The Show Goes on with BlkFrsTV

Theaters across Virginia have had to close their doors and draw their curtains due to COVID-19. However, this has not stopped the American Shakespeare Center. Through BlkFrsTV they have continued to bring brilliant performances to those stuck at home. The shows currently available on BlkFrsTV are Much Ado About Nothing; Henry IV, Part 1; Henry IV, Part 2; A King And No King; Midsummer 90; and Grapes of Wrath. Most of the performances are only available for purchase until May 10. The exceptions to this are Midsummer 90 and Grapes of Wrath, which are planned to be available for streaming until the end of May.

I only had the time for one show, so I decided to watch A King and No King. The ticket pricing varies for the streams. ASC’s site says, “Pay the price that works for you.” You can pay as little as $10 or as much as $100. I paid $10 because that is what I could afford and it would just be my dog Ellis and I enjoying the show. 

The stream started with several musical performances, and the actors interacting with the audience made me feel like I was sitting in the theater with them. The stream ran well even though I was on a mobile device using data. For A King and No King, there was also an option to download to watch offline so that may be a better option if your internet connection is unstable or slow. 

My only complaint is that sometimes I found it difficult to hear the actors and there was no option for subtitles. Despite this, I still enjoyed the play. The actors’ performances were fantastic and they managed to get several laughs out of me.

When asked about when the theater will be reopening, Sky Wilson, ASC’s Digital Marketing and Public Relations Manager informed me that a plan is being worked on and they intend to have an announcement within two weeks.