Frequently Asked Questions

These are answers to the most asked questions sent to us. If your question is not answered here, feel free to e-mail or call us (404) 874-5299 x 0.

• What are Previews?
• How do I purchase tickets?
• Do you offer season tickets?
• Are you a restaurant? What type of food do you serve?
• When are your auditions?
• Do you have a volunteer organization? How can I become a volunteer?
• Do you have student matinees?
• How long do the performances last?
• How can I get put on your mailing list?
• I am a club member and did not receive my ticket vouchers for the current (or upcoming) month, what should I do?
• How do I become a Royal or Exception?
• What is your dress code?
• Can I bring my child/infant/baby to a show?
• Can I show up late to the performance?
• Can I bring in my own wine/outside food/drink

What are Previews?

Generally previews are the first performance in front of an audience and we discount the tickets to the patrons for those performances. The show is generally the same as a normal performance, though there may be some costume pieces missing or lights that need adjusting. The audience generally would not notice those things, nor do they get in the way of the show. Seating for previews is General Admission (first come, first served, like at a movie theater). Food is available for Previews.

From an actor's perspective..."A preview is the first performance and last rehearsal....the first performance, where I HOPE I get all my lines and entrances right, and the last rehearsal, where I finally DO get all my lines and entrances right!" - Laura Cole.

Food and drinks are available before Preview performances.

How do I purchase tickets?

It is necessary to purchase tickets in advance. You may purchase tickets online here or by calling our box office (a credit card will be needed to purchase the tickets) at 404-874-5299 x 0. We tend to sell out on Fridays and Saturdays, at least two days before the performance. Waiting lists are available on sold out nights at the box office. You must arrive in person, to put your name on the waiting list. We will let the waiting list in 5 minutes prior to the performance if any seats are available. We tend to let in 6-10 people from the waiting list in on sold out nights.

Do you offer season tickets?

Sort of. The season ticket is called The Shakespeare Club, it is an annual membership to the theater. For a reasonable annual fee (which differs depending on which area you sign up for), club members will receive a ticket voucher for 12 months from when you join and you get to choose which general area of the theater you would like to sit in (The Main Floor, The Box Seats or The Balcony). Memberships are valid for one year from the day a club member joins, not for just the current season. Renewal is optional, and most people do renew each year. You are not assigned to a specific night (with the exception of certain limited engagements) nor are you assigned to a seat. Seating is still first-come, first served within each seating area. You can buy a membership based on a general area in our theater you would like to sit. If you would like to join the Club, please contact the .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or buy your membership on our club page

Are you a restaurant? What type of food do you serve?

We are first and foremost a professional theater. We offer an authentic British Pub Menu and a variety of premium beers and wines to our audience 75 minutes prior to performance. The food and drink bars are separate from the ticket price and are optional (You don't have to buy food or drinks, but arriving early for seating is recommended). Click on the "Menu" button for a sample of our menu.
Alcohol is not served to minors. The Food and drink bars are not open for student matinees. Light snacks and desserts are usually available for late night performances.

When are your auditions?

We hold general auditions usually in the springtime. You may check with the Atlanta Journal and Constitution or visit the Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts website for all audition notices. We only hire professional Atlanta-based performers. You may mail your headshot and resume to: Casting Director at The Shakespeare Tavern® 499 Peachtree St NE Atlanta GA 30308. However, we always recommend this formula for being successful at the Tavern: come see what we do. If you like it, volunteer, show your enthusiasm any way you can. Talk to our directors. We are a unique theater so it is important that you understand who we are before jumping in!

Do you have a volunteer organization? How can I become a volunteer?

Yes! The Groundlings help us in every way possible. They take tickets, hand out programs, serve drinks behind the drink bar, stick labels on our mailing cards, sew on costumes, help with construction, sell souvenirs, bus tables and much more. In return our volunteers get to see the show for free and receive various discounts, they get to meet and mingle with the actors (some of them even become actors), and they get a good sense of themselves as they help out a fun organization! If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, call our Volunteer Voicemail Box 404-874-5299 x 59 or e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Do you have student matinees?

Yes. Student matinees are available for most performances. Matinee times are usually 10am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Tickets for students, teachers and chaperones are $12. Please visit our Education page on this website or call our box office for more information or to purchase tickets to a matinee. 404-874-5299 x 0. If you are an educator and would like to receive an educator matinee packet, please contact us via e-mail or phone with your name, school and school's address.

How long do the performances last?

That depends on the play. However, we try to keep our productions under 3 hours. Most run about 2 ½ hours.

How can I get put on your mailing list?

We would love to send our information to you. You may either e-mail or call us 404-874-5299 x 0 with your name and address. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

I am a club member and did not receive my ticket vouchers for the current (or upcoming) month, what should I do?

If you did not receive a voucher for a show, but you received a letter about the upcoming production, that may indicate that you are not currently paid up on your membership. You may contact the Box office at 404-874-5299 x 0 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) New club members may not receive vouchers to the show that immediately proceeds their registration, depending on whether we get their information input into the system before the vouchers are mailed out. As long as you are currently paid up on your membership, your club benefits are still valid. We will honor your reservation without a voucher. If you have been a club member for more than 3 shows and have not received vouchers for any of them, please call the Box Office.

How do I become a Royal or Exception?

For those who wish to make a significant 100% tax-deductible donation to The Shakespeare Tavern®, we have The Royals and The Exceptions, two purely philanthropic programs.

An annual donation* of $1,000 or more (up to $4,999) will secure your place as a Royal.
An annual donation of $5,000 or more will guarantee that you are most certainly an Exception.

In recognition of your gift, the Royals and the Exceptions will be listed in the show programs and are eligible for the reserved table benefit.** As this is a purely philanthropic program, The Royals and the Exceptions kindly pay for their tickets if they wish to see a show at The Shakespeare Tavern®. However, the Royals and Exceptions are welcome to join the Shakespeare Club for discounted tickets. (Many Royals and Exceptions are also Shakespeare Club members.)

To become a Royal or an Exception, or a Shakespeare Club Member, please contact
the Box Office at 404-874-5299 x 0 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

*Donations may be paid annually or quarterly.

**A limited number of tables are reserved each night. Reserved tables are not guaranteed. Tables are reserved on a first call, first served basis. If you call for a table reservation and we have reached our limit of reserved tables, you may still see the show that night without a reserved table, or you may make a table reservation for another night where tables are still available. The reserved table benefit may be used once per show. Tables are held until 5 minutes before curtain (7:25 pm Thurs-Sat: 6:25pm Sundays). Please make sure your party is here and seated before this time. Any empty tables will be released to other patrons waiting to be seated 5 minutes before curtain. We can more easily accommodate you if you come earlier in the run of a show (the first 2 weeks of a show as many of our performances sell out near the end of a run). Call the box office at 404-874-5299 x 0 for ticket and table reservations.

What is your dress code?

The dress here is very casual. Jeans are fine. Shorts are fine. Costumes are fine if that's what you want to wear. Come as you are!

Can I bring my child/infant/baby to a show?

For the most part we recommend some of our shows to children 10 and up. Some shows are just right for kids, especially Shakespeare comedies. Please be aware that Shakespeare was a bawdy playwright and it is the job of our actors to portray his words and stage directions as he intended. Unless otherwise noted, there will never be any nudity or blatant sexual acts on stage, but you can be sure of a certain amount of sexual innuendo (crotch-grabbing, for instance). We cannot be the judge of what is or isn’t appropriate as every parent has their own guidelines as to what they feel is right for their child to see.

Infants should always be left at home, as a crying/fussy/noisy baby is a distraction for the patrons around you and the actors on stage. It has been our experience that inevitably a parent has to take the noisy infant/baby into the lobby for the duration of the performance and they miss out on the show.

In some cases it might be cheaper to hire a babysitter and make it a date night instead.

If your child becomes restless, frightened, or very loud during a performance, please take them to the lobby. Please remember that our lobby is not sound proof and loud noise will travel into the theater.

By order of the Fire Marshall, every child who attends, regardless of age, must have their own ticket.

Can I show up late to a performance?

For a variety of reasons, it is necessary that our front doors be locked half an hour after each performance begins. If tickets are not picked up by then, they may be rescheduled for another performance. Seating is not guaranteed after the performance begins.

Infrequently Asked Questions

Can I carry a handgun at your establishment?

SB308 does not prohibit carry for Georgia Weapons License holders in restaurants. However, individual restaurant owners have the option of asking you to leave their establishment if they do not wish for you to carry there. Should a business owner or his agent ask you to leave while you are carrying a firearm, do so immediately, or as soon as reasonably possible. Failure to leave within a reasonable time, or refusing to leave, is a criminal offense known as “criminal trespass.” In addition, please maintain a polite demeanor so as to project a good image of yourself and other GCO members to the business owner and any witnesses even when being asked to leave.

Can I get a free ticket/playbill for extra credit at school without watching the show?

Because we love Shakespeare and we love Educators, we cannot abide by what we judge to be cheating. We do Shakespeare well and think that you just might enjoy yourself, so we want you to at least try it. Your teachers believe you might benefit from the experience as well and want you to try it.Therefore, we will not give away tickets, ticket stubs or playbills without purchase.

Can I bring in my own wine/outside food/drink

We do not allow outside food or beverage. If you have a food allergy, please contact our Kitchen Manager (Borrais {at} gmail {dot} com) who will let you know your options. It is possible we can provide food to suit your needs. If that does not work out, they will let you know if it's okay to bring in your own meal.