I recently attended a production at the Blackfriars Playhouse as a chaperone for my son's 9th grade English class.  We saw the performance of "Romeo and Juliett," and I must say I was completely amazed at the quality of this theater and show in the little town of Staunton!

The theater itself is the world's only reproduction of Shakespeare's original indoor theater, and is truly a work of art.  The ornate woodwork, the benches just as they would have had them, the balconies behind the stage, and the decorations all lend themselves to an authentic historical experience.

Set in such a historically accurate setting, the performance was of no less significance.  The music before the play, the wonderful costumes, and the actors' interaction with the audience all date back to Shakespeare's time.  And the acting was superb!  The Olde English language was not too hard to understand, although I'm sure that I missed out on some of the humor that was obviously a major part of this story.  Only disappointing thing was...Romeo and Juliett died!  I thought maybe it would be different this time!

All kidding aside, I enjoyed this so much that I will be taking my dear wife on a date to another production.  And if you have any interest in live theater whatsoever, this is a must-see!