All hail the Montford Park Players

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Photo by Jason Sandford

The Montford Park Players are a true Asheville treasure, and they’re really hitting on all cylinders this year.

The group, which calls itself the state’s longest running Shakespeare festival, is an all-volunteer acting corps that devotes countless hours to putting on the best stagecraft possible at the wonderfully warm Hazel Robinson Amphitheater at Montford Park.

Quality can vary with a dependance on volunteers, but the group working the past few years have taken the Montford Park Players to new heights. I saw The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) a few weeks back and simply loved the show. Funny, fast-paced, featuring talented actors.

The players just wrapped up A Midsummer’s Night Dream. It got nothing but rave reviews from everyone I spoke to, and the players say they set an attendance record over the weekend. I’m sorry I missed the show.

There’s plenty more fun to come this summer, with Cymbeline (July 10 through 25), Taming of the Shrew (July 31 through August 23), and Macbeth (September 11 through October 4). There’s also the Asheville Shakesperience, which will be performing at the park.

Get out there and support a true Asheville gem.