History
The ASF began in 1972 as a summer-stock theater project in Anniston. Its first performance was in an old high school auditorium, before a single critic and his wife; the critic considered the performance very poor and predicted that the ASF would not survive. But the project persisted, with a number of innovative performances - including Taming of the Shrew set in 1920's New York City. Eventually, the Shakespeare Festival grew to garner critical acclaim, but lacked the financial support to keep it afloat. In December 1985, the ASF moved to Montgomery, as the result of Mr. and Mrs. Winton Blount's $21.5-million gift of a performing-arts complex set in a 250-acre (1-km²) landscaped park, the Winton M. Blount Cultural Park. The Carolyn Blount Theatre houses the 750-seat Festival Stage and the 225-seat Octagon Theatre.
Read more about this topic: Alabama Shakespeare Festival
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