New York Classical Theatre

New York Classical Theatre creates and reinvigorates audiences for the theatre by presenting free productions of popular and forgotten classical plays in public spaces throughout New York City. We are also committed to developing and producing new plays by living playwrights that enrich and expand our understanding of what defines a classic.
NY Classical firmly believes that everyone—regardless of social, economic, or educational background—should have the opportunity to enjoy live professional theatre together as a community. Our free, engaging performances interpreted for approachable spaces inspire experienced theatergoers to reconnect with the classics and build new and future audiences.

Since 2000, we have presented over 800 free performances for more than 275,000 New Yorkers. We have produced extensively in non-traditional settings: outdoors in Central Park, Battery Park, Governors Island, Carl Schurz Park, Brooklyn Commons at Metrotech, and Brooklyn Bridge Park and indoors in Brookfield Place, One Liberty Plaza, and One New York Plaza—and more.
By adapting plays for public spaces, we have emerged as an innovative and unique addition to the City's theatrical landscape. Our production of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull transformed the northwest corner of Central Park into a 19th-century Russian country estate, and the Governors Island parade grounds played the role of Agincourt for our epic production of William Shakespeare's Henry V (with a cast & crew of 50).

By producing at zero cost to our audiences, we reach a broad demographic of our urban community, and serve as an important cultural and educational programming resource for our venues. For example, our 2006 presentation of Friedrich Schiller's Mary Stuart was the first play performed at Castle Clinton National Monument in 100 years, and our production of The Tempest in 2013 re-opened the Castle after the flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

To date, we have staged dozens of all-free productions by classical playwrights including Shakespeare, Molière, Chekhov, Aphra Behn, George Bernard Shaw, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, George Farquhar, Friedrich Schiller, Pierre de Marivaux, and Alfred Jarry. Through the New Visions play competition, we are developing scripts that explore new ways of viewing the “classics,” expand our ideas of what “classics” can be, and challenge the power structures that undergird the notion of “classics.” The two finalists will be awarded full productions in our 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons.