you must contact the box office before the start of your original performance via email or phone.
To discuss ticket arrangements, please get in touch with our Box Office by e-mail (tickets@
cancellations
We make every attempt to continue performances as scheduled. In the event of a cancellation, you will be contacted both via text (if we have your cell number on file) and through the email you provide during your ticket purchase with the cancellation announcement. In the email you will receive options for your tickets—you may request to move to a different performance, to receive a refund, move to a placeholder good for a year, or opt to make a tax-deductible donation with the cost of your ticket.
If the event is postponed, rescheduled, or moved: your ticket(s) are still valid, and you will be contacted about new dates and times via email.
YOUTH ADMISSION POLICY AND ENFORCEMENT
ASC welcomes children seven and older to the Blackfriars Playhouse throughout the year. We are unable to allow children younger than seven to these performances.
Children three and older are welcome to A Christmas Carol during the Holiday Season and any sensory-friendly performance. We are unable to allow children younger than three to these performances.
Some of our plays contain material unsuitable for children. Call the box office for specific information about any show in the season.
In order to maintain a comfortable and age-appropriate environment for all attendees, parents or guardians bringing children to our shows are kindly requested to adhere to the posted age recommendations for each specific performance. If you bring a child younger than our age policy for the production, they will not be admitted to the performance. We do not allow lap children/infants in our theaters. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in ensuring an enjoyable experience for all our patrons.
LATE ARRIVALS AND SEAT UPGRADES
Unlike other theatres, we don’t hold the curtain. We start on time every time. Late arrivals will be sat at the discretion of our House Manager. You will be sat in the seat you purchased. If you are interested in a seat upgrade, please see the House Manager on duty. If you move seats without speaking to the House Manager, you will be asked to move back to your purchased seats.
SEVERE WEATHER POLICY
Performances continue as scheduled unless we experience a loss of power or extremely dangerous conditions at the Blackfriars Playhouse. Please see the above paragraph for information on how we will contact you if a performance is canceled.
If we are able to continue a performance, for patrons who cannot travel safely, we will gladly issue replacement tickets for another performance, pending availability.
Please contact the Box Office at least 24 hours before your selected performance to make arrangements. (tickets@americanshakespearecenter.com or call 1.877.682.4236)
CONTENT ADVISORY
Please be aware that our productions are usually classic Shakespearean comedies and tragedies, meaning that in addition to the sublime silliness and solemnity, the text is often bawdy, irreverent, and/or downright salacious.
The American Shakespeare Center honors the spirit of the plays as written, and recommends patrons exercise their best judgment when deciding if these stories are suitable for their children.
Please call the Box Office for specific information about any show in the season.
ADA AND COMPANION SEATS
Accessible seats are only for patrons with disabilities and their companions. Patrons who abuse this policy could have their order canceled. If you’ve purchased accessible tickets in error, please contact the Box Office to switch your seats.
A member of the Box Office may reach out to confirm if members of your party are in wheelchairs or scooters.
PHOTO POLICY
In compliance with our agreement with Actor’s Equity Association, photos are not permitted during the performance, musical pre-show/interlude, or any time an actor is onstage. If you take photos, a member of the House staff will have you delete the photos or videos from your phone and “Recently Deleted” album. If you are caught more than once during a performance you will be removed from the theatre without reimbursement.
PLEASE NOTE: By entering the Blackfriars Playhouse, you acknowledge that you may be photographed or filmed; and, you agree that the American Shakespeare Center may use any resulting images for marketing or promotional purposes. Please see the House Manager with questions.
OUTSIDE FOOD, DRINK, AND CONTAINERS
Due to Virginia ABC law no outside food, beverages, or containers are permitted inside the Blackfriars Playhouse. This includes water bottles and leftovers from dinner. If you have something with you, you will be asked to leave it at the Box Office desk and pick it up at the end of the performance.
SMOKING POLICY
Smoking or vaping is strictly prohibited on the property. If you are caught on the premises, you will be asked to leave without reimbursment.
OTher Questions?
Visit our General FAQ page to find answers to all our more frequently asked questions.