Montford Park Players

We are living in interesting times. A time where people are more connected than ever by means of technology yet simultaneously feel disconnected and lonely. I feel fortunate that I live within an area that is community minded and truly cares and tries to connect with people. We do this through festivals, meet-ups, outreach programs and even just having complete strangers act like they give a damn about you that you just met in the parking lot of a grocery store. It’s refreshing.

When I think about connection my mind goes to something ancient to our culture; theatre. And again, I think how lucky I am to live in WNC where the arts flourish and define our local ethos and where we have the amazing Montford Park Players keeping the tradition of theatre alive.

The Montford Park Players brings Shakespeare and other classic plays to the Blue Ridge Mountains. They are a very important part of the Asheville community because they bring to life a seemingly lost but absolutely integral part of our heritage. Theatre wields the power to bring people together that is thousands of years old and has been intrinsic in every society known to human-kind.

For over 40 years, the Montford Park Players have been giving is the gift of laughter, excitement, sadness and togetherness via their rendition of plays.  All summer long on the weekends, rain or shine, they are out there performing their hearts out. Each month the play changes. You can expect to see the classics such as Hamlet, A Midsummers Nights Dream, Peter Pan, Robin Hood and The Importance of being Earnest.

The plays are held outside in the green at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre in the Montford Community Center Complex located at 92 Gay st in Asheville. All plays are FREE!!! They offer great prices on chair rentals that you can easily rent in advance through their website. You can bring blankets or your own chairs. Food and beverages, alcoholic included, are allowed.

So what makes the MPP unique and stand apart from others in the state or the country? Well, a lot.

• “The Montford Park Players’ mission of making theatre available and affordable for all sets us apart from any other theatre program.

• Built into the natural curve of a hill and nestled in the heart of the historic Asheville Montford neighborhood, the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater provides an idyllic setting to present Shakespeare and other classics.

• In addition, with five outdoor shows over twenty weeks, and nine weeks indoor, the length of our season is unmatched by any other theatre company.

• As part of our community outreach, we sponsor the Montford Moppets, our Youth Theatre division, which rehearses and performs a classical play during our summer season.

• No other outdoor drama company in the country has the combination of history, length of season, urban park setting, and dedicated group of volunteers and supporters that the Montford Park Players does”