Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
barometer of quality. You can drop a few Jacksons to discover the cast of a Broadway blockbuster is just phoning
it in, while across town some hungry young talent is drawing tears at a free production of Shakespeare. Other
giveaways are offered up by schools, institutions, and work-in-progress programs. If you need something more
polished than that, try downtown, where dirt-cheap theaters will get you the dramatic goods for $10 or less.
Rise of the House Ushers
If you have the ability to pass out
Playbill
s, point to seats, and enunciate the phrase “enjoy the show,” then you're qualified
to see free plays. Many smaller theater companies save money on the cost of ushers by trading your sweat equity for
a complimentary seat. You won't be able to do this on Broadway, but almost all the resident nonprofit theaters (Think
Playwrights Horizons, Signature) accept volunteer ushers. Each house has a different set of rules, and the number of vo-
lunteers needed varies from one to eight per night. Popular productions can have a backlog of a few weeks. The best plan
of attack is to find a play you want to see, check the website or call their office to find out if/when they need ushers, and
reserve as soon as possible (particularly for hot shows). You'll probably spend the first few minutes pointing out seats to
the latecomers, but it's worth it when you settle back in your free seat.
Free Theater
Free Willie: Shakespeare Alfresco
The Earl of Oxford would probably be gratified to know that all these centuries later his little plays dominate
the summer theater scene in the world's capital. Sure, the plays are published under the name of an actor from
Stratford, but the passions and conflicts resound just as the Earl wrote them. Troupes love to try their hand at the
Bard, and free Shakespeare abounds in the Big Apple. Join your fellow mortals and enjoy the midsummer night
dreams.
Boomerang Theatre
This Off-Off-Broadway stalwart comes back each year with performances of
Shakespeare's plays in parks around New York City. Riverside, Central, and Prospect have all served as stages,
usually 3 weekends' worth (Fri nights followed by Sat and Sun matinees). There's also the First Flight program,
a series of new play readings, which carries a $5 suggested donation.
212/501-4096.
www.boomerangtheatre.org
.
Gorilla Rep
Artistic Director Christopher Carter Sanderson has been pioneering free classical theater for
some 2 decades now. His troupe is known for its outdoor performances of
AMidsummerNight'sDream,
most re-
cently seen shifting around the landmarks of Central Park. Check their website for upcoming productions.
212/
252-5258.
www.gorillarep.org
.
Hudson Warehouse
The neoclassical marble and granite Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument puts a digni-
fied cap on a Riverside Park knoll. For several summers now, it's also served as the backdrop for a rival free-
summer-Shakespeare troupe (in a rival park). The players of Hudson Warehouse put on shows in June, July, and
August at 6:30pm, Thursday through Sunday, with a work or two of the Bard, plus tangential material like
The
TrojanWomen
or
Cyrano.
The setting is informal, but the actors work hard to be heard over the ambient sound of
park and parkway.
Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Riverside Park, 89th St. at Riverside Dr.
917/775-9837.
www.hudsonwarehouse.net
. Subway: 1
to 86th St.; 1/2/3 to 96th St.
Inwood Shakespeare Festival
Inwood Hill Park, with its bald eagles and huge natural forest, is as un-
Manhattan as Manhattan gets. The verdant hills here are the backdrop for the Moose Hall Theatre Company's
annual takes on Shakespeare. They also branch out to other classic material, like
The Three Musketeers
or
The
HunchbackofNotreDame,
and throw in a children's concert or two. Shows are casual, with a tailgating feel, as loc-
al families kick back on blankets. The plays run a dozen times each, Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30pm.
Inwood Hill Park Peninsula, Isham St. at Seaman Ave.
212/567-5255.
www.moosehallisf.org
.
Subway: A to 207th St.; 1 to 215th St.
New York Classical Theatre
NYCT takes advantage of the natural contours of Central Park to stage its
summer Shakespeare productions. Plays begin around 103rd Street and Central Park West, but NYCT's innov-
ation is Panoramic Theatre, which is careful not to cast performers' feet in cement. As scenes shift, the location
