The Histrionic Academy is a group of actors, educators, and historical interpreters who have come together to bring history to life through the medium of the theatre. We pride ourselves on our ability to focus on visitors and we are dedicated to providing the best possible experience at the best possible value. Look through our site for information on our exciting tours and special events!

Where our company name comes from:

'Play-acting' was banned in Colonial New England, due to the fact that many of the lawmakers in New England were Puritans. The strict Puritans viewed the theatre as sinful, and actors and actresses immoral. They passed laws aimed at keeping New England theatre-free. The origin of our company name can be found in the methods used to circumvent these laws:

To sneak their theatre companies past the Puritans, a few clever managers announced that they were not, in fact, a theatre, but a 'Histrionic Academy'. "We're not performing a play, sir..." they might say, "We're presenting a moral dialogue!"

For more information on the origins of "histrionic academy", check out this article, from Time Magazine.

Read what our guests have to say about us!

    "Our small group thoroughly enjoyed the tour with you, Jonathan. Your enthusiasm for and knowledge of the story of Boston was engaging and entertaining. You were as good with the children as you were with the adults, and kept us all enthralled with the story of our American Revolution. Being from Williamsburg, Virginia, we are well-versed in the southern perspective on the events surrounding the Revolution, so really appreciated a northerner's view. We are well-versed in the facts of the period and appreciated that you were accurate with your dates and events. We were sorry when it had to end!" - Glenn Williams, Williamsburg VA

    "When my sister and her family came to visit, we scouted around for things to do in Boston and very happily came across your site. My sister is a high school history teacher in Raleigh, NC and was delighted at the opportunity to discover colonial Boston. We were so impressed with the knowledge of our tourguide, and my nieces and nephew were thoroughly entertained. We would all like to thank you for making our trip to Boston so memorable - our tour with you was the highlight of our weekend!" - Deborah S. Miller, Bedford MA

    "During a recent trip to Boston we had the opportunity to take your Path to Independence tour. Our tour guide (Freelove Bliss!) was a wealth of information, and we came away from the tour understanding so much more about the Revolution and Boston's history than we could ever have imagined! Her kindness in answering our children's many questions was greatly appreciated. We highly recommend your tour!" - the Kesilius family, Forman ND

    "Thank you so much for an excellent and entertaining tour! The ticket price is so reasonable for all the fascinating and enlightening information I received, and it will always remain a great memory of my vacation in Boston." - Eilene Sweeney, TX

    "My husband Jim and I took Capt. David Hawkins tour last Thurs., May 11th! It was a very dreary, cold afternoon but it was definitely worth bearing the cold to go on the tour with Capt. Hawkins. He was terrific. It was truly very, very interesting! Even had some scavanger hunts along the way! We will highly recommend this walking tour to anyone that travels to Boston! Thank you!" - Lynn Engel, CA

    "We returned a few weeks ago from a first time trip to Boston. We spent 7 days there and saw everything we possibly could in a week. We took several tours and did much on our own. We just want you to know that a highlight of our trip was your walking tour of the Freedom Trail. Our guide (Jonathan Hoyt) was so fantastic that we never stopped comparing everything and everybody else to him! His personality, knowledge and presentation style is unmatched. Attached is a picture my husband took of me and our guide. We have this in our photo album, but best of all, all the wonderful memories are in our heads! Thank you again for the incredible job your organization provides. We hope to return someday. Sincerely," - Debbie & Gene Hoyle

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