Tours of the Blackfriars Playhouse blend lecture and performance in an educational and entertaining look at the theatre of Shakespeare's day. Our guides tell the story of England's first indoor theatre and describe how the staging conditions of 16th and 17th-century London shaped the works of Shakespeare and his fellow playwrights.

Tour participants will:

• Learn about the history of the American Shakespeare Center.
• Get the details about the Blackfriars Playhouse, the world's only re-creation of Shakespeare's original indoor playhouse.
• Be introduced to the historical framework of Shakespeare's London.
• Get to go on-stage, back-stage, and under-the-stage to get an actor's eye view of the world of Shakespeare's theatre.
• Have the chance to perform your favorite scenes or monologues as Shakespeare's actors did (inspired by Simon Palfrey and Tiffany Stern's Shakespeare in Parts).

Tours last approximately one hour. Photography and performing  is highly encouraged!

Tour Times

April - May

11 AM: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday

2 PM:  Monday through Friday.

June - September 26

11 AM: Monday through Saturday

2 PM:  Monday through Friday.

September 26 - October

11 AM: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday

2 PM:  Monday through Friday.

November-March

11 AM: Saturday

2 PM: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday

Where

Playhouse tours begin at the box office of the Blackfriars Playhouse located at 10 South Market Street.

Cost

$5.00 per person. Special group rates are available. Please contact our Academic Relations Manager if you would like more details at 540-885-5588 ext. 24 or via email at groupsales@americanshakespearecenter.com.

If you would like to order tickets for a tour, you may either do so online by following the link below, or by calling the American Shakespeare Center Box office at 1-877-MUCH-ADO

You can now reserve your Playhouse tour tickets online:

Rehearsal Observation

As an essential part of our mission to be a place to enjoy and to study Shakespeare in performance, the American Shakespeare Center is pleased to open its rehearsals to scholars, students, and researchers who wish to deepen their understanding of the process of staging a play. We invite those who would like to see a rehearsal to contact the Education department to schedule their visits. Email sarahe@americanshakespearecenter.com or call 540-885-5588 ext. 28.