The Staunton Summer Theater Playbook

If you’re bored of watching YouTube shorts or listening to your neighbors argue over what to cook for dinner, you’re probably looking for a different type of drama this summer. You’ll find it in the Staunton summer theater scene, only what the Queen City serves up will be much more professional and much more entertaining.

Whether you are traveling to Staunton specifically to catch a high-caliber production or you are a local parent looking for a way to wear out the kids with stage combat, we have plenty of ways to engage with the performing arts. Here is your summer theater playbook for navigating the Staunton stage this summer.

ACT I: Watch (For Spectators & Travelers)

If your goal is to sit in a seat and let the performance come to you, Staunton has several distinct ways to experience a show.

Blackfriars Playhouse

The American Shakespeare Company’s Blackfriars Playhouse is a cornerstone of the local arts scene. This venue focuses on professional-grade productions, often centering on classical works or high-quality contemporary plays. If you are looking for technical precision and seasoned performers, check out the spring/summer season.

• Through May 2: A Bold Stroke for a Husband 
• Through May 3: Twelfth Night
• Through May 17: The Hound of the Baskervilles
• May 28 – August 8: As You Like It
• June 25 – August 9: Our Town

Silver Line Theatre Exchange

You might know Silver Line Theatre Exchange as the place where your kids cut their acting teeth (see more on that below), but Silver Line also offers a lineup of live performances (check out Pride & Prejudice, updated for today’s audiences), screenings, including the upcoming National Theatre Live performance of Fleabag, monthly improv nights, community events, and more.

ShenanArts

If you love seeing your neighbor, the mailman, and your kid’s math teacher take center stage, ShenanArts offers high-quality community performances. These productions showcase the talent found right here in the Valley, providing a sense of connection to the local culture through storytelling. Upcoming mainstage performances include a production of Disney’s Broadway musical, Frozen, and Mary Page Marlowe. ShenanArts recently opened a second venue, ShenanArts Underground, at Queen City Place. This smaller space seats just fifty people and places actors and audience members in close proximity, allowing connections that aren’t possible in a large theater. Look for A Doll’s House, Part 2 onstage in July.

Oak Grove

Weather often sets the mood in film and literature, but at Oak Grove Theater, it becomes part of the live performance. For 73 years, this venue has staged plays under the open sky. While the theater does not perform during dangerous weather (sorry to disappoint you, King Lear fans), the natural movement of the evening air adds a layer of realism to the setting.

Here’s the 2026 lineup:

• May 28 – June 3: No Sex Please, We’re British
• June 18 – 24: Come From Away
• July 9 – 15: A Murder Is Announced
• July 30 – August 5: Terms Of Endearment
• August 20-26:  The Outsider

Virginia Scenic Railroad

Don’t let your dinner go unentertained. Admire (and chew) the scenery as you consume art (and food) onboard the Virginia Scenic Railway’s during one of their new immersive dinner theater shows. Mischief Magic & Murder Theatre Company offers two three-hour mystery programs: A Turn-of-the-Century Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre On The Rails and Mischief Magic & Murder – A Wizarding Who-Dun-It. 

If you don’t care for murder while you’re munching, the Wayne Theatre’s ReperTOURy group is putting on a fully staged performance of An Evening with Shakespeare’s Lovers that will unfold around you as you dine. “Let the train carry you. Let the poetry sweep you away. And for one magical evening, let romance take the lead.”

Looking ahead, make sure to visit the historic train station (Station 11 ½) during this fall’s Queen City Mischief and Magic festival to see all your favorite Harry Potter characters arrive by rail.

ACT II: Work (For Performers & Students)

If you aren’t content just sitting in the audience and would rather get greasepaint all over your hands (and clothes), Staunton offers several ways to sharpen your craft. 

Silver Line Classes

Silver Line Theatre Exchange provides structured programs for various age groups. Summer classes include: 

• Foundations for grades 2–4: For the younger crowd, theater is about exploration. These classes focus on the basics of acting, crafting, and dance, allowing students to find their footing in a creative environment.
• Skill building for grades 5–7: Middle-school-aged performers can dive deeper into more specialized disciplines. This includes sketch comedy, movement, and even stage combat (which is much safer than trying to fight your siblings in the backyard). These students also get the chance to perform a one-act play at the end of their session.
• Serious study for grades 8–12: For high schoolers looking to prepare for college auditions or professional work, these acting bootcamps offer intensive scene study. This is where the serious work happens.

Camps at the Blackfriars

• ASC Theatre Camp is a three-week residential summer program for kids in 8th-12th grade who want to “work with professional theatre practitioners to prepare to strut and fret [their] hour upon the stage.” Campers enjoy the college-life experience on the Mary Baldwin campus, work with directors and production teams, audition for casting in mid-session showcase shows and final festival shows, which are Twelfth Night and Antony & Cleopatra.
• Worried you’re too old for theater camp? ASC also runs a session for adults. Suitable for all experience levels, the No Kidding Adult Program is “a thrilling week of collaboration, workshops, and stagecraft as we work to produce a staged reading of William Shakespeare’s classic comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” 

Audition Opportunities

If you have the itch to perform, keep your eyes on the casting calls:

• ShenanArts has been helping community members become stars for decades. Check their website and social media for updates for upcoming auditions.
• While Oak Grove’s 2026 audition window has closed, check out the summer programming and set a reminder to try out for a role next year. Auditions typically occur in spring for the summer season.

ACT III: Wander and Enjoy the Post-Show Ritual

Your theater-centric Staunton adventure shouldn’t end when the curtain falls. Part of the Staunton “playbook” involves embracing the local culture. After a show, wander Staunton’s historic downtown. Several restaurants and watering holes stay open late, but a good bet is The Greenroom. Owned and operated by actors, it’s a great setting to unwind, discuss the night’s nuances, and bask in the local artsy atmosphere. We also recommend staking out a comfy couch at The Junction for after-show cocktails and critique sessions.

Other Area Theaters

• Waynesboro Players (performances are held at BRCC)
• Lime Kiln Theater (Lexington)
• Silk Moth Stage (Dayton)
• JMU’s Forbes Center (Harrisonburg)
• ACT I Theater Company (Harrisonburg): performances and summer camp for kids

Whether you are here to watch professional masters of the craft, participate in community storytelling, or spend your summer learning how to swing a (prop) sword, Staunton’s theater stage is set for you.