Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the website for details.
Also look for their “Future Classics” reading program, which is free at the
Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Education Center (
www.theshabazzcenter.net
)
.
212/564-9983.
Piper Theatre Productions
This grassroots troupe uses the Old Stone House of Gowanus as a backdrop
for its alfresco frolics. An original focus on adventurous Shakespeare (their
AMidsummerNight'sDream
was set in
19th-c. Coney Island) has shifted to modern crowd pleasers (
TheIslandofDoctorMoreau
and the musical
Xanadu
in '12). Shows are free, July in Park Slope's renovated Washington Park (formerly J.J. Byrne Park).
Washington Park, 3rd
St. btw. Fourth and Fifth aves., Park Slope, Brooklyn.
718/768-3195.
www.pipertheatre.org
. Subway: F/G/R to 9th St./Fourth Ave.; R to Union St.
Tune In to Broadway Revues
Give our regards to theatrical greatest-hits packages. The casts of the Great White Way leave the confines of their stages
to flog their shows in Midtown, usually in musical form. Huge stars wander down from their dressing rooms, making these
very popular events. And you thought Times Square was crowded already!
BroadwayinBryantPark
Every summer Broadway teases fans with a quick sampler on the Bryant Park stage.
InThe
Heights,BillyElliot,
and
JerseyBoys
are among the headliners that have recently performed excerpts for a crowded lawn.
Shows are held during Thursday lunch hours (12:30-1:30pm) in July and early August. Behind the Public Library, btw.
40th and 42nd sts. and Fifth and Sixth aves.
212/768-4242.
www.bryantpark.org
.
Subway: B/D/F/M to 42nd St.; 7 to
Fifth Ave.
BroadwayonBroadway
A special stage in Times Square hosts this massive concert on a Sunday in mid-September. At
least a baker's dozen of shows make an appearance, including heavy hitters like
TheLionKing,AvenueQ,
and
Mamma
Mia!
For the finale, enough confetti rains down to give onlookers flashbacks to New Year's Eve. Times Square.
212/
768-1560.
www.broadwayonbroadway.com
. Usually around 11:30am. Subway: N/Q/R/S/1/2/3/7 to Times Sq./42nd St.
Theatreworks USA
Every summer, this organization puts up a production aimed at rug-rat edification
(or at least amusement). The group concentrates on one play per season, usually a modern musical. Tickets are
distributed on the day of the performance, with four per adult available 1 hour before curtain time. Shows run
one or two times a day, every day but Saturday, mid-July to mid-August. Summer camps usually reserve the bulk
of weekday afternoon seats, so your best bet is an evening or Sunday matinee.
Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher St., btw.
Bleecker and Hudson sts.
212/647-1100.
www.theatreworksusa.org
.
Subway: 1 to Christopher St.
Theater with Class
In the working and reworking of new plays, feedback devices are essential. An audience of warm bodies makes
a great barometer for figuring out which scenes are killing and which lines are bombing. With so much untested
drama in NYC, it's easy to find showcases, workshops, and readings that are eager for your presence. You'll often
be sharing the room with a parcel of pros: agents, producers, and casting directors on the prowl for the next big
things. If you don't mind putting up with some unsanded edges, it's a great way to catch a night of free theater.
The Juilliard School
The fourth-year students of Juilliard's Drama Division mount full-scale productions
to catch the eyes of agents, casting directors, and the press. The general public is invited in as well. Third-years
also put on free shows, usually as high-minded as a Shakespearean production.
The free tickets go fast.
You'll have to wait at the box office the first day they become available, although there's also a same-day standby
line.
The Janet and Leonard Kramer Box Office (Juilliard Box Office), 155 W. 65th St., btw. Broadway and Amsterdam Ave.
212/769-7406.
www.juilliard.edu
.
Subway: 1 to 66th St./Lincoln Center.
LAByrinth Theater Company
Staged readings assist in the evolution of new plays in the year-long Barn
Series hosted by this Off-Broadway group. Readers can be big-name performers, of the Lili Taylor and Eric Bo-
gosian ilk. Seating is first-come, first-served, so get there at least half an hour early.
Bank Street Theater, 155 Bank St., btw.
Washington and West sts.
212/513-1080.
www.labtheater.org
. Subway: 1 to Christopher St.
