Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night comes to region

Get your free streaming code and link to watch Twelfth Night by emailing pro-art@uvawise.edu or by calling 276-376-4520. The link and code will work on any streaming device and Pro-Art staff will be glad to assist if viewers need assistance.

Wise, VA – American Shakespeare Center presents the beloved comedy of (mis)identity, Twelfth Night, streaming from November 5 – 11 via the Pro-Art Association. The show will be in 4-camera cinema-quality and was filmed live on the stage of the famous Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, VA.
ASC is among the first not-for-profit companies in North America to produce live theatre for in-person audiences since the pandemic shut the performing arts industry down in March. As part of its 2020 SafeStart Season the company offers audiences several ways to enjoy performances online. The Blackfriars Playhouse, where Twelfth Night was filmed, is the world’s only re-creation of Shakespeare’s indoor stage.

BlkFrsTV offers Wise, Lee, and Dickenson County residents along with those of the Appalachian Highland region asynchronized viewing of ASC’s new production of Twelfth Night in partnership with Pro-Art. The comprehensive “Virtual Tour” program is designed to make it possible for people to experience the joy of Shakespeare in performance and the magic of the Blackfriars Playhouse from far away.

“More than anything, the 2020 season is about offering audiences the vital connection they get from live performance. From the outset, we recognized that an important part of doing that in these conditions was meeting people where they were, and where they could feel safe,” says ASC Artistic Director Ethan McSweeny, “Since not everyone will want — or be able — to visit us in person, through BlkFrs LIVE we are bringing the Playhouse experience to them.”

The American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, VA’s productions are intimate in scale, yet epic in scope. The UK Telegraph called ASC “one of the most accomplished Shakespeare companies in the United States.” Their innovative productions during the pandemic has been the focus of recent reports by the Washington Post, the NY Times, and most recently PBS NewsHour.

Don’t miss the groundbreaking work of the American Shakespeare Center! Stream Twelfth Night with Pro-Art from Nov. 5 - 11. ASC and Pro-Art are bringing the Blackfriars Playhouse to you.

The Pro-Art Association is offering this performance, and all events of their 2020-2021 season, at no cost to you. If you have any questions, or would like updates in regards to performance modifications, please visit proartva.org, call the office at 276/376-4520, or send an email to pro-art@uvawise.edu.