by Elizabeth Kennedy

Where to see some alfresco acting this summer in the city

William Shakespeare’s As You Like It provides the Bard with one of his greatest lines: “All the world’s a stage.”  With the many outdoor theatre options available inNew York this summer, truer words were never spoken.  From parks to parking lots, free outdoor theatre can be found in a variety of places.  Here are five theatre companies worth checking out this summer:

1. Shakespeare in the Park.  The Public Theatre’s free Shakespeare in Central Park has delighted audiences for fifty years.  Hollywood A-listers such as James Earl Jones, Kevin Kline, Natalie Portman, Al Pacino, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Blythe Danner, Anne Hathaway, and Meryl Streep have performed on the Delacorte stage.  Free tickets are not distributed until the day of the show and eager audience members often line up outside the theatre hours in advance.  As You Like It, starring Lily Rabe as Rosalind, just ended its run June 30.  Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods, starring Amy Adams and Donna Murphy, begins July 23. (shakespeareinthepark.org)

2. Hudson Warehouse.  Founded in 2004, The Hudson Warehouse performs exciting outdoor renditions of classic plays.  While Shakespeare is often performed, The Hudson Warehouse has also staged plays by Chekhov, Euripides, and Rostand.  Performances are held at Riverside Park on the North Patio of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument.  Tickets are not required and audience members sit on the steps and benches of the monument.  This summer’s season includes Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors, Behn’s The Rover, and Shakespeare’s Richard III. (hudsonwarehouse.net)

3. New York Classical Theater.  Fondly known as “Shakespeare on the Run,” New York Classical Theater stages Shakespeare productions all across the city.  Past locations have included Central Park, Battery Park, Governors Island, and the World Financial Center.  New York Classical Theater is revered for its innovative staging; audience members follow the actors to different New York City locations throughout the play.  This summer, New York Classical Theater is performing Twelfth Night or What You Will set in 1900′s New York City.  Performances are held in Battery Park throughout July. (newyorkclassical.org)

4. Hip to Hip Theatre Company.  Founded in 2007, Hip to Hip Theatre Company stages free Shakespeare throughout Queens.  Each summer, two Shakespeare productions (one comedy, one tragedy) tour to ten different Queens County parks.  Comedy of Errors and Hamlet are the two productions being staged this season.  No tickets are required, just show up to the park with a blanket or chair. (hiptohip.org)

5. Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Lot.  Presented by The Drilling CompaNY, Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Lot has provided audiences with a downtown location to enjoy Shakespeare for over twenty years.  Performances are held in the Municipal Parking Lot at the corner of Ludlow Street and Broome Street on the Lower East Side.  The lot is in use during the show and actors/audience members often shift locations for moving cars.  The Merry Wives of Windsor Towers runs July 12-28 and Coriolanus runs August 2-18. (shakespeareintheparkinglot.com)

What do you think? Will you be checking out some outdoor theater in NYC this summer? Tell us in the comments! We love them!