The Drilling Company have left the parking lot (temporarily) for Bryant Park to put on HAMLET (photo by Lee Wexler/Images for Innovation)
Broadway prices might still be skyrocketing, but every summer in New York City you can count on myriad shows put on by amateur and professional theater companies of all skills and sizes. This year’s crop features all-star Shakespeare in Central Park, of course, in addition to Bard presentations in Bryant Park, Prospect Park, Battery Park, Carroll Park, and a Lower East Side parking lot. There are also plays by the New York Neo-Futurists, Urban Theatre Movement, and the Piper Theatre and, as always, some cutting-edge shows as part of the River to River Festival.
Thursday, May 15
through
Saturday, May 31
Shakespeare in the Parking Lot: Hamlet, by the Drilling Company, directed by Hamilton Clancy, Bryant Park, 7:00
Thursday, May 29
through
Sunday, June 22
New York Classical Theatre: As You Like It, Central Park, 103rd St. & Central Park West, Thursday – Sunday at 7:00
Thursday, May 29
through
Sunday, June 29
Manhattan Shakespeare Project: Romeo & Juliet, directed by Reesa Graham, Central Park Summit Rock (May 29-31, June 1, 4-7), St. Nicholas Park (June 11-12, 18-19), Sunset Park (June 13-15, 20-22), Morningside Park (June 26-29), 6:00
Tuesday, June 3
through
Sunday, July 6
Shakespeare in the Park: Much Ado About Nothing, starring Matt Bittner, Alex Breaux, Steel Burkhardt, Carisa Cotera, Isabella Curti, Jack Cutmore-Scott, Austin Durant, John Glover, Hamish Linklater, Paco Lozano, David Manis, Kathryn Meisle, Ismenia Mendes, Brian Stokes Mitchell, John Pankow, Pedro Pascal, Lily Rabe, Matthew Russell, Eric Sheffer Stevens, and Zoë Winters, directed by Jack O’Brien, Delacorte Theater, Central Park, Tuesday – Sunday at 8:30
Monday, June 23, 2:00
Tuesday, June 24, 5:00
and
Thursday, June 26, 2:00
River to River Festival — CollaborationTown in Development: Staged Readings of Henry IV by Geo Decas O’Donnell and The Fun Pain by Jordan Seavey, One Liberty Plaza, twelfth floor, free with advance RSVP
Advance RSVP is required for such free River to River productions as LUDIC PROXY (photo by Jeanette Yew)
Monday, June 23, 5:00
Wednesday, June 25, 2:00
and
Friday, June 27, 4:00
River to River Festival: Ludic Proxy by the Play Company, written and directed by Aya Ogawa, One Liberty Plaza, free with advance RSVP
Tuesday, June 24
through
Sunday, June 29
New York Classical Theatre: As You Like It, directed by Stephen Burdman, Prospect Park, Long Meadow near the Picnic House, 7:00
Tuesday, July 1
through
Sunday, July 27
New York Classical Theatre: As You Like It, Battery Park (meet in front of Castle Clinton), Tuesday – Sunday, 7:00
Thursday, July 3, 10, 17
Friday, July 11, 18
and
Saturday, July 5, 12, 19
Piper Theatre: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, directed by Nigel Williams, Old Stone House in Washington Park, 8:00
Sunday, July 6, 13, 20, 9:00
and
Wednesday, July 9, 16, 7:30
Piper Theatre: Mr. Splitfoot, written and directed by John P. McEneny, with original music by Dario Eskenazi, Old Stone House in Washington Park
Wednesday, July 9, 16, 9:00
and
Sunday, July 13, 20, 7:30
Piper Theatre: The Buffalo Nickels Medicine Show, by Mike Shapiro and Kate Prascher, Old Stone House in Washington Park
Thursday, July 10
Broadway in Bryant Park: STOMP, Rocky, Wicked, If/Then, Bryant Park Lawn, 12:30
Thursday, July 10
through
Saturday, July 26
Shakespeare in the Parking Lot: Twelfth Night, by the Drilling Company, municipal parking lot, corner of Ludlow & Broome Sts.
Thursday, July 17
Broadway in Bryant Park: Pippin, Chicago, Les Misérables, Atomic, Bryant Park Lawn, 12:30
Monday, July 21
through
Friday, August 22
Theatreworks USA: The Lightning Thief, Lucille Lortel Theatre, Sunday – Friday, times vary
Tuesday, July 22
through
Sunday, August 17
Shakespeare in the Park: King Lear, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Annette Bening, Jeremy Bobb, Steven Boyer, Andrew Burnap, Jessica Collins, Glenn Fleshler, Christopher Ghaffari, Ryan-James Hatanaka, Jessica Hecht, Matt Helm, Slate Holmgren, Christopher Innvar, Chukwudi Iwuji, Dave Klasko, John Lithgow, Clarke Peters, Dale Place, Jay O. Sanders, Phillip Shinn, and Eric Sheffer Stevens, directed by Daniel Sullivan, Delacorte Theater, Central Park, Tuesday – Sunday at 8:30
Smith Street Stage celebrates its fifth year of presenting Shakespeare in Carroll Park with MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Wednesday, July 23
through
Sunday, August 10
Shakespeare in Carroll Park: Much Ado About Nothing by Smith Street Stage, bring your own seating, Carroll Park, Wednesday – Sunday, 7:00
Wednesday, July 23
through
Saturday, August 16
Hip to Hip Theatre Company: Two Gentlemen of Verona, directed by S. C. Lucier, and Cymbeline, directed by David Mold, performed in repertory at different times in parks across the city, including Crocheron Park, Cunningham Park, Socrates Sculpture Park, and Gantry Plaza, preceded by Kids & the Classics, Wednesday – Sunday
Thursday, July 24
Broadway in Bryant Park: Phantom of the Opera, Piece of My Heart, Cinderella, Avenue Q, Bullets over Broadway, Bryant Park Lawn, 12:30
Monday, July 28
SummerStage Fania Series: John Leguizamo’s Ghetto Klown, directed by Fisher Stevens, Central Park, 8:00
Tuesday, July 29
through
Saturday, August 9
SummerStage Presents: Urban Theatre Movement’s Handball by Seth Zvi Rosenfeld, directed by Brenda Banda, Marcus Garvey Park, Tuesday – Saturday, 8:00
Thursday, July 31
Broadway in Bryant Park: Rock of Ages, Once, Heathers, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Bryant Park Lawn, 12:30
Thursday, July 31
through
Saturday, August 16
Shakespeare in the Parking Lot: Othello, by the Drilling Company, municipal parking lot, corner of Ludlow & Broome Sts., Thursday – Saturday, 7:00
Thursday, August 7
Broadway in Bryant Park: Jersey Boys, 50 Shades! The Musical, Cabaret, Revolution in the Elbow of Ragnar Agnarsson Furniture Painter, Bryant Park Lawn, 12:30
Monday, August 11
SummerStage Presents: Urban Theatre Movement’s Handball by Seth Zvi Rosenfeld, directed by Brenda Banda, Central Park, 8:00
Wednesday, August 13
through
Saturday, August 16
SummerStage Presents: The New York Neo-Futurists’ Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, East River Park, 8:00
Thursday, August 14
Broadway in Bryant Park: Matilda, On the Town, Mamma Mia!, Motown the Musical, Bryant Park Lawn, 12:30