Alabama Shakespeare Festival – Montgomery, Alabama
If you are a fan of great Shakespeare then you really need to come to this festival. It is the 6th largest Shakespeare festival in the world. After beginning as a part-time with plays running for six weeks during the summer the Festival was moved from Anniston to Montgomery through the generous donation of Wynton Blount when he agreed to build them a new facility in Montgomery. Now the ASF runs year-round productions with more than 400 performances scheduled each year.
There are two theaters in the center, the 750 seat Festival Stage and the the 224 Octagon. This along with production shops, rehearsal halls, and administrative work space makes this a totally functional, treasured addition to the community of Montgomery. The 100,000 sq ft facility is situated on land in a 250 acre park. The grounds are fashioned in an English-style and has a lake to add to the charm.
ASF operates year-round, producing 14 world-class productions annually, including three works of William Shakespeare. The remainder are classics of the stage – works by playwrights such as Moliére, George Bernard Shaw, Anton Chekhov, Tennessee Williams, Thornton Wilder, and Eugene O’Neill – along with musicals and new works commissioned by the Festival.
There is also a Children’s Theatre and SchoolFest associated with ASF where students are given matinee programs to expose them to the works of the great playwrights. There are more than 36,000 students exposed to these plays each season from around the region.
Saturdays ASF offers Theatre in the Mind, a free adult humanities program featuring lectures, author talks, and actor discussion designed to help audiences understand the plays better.
There is also the Bard Talks which area a brief and enlightening informal talk for those that are interested in arriving at the theatre 30 minutes before the play begins. Opening Night Receptions are held in celebrating the first showing of each new production with a post-show reception and mix & mingle with the cast after the show. Â Opening Receptions occur on the first Sunday matinee performance of each play.
Step backstage and see how the talented professional inside our amazing facility create the magic you see on stage. Tours are given Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. (excluding holidays) for $5 per person.
Directions:
Street Address
1 Festival Drive Montgomery, AL 36117
Box Office Hours: Monday – Saturday 10 am – 6 pm. Open until 8 pm on performance evenings and 12-4 on performance Sundays. Closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther Kind, Jr. Day, Easter Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Babes in arms and children under the age of 6 are not admitted to the theatre. Some of the Carol Delk Thompson Children’s Theatre Productions are intended for ages lower than 6 and will be posted for you to see in advance of the performances.
From MOBILE (172 Miles) and NEW ORLEANS (312 Miles)
I-65 North to Montgomery to I-85 North to Exit 6, East Blvd. Once on Exit 6, take the first off ramp for East Blvd. heading South. When the lanes divide, stay in the left lane under the signs for Carmichael Rd. and Woodmere Blvd. At the stop sign at the end of the off-ramp you can only turn right. Once you do so, you will want to merge into the left-hand lane. At the second light (RBC Bank on corner), make a left onto Woodmere Blvd. Entrance to the Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park is 1/2 mile on right.
From BIRMINGHAM (90 Miles) and HUNTSVILLE (164 Miles)
I-65 South to Montgomery to I-85 North to Exit 6, East Blvd. Once on Exit 6, take the first off ramp for East Blvd. heading South. When the lanes divide, stay in the left lane under the signs for Carmichael Rd. and Woodmere Blvd. At the stop sign at the end of the off-ramp you can only turn right. Once you do so, you will want to merge into the left-hand lane. At the second light (RBC Bank on corner), make a left onto Woodmere Blvd. Entrance to the Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park is 1/2 mile on right.
From AUBURN (46 Miles) and ATLANTA (180 Miles)
I-85 South to Montgomery. Take Exit 6, East Blvd. You will approach a traffic light at the end of the ramp. Take a left on East Blvd. and stay in the left lane. At the second light (RBC Bank on corner), make a left onto Woodmere Blvd. Entrance to the Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park is 1/2 mile on right.
From TROY (47 Miles) and DOTHAN (103 Miles) and Tallahassee (192 Miles)
US 231 North to Southeast Blvd. (Barnes & Noble Bookstore on Right) Take a right on East Blvd. Go through seven to eight traffic lights until you see the Woodmere Blvd. turn on the right (RBC Bank on the corner). Take a right on Woodmere Blvd. Entrance to the Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park is 1/2 mile on right.
From Montgomery’s Airport (Dannelly Field 15 Miles)
As you exit the airport, turn right onto U.S. Highway 80 East (also known as Selma Highway). Continue east to the intersection with Interstate 65 North (towards Birmingham). The entrance to I-65 North is left off of US 80. Take I-65 north to the intersection with I-85 North. Follow I-85 North to Exit 6 (East Blvd.). Take the first off ramp for East Blvd heading South. When the lanes divide, stay in the left lane under the signs for Carmichael Rd. and Woodmere Blvd. At the stop sign at the end of the off-ramp you can only turn right. Once you do so, you will want to merge into the left-hand lane. At the second light (RBC Bank on corner) make a left onto Woodmere Blvd. Entrance to the Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park is 1/2 mile on right.
Box Office – 334.271.5353 or 1.800.841.4273
Related posts:
About Editor
We came up there from Ozark Alabama about one year ago and watched Winnie the Pooh with my childs TAG class. The schooll is Lisenby Elem and the teachers name is Lisa Smith. My child is doing an Alabama scrap book and I wondered if you could sent us a brochure to put in it. She would just like to show her classmate where she went.
Thank you,
Sherri Flowers
335 Penny Point
Ozark, Al. 36360
334-791-3127
I have forwarded your request on to the education department of the festival and asked them to respond to you.
I would like to have information on the children’s plays you offer. Titles, timees, etc. for 4-6 grade children. This would be a church group. Do you give group rates? how many in group, etc. Thank you in advance for any help you can give me. Juanita
I have forwarded your request for informaiton on to the Festival marketing department and requested that they contact you.