Day 5 Staunton and ?Shakespeare??

Day 5

Yet but another rainy and cold day.  We started the day originally with going to do Shenandoah National Park driving the Skyline drive, with that said and being raining we opted to go to the nearest visitor’s center and find something to fill the morning then try the skyline in the afternoon. What a great find we found a neat town called “Staunton, VA” Tons of historical buildings and homes. We found that it was settled in 1732. Woodrow Wilson was born here and lived here. It was a big supply depot for the Confederates during the civil war. Also interesting that so many Institutes are here mainly female schools too. Virginia Institute for the Deaf and Blind, Augusta Female Seminary (now Mary Baldwin College), Virginia Female Institute (Stuart Hall School), Staunton Military Academy quite a bit for one town.

While in the town and walking around in the rain but really enjoying the many historical buildings we came upon Blackfriars Playhouse, AMERICAN SHAKESPEARE CENTER it is a 300-seat Playhouse is the world’s only re-creation of the original Shakespeare’s indoor theatre called Blackfriars in London that was demolished in 1655. Interesting fact that we learned during this tour was that most of all the threatres in London was demolished or burned during that time period. This recreation took years of research, this unique, historically accurate has hand-made wrought iron chandeliers and wall scones. Hand-made taperestries from china costly over a million dollars (by donation).  The tour guide was amazing and so enlightening with her knowledge of the re-creation and threatre itself and how the Shakespeare plays were performed. Check out the pictures below.  Amazing enough she was so good both Steve and I thought about going to a play there. Try not to bore you with details but how you can sit on the stage and be part of the performance. How the lights are always on so the audience is part of the play and not separated. Just really neat. After a quick lunch at Cranberries and off the the skyline. Note I think about 80 percent of the time the skyline is in the fog so of course it was foggy and cold but made an attempt anyways and took the afternoon drive. The views were good but a clear day or during fallage would have been better.

 

Beverly street Staunton, VA

The other direction of Beverly street in Staunton, Va

Masonic Temple

1865 National Bank

The Clock Tower original YMCA building

1893 Queen Anne Style

Woodrow Wilson birthplace

1895 St Francis

1895 The Maquis building office of the original architect TJ Collins who created most of the buildings here.

Entering the town of Staunton, VA

The Blackfriars (shakespeare's ) theatre recreation THE STAGE

Tour guide explaining how audience can sit right on the stage see stools on the side

Of course the trap door

The tapestries

the seating and balcony 300 seats

Skyline Drive