Free Summer Outdoor Theater in Manhattan 2024

NYC Free Things To Do In Summer in Manhattan - Free Summer Theater On the Upper East Side UES, Upper West Side UWS, Midtown, West & East Village, SoHo & Tribeca & Shakespeare in Central Park in NYC

July 15, 2024 / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Dance & Theater / Theatre Manhattan / Manhattan Things To Do / Manhattan Buzz NYC.

Summer is in full swing. A number of community groups, some in collaboration with the NYC Parks Department and oftentimes with some measure of government funding, have put together a summer full of free summer theater in the parks. The free theatre events listed below are designed for young and old alike and they're FREE.

Editor's Note - ONLY ASTERISKED events have been updated to 2024. Pay attention to the performance dates / years. We will be updating / adding this summer theater report through the summer into September, so check back periodically for updates which you can note by the date changing above.

Other Free Things To Do in Manhattan 2024

UPDATE COMING 1ST HALF JULY 2024

Foreign Films / Free Movies in the Park Manhattan. Click here to view our report on free movies in the park - summer movies in Manhattan, Upper East Side UES, Upper West Side UWS, Midtown, West & East Village, SoHo & Tribeca.

Free Summer Concerts in the Park Manhattan NYC. Click here to view our report on free concerts in the parks - summer concerts in Manhattan, Upper East Side UES, Upper West Side UWS, Midtown, West & East Village, SoHo & Tribeca this summer.

Current Manhattan Things To Do. Click the header above to view a listing of current Manhattan things to do.

• CLICK here to view our page of free things to do / free summer theater in Manhattan 2024.

Free Summer Outdoor Theater in Manhattan 2024

NYC Free Things To Do In Summer in Manhattan - Free Summer Theater On the Upper East Side UES, Upper West Side UWS, Midtown, West & East Village, SoHo & Tribeca & Shakespeare in Central Park in NYC

July 15, 2024 / Manhattan Neighborhoods / Dance & Theater / Theatre Manhattan / Manhattan Things To Do / Manhattan Buzz NYC. Continued.

Directory of Manhattan Free Summer Theater by Neighborhoods / Venues / Dates MHTN NYC

Use this Directory to click directly into each section / neighborhood. This page is organized by sections / neighborhoods of Manhattan, then by concert location and then by concert date. Use this Directory to click directly into each neighborhood.

1. Upper West Side Free Summer Theater - Manhattan NYC - free summer theater & things to do

2. Upper East Side Free Summer Theater Manhattan - free summer theater & things to do

3. Central Park Free Summer Theater NYC - free summer theater & things to do

4. Midtown Manhattan Free Summer Theater Manhattan NYC - free summer theater & things to do

5. East & West Village Free Summer Theater - Manhattan NYC - free summer theater & things to do

6. SoHo Bowery & Lower East Side Free Summer Theater - Manhattan - free summer theater & things to do

7. Downtown NYC & Tribeca Free Summer Theater - Manhattan - free summer theater & things to do

8. Harlem, Inwood & Washington Heights Free Summer Theater - NYC - free summer theater & things to do

Also check our monthly NYC Events / Manhattan Things To Do Calendar. We're still working on this. It should be in fair shape in July and good shape by August / September.

THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. A NEARLY FULL UPDATE WILL BE COMPLETED THE WEEK BEGINNING 7.21.24.

AFTER THAT WE WILL UPDATE WEEKLY OR AS OFTEN AS NEEDED, so check back periodically for updates and to see what's new.

1. Upper West Side UWS - Free Summer Outdoor Theater 2023

Soldiers & Sailors Monument - Free Shakespeare in the Park UWS NYC

Riverside Park - Free Shakespeare Plays / Free Things To Do in Manhattan NYC

Guidelines. Cushions will be provided to sit on the stairs of the monument. There is very limited room if you bring your own chair.
Please arrive no later than 6:20pm. There will be no late seating.
They Do Not Take Reservations. No tickets in advance. They ask for donations after the show. Free.

• Thursdays thru Sundays, June 1 - 25, 2023 beginning at 6.20 - The Importance of Being Earnest. This is a satirical play by 20th century playwright Oscar Wilde that pokes holes in social norms through witty dialogue. Free summer outdoor theater / plays on the Upper West Side UWS of Manhattan NYC.

• Thursdays thru Sundays, June 29 - July 23, 2023 beginning at 6.20 - The School for Scandal - A satirical comedy by 18th century playwright Richard Sheridan that follows the endeavors of a woman who gives up the domesticity of country life to become a socialite in the big city. Free summer outdoor theater / plays on the Upper West Side UWS of Manhattan NYC.

• Thursdays thru Sundays, July 27 - August 20, 2023 beginning at 6.20 - Margaret [taken from Shakespeare's Henry VI Trilogy - Taken from one of Shakespeare's history plays, which is about Queens Margaret who was, at one time both Queen of England and Queen of France. This is about conflict and sadness. Free summer outdoor theater / plays on the Upper West Side UWS.

• Contact. https://www.hudsonclassicaltheatercompany.org. The theater company changed its name from Hudson Warehouse to Hudson Classical Theater Company.
• Location. On the north patio of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument which can be accessed at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side [see photo above right]. Take the steps behind the monument down to the large patio.

Also see free summer movies on the UWS Upper West Side Manhattan and the Manhattan things to do calendar and the things to do section of the UWS Upper West Side Neighborhood.

Lincoln Center - Mostly Music at the Summer for the City Festival

Free Things To Do / Free Summer Outdoor Summer Concerts on the Upper West Side UWS of Manhattan NYC

• Wednesday, June 14 - Saturday, August 12, 2023 most days at various times - Summer for the City. Over 80 musical, theatrical and artistic cultural events - many of which are free.
• Location. Lincoln Center is located along Columbus Avenue between 64th and 66th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
• Contact. https://www.lincolncenter.org

• Tuesday thru Saturday, July 25 - 29, 2023 beginning at 5 pm and 7.30 pm - BAAND Together Dance Festival. They bill the event as follows, " ... See five of NYC’s most iconic dance companies—Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem—together on one stage as the BAAND Together Dance Festival returns to Damrosch Park for five midsummer nights! From July 25–29 ... a different program of pieces each night, featuring repertory favorites. Each afternoon, one of the companies will also bring its unique teaching style to campus with daily Education Workshops, appropriate for all ages...". Free. First come / first serve admission.

• Location. In Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center is located along Columbus Avenue between 64th and 66th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
• Contact. https://www.lincolncenter.org and https://www.alvinailey.org

• Wednesday, July 26, 2023 from 8 - 10 pm - Laughter in the Park - at Garibaldi Plaza in Washington Square Park in the Village. An hour and a half of stand up comedy by five different local comedians. Free summer outdoor theater in the Village in Manhattan NYC. Free.

• Location. Lincoln Center is located along Columbus Avenue between 64th and 66th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
• Contact. https://www.nylaughs.org/ & https://www.lincolncenter.org

Also see Lincoln Center concerts by clicking - free concerts in the parks - summer concerts in Manhattan, Upper East Side UES, Upper West Side UWS, Midtown, West & East Village, SoHo & Tribeca.

* Wise Towers, 117 West 90th Street

• Saturday. Aug 13, 2022 @ 2 pm - Teacher! Teacher! or P.S. I love you. - They describe the play as follows, " ... a rip-roaring original musical which tells the story of a struggling teacher in an underserved neighborhood who puts her life on the line for her kids ...". Free summer theater on the UWS of Manhattan NYC.
• Contact / Tickets. Free. Organized by the Parks Dept & Theater for the New City aka TNC at www.theaterforthenewcity.net.
• Location. Wise Towers, 117 West 90th Street.

2. Upper East Side UES - Free Summer Outdoor Theater 2023

Carl Schurz Park - Free Shakespeare in the Park UES NYC

Free Shakespeare In Carl Schurz Park - Free Things To Do In Upper East Side NYC

• Tuesday - Sunday, July 4 - 9, 2023 from 7 - 9 pm - Richard III - They describe this adaptation of this Shakespearean play as follows, "... See an ensemble of seven female and gender-fluid performers tackle his rise to power in a story filled with familial manipulation, egregious murder, and political deceit. Featuring Delaney Feener—a performer with a disability—as Richard! ...". Free summer outdoor theater / plays in Carl Schurz Park on the Upper East Side UES of Manhattan NYC.

• Contact. https://nyclassical.org - Performed by NY Classical Theatre Company. Free but rsvp. You're advised to make a reservation as they have sold out in the past.
• Location. The theatrical and Shakespearean productions are performed at Carl Schurz Park at East End Avenue and 86th Street.

Also see free summer movies on the UES Upper East Side Manhattan and the free summer concerts on the Upper East Side and the things to do section of the UES Upper East Side Neighborhood.

3. Central Park - Free Summer Outdoor Theater in Manhattan 2023

Delacorte Theater - Free Summer Outdoor Theater in Central Park NYC

Free Things To Do on the Upper East Side NYC - Free Shakespeare In Central Park

The photo to your right was taken at the Delacorte Public Theater located in Central Park between the Upper East Side and the Upper West Side. The Shakespearean productions are performed by the Public Theater Company.

Tickets / CoVid. Check for CoVid vaccination & mask wearing guidelines / protocols. Limited seating available. All tickets are being distributed online and none will be given on the day of the performance. FREE but first come, first serve - or you can pay for a certain ticket at www.publictheater.org.

Shakespeare at Delacorte Theater Central Park June 8 - August 6, 2023

• Tuesdays - Sundays, June 8 - August 6, 2023 beginning at 8 pm [except the 7/4 week they skip the 4th but perform on Monday, July 3rd] - Hamlet - By William Shakespeare. They describe this adaptation of the play as follows, " ... “A 400-year-old play exploring the need for a strong foundation of family, with music and words, Shakespeare’s Hamlet has much to say about humanity and the importance of our connectedness to each other. We set this production in 2021, filled with all of the challenges we face as Americans as we explore our need to love more profoundly both nature and its people.”...".
• Location. Free Shakespeare in the park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in Manhattan NYC. See location instructions above.
• Contact. Free theater but you need to rsvp a ticket online at least one day prior to performance. For details see https://publictheater.org.

Summer Break for Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theater

• Note that Shakespeare in Central Park goes on hiatus from August 6 - 27, 2023, then resuming at the Delacorte Theater. That said, the Public Theater Company continues to perform at Joe's Pub in the East Village / Bowery. For details see www.publictheater.org.

Shakespeare at Delacorte Theater Central Park August 27 - September 3, 2023

• Tuesday - Sundays, August 27 - September 3, 2023 beginning at 8 pm - The Tempest - By William Shakespeare. They describe this adaptation of the play as follows, " ... Forced from their home, Prospero and her daughter Miranda have survived for 12 years among the ruins of an abandoned island. As Prospero grows closer to getting the justice she craves, she witnesses her daughter fall in love, listens to the wisdom of spirit ancestors, and discovers that sometimes forgiveness is the only way to break cycles and right the course for the next generation. Hilarious fools, magical spells, and elemental spirits dance through this production as we all come together to celebrate what it means to be human...".
• Location. Free Shakespeare in the park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in Manhattan NYC. See location instructions above.
• Contact. Free theater but you need to rsvp a ticket online at least one day prior to performance. For details see https://publictheater.org.

• Contact. https://publictheater.org
• Location. The Delacorte Theatre is located in the middle of Central Park and can be accessed via the West 82nd Street entrance on the UWS and the 86th Street entrance on the UES

Shakespeare in Central Park Tuesdays - Sundays, June 13 - 25, 2023 - NY Classical Theatre

• Tuesdays - Sundays, June 13 - 25, 2023 from 7 - 9 pm - Richard III - They describe this adaptation of this Shakespearean play as follows, "... See an ensemble of seven female and gender-fluid performers tackle his rise to power in a story filled with familial manipulation, egregious murder, and political deceit. Featuring Delaney Feener—a performer with a disability—as Richard! ...". Free summer outdoor theater / plays in Central Park near the Upper East Side UES, Upper West Side UWS and Harlem in Manhattan NYC.

• Contact. https://nyclassical.org Performed by NY Classical Theatre Company. Free but rsvp. You're advised to make a reservation as they have sold out in the past.
• Location. In Central Park on the lawn at 103rd Street and Central Park West. Free Shakespeare in the park in Central Park in Manhattan NYC.

Central Park - Naumberg Bandshell & Bethesda Fountain & Summit Rock in Central Park NYC

• During CoVid additional outdoor performances were done near the Naumberg Bandshell and at Bethesda Fountain. But they mostly won't return this year [2023] as many performance groups returned to their home locations as things returned to normal. That said, you can use the links at the top of this page to find concerts and movies in Manhattan and the park.

2023 TBD _ Laughter in the Park - They're back and doing performances at Damrosch Park in Lincoln Center and at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza near the United Nations

• OLD NOTE DATE / YEAR _ June, July, August & September 2022 - LAUGHTER IN THE PARK. Moved to Lincoln Center as one of their Summer in the City programs on 7/20, 7/27, 8/3 and 8/10 from 8 - 10 pm. They are also performing at: 1) Wolfes Pond on Staten Island on 6/19 from 4 - 6 pm, 2) Garibaldi Plaza in Washington Square Park in Manhattan on 6/26 from 4 - 5.30 pm, and 3) at Little Island in the West Village on 6/20 & 7/18 from 9.30 - 11 pm. Free Laughter in the Park performances in NYC summer 2022.
• Contact. www.nylaughs.org & www.nycparks.org

2023 TBD _ Harlem Meer Performance Festival in Central Park

• Sundays, July 17 - August 21, 2022 from 2 - 4 pm - Harlem Meer Performance Festival. Every week they host music and dance performances at the Harlem Meer at 110th Street between 5th Avenue & Lenox Avenue on the Upper East Side near Harlem.

Also see free summer movies on the UES Upper East Side Manhattan and free concerts in the parks - summer concerts in Manhattan, Upper East Side UES, Upper West Side UWS, Midtown, West & East Village, SoHo & Tribeca and the Manhattan things to do calendar and the things to do section of the UES Upper East Side Neighborhood.

4. Midtown Manhattan NYC - Free Summer Outdoor Theater 2023

Times Square Live / Music Dance & More - Free Summer Theater in Manhattan NYC

Free Summer Theater in Times Square Theater - Free Things To Do In Midtown Manhattan NYC

• Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays, May 2nd thru September 29, 2023 mostly beginning at 5 pm - Times Square Live. Local and famous national performers, doing mostly music and dance numbers, live. Free. NOTE THAT THERE ARE A FEW WEEKS WHERE THEY DON'T PERFORM ON ALL DAYS NOTED ABOVE.

• Contact. https://www.timessquarenyc.org
• Location. In Times Square generally along Broadway between 43rd and 46th Street in Midtown Manhattan NYC.

Euripides Theater Festival - Free Summer Theater in Manhattan NYC

Free Summer Theater at AMT Theater - Free Things To Do In Midtown Manhattan NYC

FYI 6.24.23 - THIS MAY BE THEIR FINAL SEASON

• Tuesday - Friday, June 27 - 30, 2023 from 8 - 10 pm, with a 3 pm matinee on Wednesday - The Bacchae - They describe this Greek play as follows, "... Aiming to produce all of Euripides’ extant plays chronologically, the New York Euripides Summer Festival’s final summer season is unintentionally challenged by presenting what many consider to be Euripides’ magnum opus, the Bacchae. ...". Wikipedia adds further insight with a number of interpretations, one of which was the following, " ... The extraordinary beauty and passion of the poetic choral descriptions indicate that the author certainly knew what attracted those who followed Dionysus. The vivid gruesomeness of the punishment of Pentheus suggests that he could also understand those who were troubled by religion ...". Free summer outdoor theater / plays in the Midtown neighborhood of Manhattan NYC. Performed by the American Thymele Theater Company, which was founed in 1993 with the mission of promoting Hellenic culture in America.
• First come / first serve except Friday June 30 where you need to rsvp. FREE.

• Contact. https://americanthymeletheatre.yolasite.com / FB - https://www.facebook.com/groups/84180718995/.
• Location. At the AMT Theater at 354 West 45th Street in Midtown Manhattan NYC. The location website is - https://www.amttheater.org/

Also see free summer movies on the UES Upper East Side Manhattan and the free summer concerts on the Upper East Side and the things to do section of the UES Upper East Side Neighborhood.

PARTIALLY UPDATED - WATCH DATES

Bryant Park - Free Summer Theater in Midtown Manhattan NYC

Free Things To Do in Midtown Manhattan NYC

Shakespeare in Bryant Park 2023

• May 25, 2023 beginning at 7 pm - The Drilling Company performs Comedy of Errors. Produced by The Drilling Company. FREE and on the lawn - see photo at right. Free summer outdoor theater organized by Bryant Park Corp in Midtown Manhattan NYC.

Contemporary & Folk Dance in Bryant Park 2023

• Tuesday, August 1, 2023 beginning at 6 pm and 7 pm - Ailey Moves - West African Dance Class and Ailey II performance, respectively [times]. FREE.
• Contact. For details see https://www.alvinailey.org and www.bryantpark.org

THE REST OF THESE EVENTS FOR BRYANT PARK ARE OLD - NOTE DATES / YEARS

• Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, May 3, 4 & 5, 2022 from 6 - 8.30 pm - Dance Party - Learn how to dance to live bands with free dance instruction at Fountain Terrace in Bryant Park. The following is their schedule - May 3 - Salsa, May 4 - Swing & May 5 Cinco de Mayo.

• Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, May 10, 11 & 12, 2022 from 6 - 8.30 pm - Dance Party - Learn how to dance to live bands with free dance instruction at Fountain Terrace in Bryant Park. The following is their schedule - May 10 - Flamenco Rumba, May 11 - African Fusion and May 12 - Music of the Americas, Colombia, Peru & Venezuela.

New York City Opera in Bryant Park

• Fridays, August 12, 2022 beginning at 7 pm - La Traviats by NYC Opera - They describe this program as follows, " ... An abridged adaptation of Verdi’s classic that inspired Moulin Rouge, with instantly recognizable tunes famously featured in Pretty Woman. Soprano Ekaterina Siurina and tenor Charles Castronovo appear with Michael Chioldi, world-renowned baritone and star of last summer’s Rigoletto (a role he recently stepped into at the Metropolitan Opera for a series of critically acclaimed performances), with City Opera Music Director Maestro Constantine Orbelian at the helm ...". Free opera in NYC Parks. First come / first serve.

• Friday, September 2, 2022 beginning at 7 pm - Lucia di Lammermoor - They describe this program as follows, " ... Think Romeo and Juliet, but set in Scotland. Donizetti’s brilliant score is the height of drama and the pinnacle of the Bel Canto style in this abridged version starring world-renowned soprano Sarah Coburn and conducted by Constantine Orbelian ... ". Free opera in NYC Parks. First come / first serve.

• Contact. https://bryantpark.org/
• Location. Bryant park is located between 5th and 6th Avenues and between 40th and 42nd Streets. The free summer theater events are organized by Bryant Park Org.

Bryant Park also hosts a number of concerts which you can review on our Summer Concerts in Manhattan NYC page and scroll down to the Bryant Park section.

Broadway World in Bryant Park - Not Returning This Year 2022

• OLD _ NOTE DATE / YEAR _ Thursday, August 1, 8 & 15, 2019 from 12.30 - 1.30 pm - Broadway World. BryantPark.org tells us it's a modernized adaptation, "The most popular shows on and off Broadway perform their biggest hits each summer in the park. Join hundreds of fans on the Lawn and enjoy favorite Broadway tunes. Arrive early and catch rehearsals! The most popular shows on and off Broadway perform their biggest hits. Hosted by 106.7 Lite FM DJs." FREE and on the lawn - see photo below. Free summer outdoor theater in Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan NYC.

* Hudson River Park at Pier 63 - Free Summer Theater in Chelsea Manhattan NYC

Free Things To Do In Chelsea NYC - Free Summer Movies on Pier 63

The photo to your right was taken at Hudson River Park in Chelsea along the Hudson River.

• Thursday, June 9, 2022 beginning at 7 pm - Hudson River Dance Festival. Done in collaboration with the Joyce Theater in Chelsea. Free summer dance at Chelsea Piers in Midtown Manhattan NYC. PIER 63.

• Saturday, August 13, 2022 from 1 - 9 pm - Blues BBQ Festival. Free summer concerts at Chelsea Piers in Midtown Manhattan NYC. PIER 76. The BBQ isn't free.

• Contact. The free summer theater is organized by the friends of Hudson River Park and the Hudson River Park Trust and their flyer says "Your attendance at any event constitutes permission to use your image in our publications".
• Location. Pier 63 in Hudson River Park is located along the Hudson River between 22nd and 24th Streets and 11th Avenue is the parks eastern border. The performances are held on Pier 63 with restrooms on Pier 61.

Also see free summer concerts in Manhattan in Midtown Chelsea NYC, free theater in Midtown and the Manhattan things to do calendar and the section for things to do Midtown NYC - Chelsea Neighborhood.

DISCONTINUED IN 2018 _ Midtown International Theater Festival

• The photo to your right was taken at the Midtown International Theater Festival in an earlier year.

• DISCONTINUED - Midtown International Theater Festival - After 18 years the Midtown International Theater Festival which offerred a series of short, generally modern original works once or twice a year in the Manhattan Theatre District - ceased productions. In November 2017, the Founder, John Chatterton, decided to retire the program. Attendance at these weren't free, but they didn't cost a lot either, and will be missed this summer as they were also missed in 2018.

• Contact. Details at www.midtownfestival.org. Paid and free summer outdoor theater in Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan NYC.
• Location. Various locations.

Also see free summer movies in Midtown Manhattan and the Manhattan things to do calendar and the things to do section of the Midtown Neighborhood.

5. East Village & West Village NYC - (mostly) Free Summer Theater 2023

Washington Square Park - Free Salsa Dancing in the Village in Manhattan NYC

Free Things To Do In The East Village & West Village NYC - Free Summer Outdoor Theater In Washington Square Park

The photo to your right was taken at the Fringe Theater Festival in the East Village in a prior year.

• Sunday, July 23, 2023 from 4.30 to 6 pm - Laughter in the Park - at Garibaldi Plaza in Washington Square Park in the Village. An hour and a half of stand up comedy. Free summer outdoor theater in the Village in Manhattan NYC. Free.
• Contact. https://www.nylaughs.org/

• Wednesdays, May 3 - October 25, 2023 from 6 to 9 pm - Salsa Nights at Washington Square Park in Garibaldi Plaza. From 6 to 6.30 pm they provide a salsa dance lesson, followed by social / dancing from 6.30 to 9 pm. The Washington Square Park Conservancy tells us. "Come alone & make some friends, bring a date or bring the family. Come as you are, everyone is welcome and dancers of all levels are encouraged to participate! We can’t wait to see you on the dance floor."
• Contact. Co-hosted by Salsa Dura NY and https://washingtonsqpark.org and the NYC Parks Department.

• Saturday, August 26, 2023 beginning at 2 pm - Life on the Third Rail or a Subway Delay to the Future by Theater for a New City. See Theater for a New City listing below for description of the production. Free summer outdoor theater in Washington Square Park the Village in Manhattan NYC.
• Contact / Tickets. Organized by the Parks Dept & Theater for the New City aka TNC at https://theaterforthenewcity.net. Free summer outdoor theater in the Village in Manhattan NYC.

• Contact. https://washingtonsqpark.org/
• Location. Washington Square Park is located between 4th Street and Waverly and between MacDougal and University Place in the Village.

SHENYC Festival - Connelly Theater - Paid Summer Theater in Manhattan NYC

Indoor Paid Summer Theater in the East Village Manhattan NYC

• Monday thru Sunday, July 26 - August 6, 2023 at various times - SHENYC Festival - at Connelly Theater in the East Village. This festival showcases women / gender marginalized writers, composers and directors. There are eight different plays selected from about 300 submissions. Paid summer theater in the East Village in Manhattan NYC.

• Contact / Tickets. https://shenycarts.org / Tickets $35 per show or you can obtain a discount by buying multi-performance passes.
• Location. At 220 East 4th Street in the East Village of Manhattan NYC.

DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE RETURNING IN 2023, BUT WE'LL HAVE SOME UPDATES

* Under St Mark's - Little Shakespeare Festival - Summer Theater in the Village Manhattan NYC

• Thursday, August 4 - Sunday, August 14, 2022 - The Little Shakespeare Festival. It's called 'little' because each production contains only four or five actors. 1) August 4 & 6 - As You Will - at 9 pm and 7 pm respectively, 2) August 5, 7, 11, 12 & 14 - Romeo & Juliet - at 7 pm weekdays and 5.30 pm and 4 pm respectively on Sundays, 3) August 6, 10 & 13 - Unspoken Garden - at 2 pm Saturdays & 7 pm weekday, 4) August 9 - Fights of Shakesepeare & As You Will [double feature] - at 7 pm and 5) Brawls & Burlesque, August 13 at 7 pm & 14 at 2 pm.

• Contact / Tickets. Frigid Theater NYC - www.frigid.nyc / Tickets are $25 / $20.
• Location. Under St. Mark's Theater is located in the basement at 94 St Marks Place at 1st Avenue in the East Village. St. Mark's Place is the equivalent of 8th Street.

* TBD _ Kraine Theater - Frigid Theater Company Organizes Performances Here

• They Organize about 5 Theater Festivals per Year. See the Little Shakespeare Festival above.

• Contact / Tickets. Frigid Theater NYC - www.frigid.nyc.
• Location. Kraine Theater is at 85 East 4th Street at 2nd Avenue in the East Village.

Theater for a New City - Free Summer Outdoor Theater - East Village NYC

Free Things To Do in the East Village of Manhattan in NYC

• May, June, July 2023 they host a number of productions and a Spring Festival. For details - copy & paste their website url, from their contact info below, into your browser bar.

• Saturday, August 5 - Sunday, September 17, 2023 beginning at 2 pm [except on 8/18 when it begins at 5 pm] - Life on the Third Rail or a Subway Delay to the Future by Theater for a New City. They describe the performance as follows, " ... The musical is the saga of a Train Operator and a Subway Conductor in an emergency flood situation. A violent hurricane, spurred by global warming, has inundated the subways and so the MTA is moving all its trains out of underground tunnels and stations. The duo have been been driving a car for repair that somehow got left behind. Will they make it to the train yards? ... The emergency is reflected in their dreams as they wait for rescue. In watery tunnels, the elements of Planet Earth now cry out for sustenance. Water, Air, the Green of the Plants, the Electricity of Light, and the Torrential power of the Ocean come alive, dancing before their eyes as the Conductor and Train Operator, with the help of a Subway Tracker, try to back their #2 train into Central Station for repair. Will the Earth survive man’s destruction and exploitation? Will the Life Force continue to make us feel the beauty of today and the promise of tomorrow? Will the support necessary for the survival of the planet materialize? “Life on the Third Rail…” addresses these questions with the grace and strength of an activist’s mission...".

• 8/5 • 2pm Manhattan • TNC at E. 10th St. & First Ave.
• 8/6 • 2pm Bronx • St. Mary's Park at 147th St. & St. Ann's Ave.
• 8/12 • 2pm Manhattan • Turtle Park, WV. 9l st Street betw. Columbus & Amsterdam Aves.
• 8/13 • 2pm Manhattan • Central Park Bandshell, 72nd Street Crosswalk
• 8/18 • 5pm • Brooklyn • Coney Island Boardwalk at W. 21 st St
• 8/19 • 2pm • Manhattan • St. Marks Church at E. 10th St. & Second Ave.
• 8/20 • 2pm • Manhattan Jackie Robinson Park at W. 147th St. & Bradhurst Ave.
• 8/26 • 2pm • Manhattan • Washington Square Park
• 8/27 • 2pm • Queens • Travers Park at 34th Ave. betw. 77th & 78th Sts.
• 9/9 • 2pm • Brooklyn • Sunset Park at 6th Ave. & 44th St.
• 9/10 • 2pm • Brooklyn Fort Greene Park, Myrtle Avenue & St. Edwards Street
• 9/16 • 2pm • Staten Island Tappen Park, Bay St. betw. Canal & Water Sts.
• 9/17 • 2pm • Manhattan • Tompkins Square Park at E. 7th St. & Ave. A E.

• Contact. https://theaterforthenewcity.net
• Location. Theater for a New City aka TNC is located at 155 First Avenue between 9th and East 10th Streets in the East Village in Manhattan. BUT PLEASE NOTE that the performances above are performed at various locations around the five boroughs of NYC.

Tompkins Square Park - Summer Theater in the East Village Manhattan NYC

Free Summer Outdoor Theater in Tompkins Square Park the East Village in Manhattan NYC

• Saturday, August 5 - Sunday, September 17, 2023 beginning at 2 pm [except on 8/18 when it begins at 5 pm] - Life on the Third Rail or a Subway Delay to the Future by Theater for a New City. See Theater for a New City listing above for description of the production. Free summer outdoor theater in Tompkins Square Park the East Village in Manhattan NYC.

• Sunday, August 27, 2023 from 3 to 7 pm - The Charlie Parker Festival returns. Click the Free summer concerts in Manhattan NYC page link at the beginning of this report for details.

• Contact. Organized by the Parks Dept & Theater for the New City aka TNC at https://theaterforthenewcity.net.
• Location. Tompkins Square Park is located between East 7th and East 10th Street between Avenues A & B in the East Village of Manhattan NYC.

Little Island Park in the West Village - Free Laughter in the Park Performances

Free Summer Outdoor Theater in the West Village / Chelsea Manhattan NYC

• Friday, August 4, 2023 beginning at 3 pm - Ailey Moves. They describe the event as follows, " ... [first a] processional over the South Bridge as Ailey's West African drummers and dancers lead the young and young at heart to The Playground for a workshop to learn modified excerpts of Alvin Ailey's masterwork, Revelations...". FREE.
• Contact. https://www.alvinailey.org & https://www.nycgovparks.org/

• OLD _ NOTE DATES _ Thursdays, June 16 & July 14, 2022 - Laughter in the Park. Free, but it's advisable to rsvp because there are park capacity limits.
• Contact. www.nylaughs.org & https://www.nycgovparks.org/

• Contact. https://www.nycgovparks.org/
• Location. Along the Hudson River / West Side Highway at West 12th / 14th Streets in the West Village in Manhattan NYC.

6. Lower East Side, Bowery, SoHo Manhattan NYC 2023

The Drilling Theater Company - Free Shakespeare in the Park ... ing Lot

Free Summer Outdoor Theater on the Lower East Side of Manhattan NYC

• Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays, July 20, 21, 22 and 27, 28 29, 2023 beginning at 7 pm - Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare. One of the old bard's tales that includes a mix of psychology, romance and comedy. Free and first come / first serve.

• Contact. https://drillingcompany.org/
• Location. In the parking lot at 114 Norfolk, between Rivington and Delancey Streets, on the Lower East Side.

Discontinued in 2020 _ The Fringe NYC Theater Festival

• The International Fringe Theater Festival moved to a BYOV [Bring Your Own Venue] in 2019, Went on Hiatus in 2020 & didn't return in 2021. Based on their websites, it looks like they were a CoVid casualty but this is UNCONFIRMED. Check our site or theirs www.fringenyc.org for details. Paid and free summer theater in in Midtown Manhattan NYC.

Also see free summer movies in the East Village West Village Manhattan and the Manhattan things to do calendar and the things to do section of the W & E Village Neighborhood.

East River Park Amphitheatre - CLOSED for Renovations Summer 2022, 2023

Expected Reopening to Happen in Phases Ending in 2026, if Project Completed on Time

IN JUNE 2023 THE EURIPIDES FESTIVAL MOVED TO MIDTOWN - SEE SECTION #4. MIDTOWN ABOVE.

• As of July 2022 - THIS PARK IS BEING RECONSTRUCTED DUE TO IT'S PROXIMITY TO THE EAST RIVER AND LOW ELEVATION. It's become a part of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project. The last event was held earlier in the summer of 2021 and thereafter programming ceased as reconstruction began. The Amphitheater itself was reportedly torn down in December of 2021. Stay tuned for updates, but nothing is expected to return in 2022 or 2023.

• Contact. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/east-river-park
• Location. East River Park is located along the East River in the Bowery / Lower East Side, just south of the Williamsburg Bridge and East Village. The Amphitheater in East River Park is located between the FDR and East River and between [south] of Grand Street and east of Jackson Street. It's where the coastline along the East River turns north when going north.

The photo to your right was taken by Allison Brzezinski, Founder & Artistic Director of CheckItDance, at one of their performances along the East River near Solar One - which is not the location, but north of it - and gives you a sense of East River theater.

THE FOLLOWING is an example of an East River Park Amphitheater performance in a prior year. Hard to say what will return when the renovations are completed, likely long after this summer has passed, but stay tuned.

• OLD _ NOTE DATE / YEAR _ Monday, July 29, 2019 from 6 to 7.30 pm - New York NY Euripides Summer Festival - IPHIGENIA AMONG THE TAURIANS - "Iphigenia was actually not sacrificed in Aulis by Agamemnon but was saved by Artemis whom she now serves as a priestess in the goddess’ temple at Tauris where her brother Orestes and his friend Pylades go to rob the temple." At the East River Park Amphitheater in John V. Lindsay East River Park at Grand Street exit between Cherry & Jackson. Free summer theater on the Lower East Side [aka LES] near SoHo and Tribeca in Manhattan NYC. Produced by American Thymele Theatre. Rsvp not required, but to be sure of a seat you can contact Ticket Central at 212.279.4200.

Also see free summer movies in Midtown Manhattan and the Manhattan things to do calendar and the things to do section of the Midtown Neighborhood.

7. Downtown NYC & Tribeca - Free Summer Outdoor Theater 2023

The Battery Dance Festival - Free Summer Dance / Theater NYC

Free Things To Do in Downtown NYC - Free Summer Dance Performances in FiDi / Downtown NYC

• August 12 - 18, 2023 from 7 - 9 pm - Battery Dance Festival - The 42nd Annual Dance Festival featuring dozens of choreographers and dancers from around the city, the nation and parts of the world. Each day features a different group - use the contact info to visit their website for details. Free summer outdoor dance performances in Battery Place in Downtown Manhattan NYC. FREE, but donations welcome.
• Contact / Registration. For details see - https://batterydance.org. Last year [2022] they advised folks to register but this year I didn't see any such suggestion. Free summer outdoor dance performances in Battery Place in Downtown Manhattan NYC.

• $1 Dance Workshops. There are 7 of these during the week of the festival. Free summer outdoor dance performances in Battery Place in Downtown Manhattan NYC.

• Contact. https://batterydance.org
• Location. At 75 River Terrace (the North Esplanade) in Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City.

TBD _ Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park & Rockefeller Park - Free Summer Outdoor Theater NYC

Free Shakespeare at Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park & Rockefeller Park

• Contact. www.nyclassical.org / https://www.nycgovparks.org/
• Location. These events are being staged near the Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery Park and at 75 in Battery Place and Broadway on the ground floor.

Battery Park Conservancy at Battery Park

• OLD _ NOTE DATE / YEAR _ Tuesday - Sunday except Thursday 7/29, July 27 - August 8, 2021 beginning at 7 pm / Free - King Lear - a romantic tragedy about two feuding families, two true lovers and a costly lesson for all. This adaptation of the play is said not to end badly. Performed by by NY Classical Theatre Company.
• FREE but RSVP - at www.nyclassical.org. CoVid protocols in place. Free summer outdoor theater in Tribeca / Downtown Manhattan NYC.

8. Harlem, Inwood & Washington Heights 2023

Free Summer Outdoor Theater / Shakespeare in the Park

Richard Rodgers Amphitheater - Summer Plays in Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem NYC

Free Things To Do in Harlem - Free Summer Plays / Outdoor Theater in the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater at Marcus Garvey Park in the Harlem Neighborhood of Manhattan

• Saturday, June 17, 2023 from 5 to 8 pm - MMPCIA Community Gathering. Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association is hosting some musical performances in celebration of Juneteenth. Free summer outdoor theater in Marcus Garvey Park in the Harlem section of Manhattan NYC. FREE.
• Contact. Organized by the Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association https://www.mmpcia.org/ and the NYC Parks Department - - www.nycgovparks.org

• July 6 - 29, 2023 from 8.30 - 10 pm - Malvolio - an Irreverent Comedy & Sequel to Shakespeare's Twelfth Night - They describe the performance as follows, " ... It’s wartime. A lowborn steward, Malvolio, has risen to the rank of general.  He is determined to seek vengeance on a cast of characters who tormented him twenty years earlier.  Malvolio encounters Volina, the daughter of Duke Orsino and Duchess Viola.  Dismayed by the apathy of her fellow nobles, Volina tries to pass as male to join the war effort.  When she falls in love with him, Malvolio is sure her ardent displays of unbridled passion and awkward love letters must be a trick.  How do we get past each other’s defenses?  Can the right kind of love heal all wounds? MALVOLIO explores the difference between revenge and redemption....". Free summer outdoor theater in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan NYC. FREE.
• Contact. Organized by The Classical Theater of Harlem - https://www.cthnyc.org and the NYC Parks Department - - www.nycgovparks.org

• Tuesday, August 1, 2023 beginning at 6 pm and 7 pm - Ailey Moves - West African Dance Class and Ailey II performance, respectively [times]. FREE.
• Contact. For details see https://www.alvinailey.org
• Location. At 6316 Mount Morris Park West

• Location. At the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater at Marcus Garvey Park - enter at 124th St & Fifth Ave and walk south to the venue.

Also be sure to check out the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in this park on Friday, August 25th and Saturday, August 26th, 2023 on our free summer concerts page Manhattan NYC.

Jackie Robinson Bandshell - Free Summer Opera in Jackie Robinson Park NYC

Free Things To Do in the Sugar Hill / West Harlem Neighborhood of Manhattan NYC

• Saturday, June 24, 2023 from 7 - 8.30 pm - Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital. Featuring Erika Baikoff | Thomas Glass | Cierra Byrd | Juan José Lázaro. Organized by the Parks Dept & the Metropolitan Opera. Free summer outdoor concerts in the Harlem / Washington Heights section of Manhattan NYC.
• Contact / Organizers. Organized by the NYC Parks Department - www.nycgovparks.org and City Parks Foundation - www.cityparksfoundation.org

• Saturday, August 20, 2023 beginning at 2 pm - Life on the Third Rail or a Subway Delay to the Future by Theater for a New City. See Theater for a New City listing above for description of the production. Free summer outdoor theater at the Jackie Robinson Bandshell in the Sugar Hill / West Harlem neighborhood in Manhattan NYC.
• Contact / Tickets. Organized by the Parks Dept & Theater for the New City aka TNC at https://theaterforthenewcity.net. Free summer outdoor theater in the Village in Manhattan NYC.

• Location. The Jackie Robinson Bandshell is located at West 147th Street and Bradhurst Avenue in Washington Heights.

* Closed Since 2016 _ Inwood Shakespeare Festival - Free Summer Theater in Inwood NYC

Free Things To Do in the Inwood Neighborhood of Manhattan NYC

• THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE W/ FUNDING _ This is Likely a Permanent Close _ On HIATUS in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021. The Inwood Shakespeare Festival did not return in 2017 after 16 years of performances, as the theater group that performed in it [Moose Hall Theatre Company], said they needed a greater commitment from the NYC Parks Department for them to raise funding to support the effort. In 2019 it looks like more of the same, but they're planning a production of Anton Chehkov's The Cherry Orchard in 2020 - but they are still seeking support at www.moosehallisf.org [the isf stands for Inwood Shakespeare Festival]. More about the production times / location in 2020. Free Shakespeare in the Park in Inwood near Washington Heights in Manhattan NYC.

Free Summer Outdoor Theater NYC / Free Things to do in Manhattan 2023

Free Things To Do In Manhattan - Free Theatre On the Upper East Side UES, Upper West Side UWS, Midtown, West & East Village, SoHo & Tribeca & Shakespeare in the Park in NYC

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