HIP TO HIP Announces Free Shakespeare in the Parks

Hip to Hip Theatre Company, under the Artistic Direction of Jason Marr is proud to announce its 2017 season of Free Shakespeare in the Parks. Now in its eleventh season, Hip to Hip will tour in repertory with William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1: The Prince and the Rebel and Measure for Measure from July 25th to August 20th. The family friendly tour will travel to 12 parks throughout all five boroughs of New York City, Jersey City, and Southampton.

From taverns to palaces, these plays invite us into the personal trials and triumphs of the common people and their all-too-human leaders. This season features madcap capers and epic battles, mistaken identities and unexpected marriages, courtly diplomacy and political sex scandals, and a vibrant cast of unforgettable characters, including the iconic Falstaff.

Artistic Director Jason Marr explains what drew him to the plays and why they are still relevant, "Measure for Measure and Henry IV jumped out because the characters in both plays seem to be doing the same sort of political soul searching that we Americans have been doing since our recent presidential election... they are also a great fit for our core company of actors and directors."

All performances are free to the public and will feature an interactive kids workshop 30 minutes before each performance. Kids & the Classics is designed for children ages 4 to 12 and gives children a chance to interact with the text by previewing the characters and situations, and creating links between the text and their own lives through theatre games and close reading of text.

Audience members are encouraged to bring a blanket or low chair and picnic fare and enjoy a Shakespeare play in the open air. All performances are free and open to the public. No tickets are necessary. Performances run time 95 minutes.

Henry IV, Part 1: The Prince and the RebelPrince Hal is caught between two worlds: in the tavern, he carouses with a wild bunch, led by the scoundrel Falstaff, but at court, the King presses him to shoulder his responsibilities as heir to the throne. Meanwhile, the rebellious Hotspur threatens to destroy the kingdom. Shakespeare's action-packed coming-of-age story asks "What makes a good leader?"

Measure for Measure The Duke of Vienna's puritanical deputy Angelo, tasked with cleaning up a city out of control, revives ancient laws regarding sex and marriage. When he unjustly sentences the young gentleman Claudio to death, Claudio's sister Isabella pleads his case...and discovers that Angelo is not as virtuous as he seems. Shakespeare's dark comedy examines the danger of placing power in the wrong hands.

About Hip to Hip:Hip to Hip is a Queens based theatre company dedicated to stimulating and developing interest in the theatre arts in underserved communities by providing free, family-friendly, professional productions of popular classics, and free theatre workshops for children, in public spaces. The company is a non-profit 501(c)(3) arts organization serving the New York City area, with an emphasis on the City's outer boroughs.

This programming is made possible in part with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Discretionary funding allocated by New York City Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer, and Queens Borough President Melinda Katz. More info available at www.hiptohip.org

Henry IV is directed by S.C. Lucier who recently directed the 2016 FringeNYC show, HELD: A Musical Fantasy. She has also worked with Theater for the New City, the Martha Graham Dance Company, Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center's Clark Studio Theater, The Brick, and for Hip to Hip where she directed The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Award-winning director Owen Thompson, directs Shakespeare's comedy Measure for Measure. Owen's credits include numerous New York City and Regional productions including productions with The Abingdon Theatre Company, FringeNYC, The John Cullum Theatre at ATA, Classic Theatre of San Antonio, and the River Rep Theatre Company.

The company features Devon Ahmed* (San Jose Repertory Theatre), Natalia Cuevas (Waiting for Lefty/Connecticut Repertory Theatre), Kathleen Denecke (12 Angry Women/Alpha NYC), Erick Gonzalez* (As You Like It/Hip to Hip), James Harter* (Sweet Bird of Youth/The Gallery Players), Alex Jones (The Skin of Our Teeth/Marymount Manhattan College), Daren Kelly* (Broadway: Crazy For You & South Pacific), Sam Leichter* (Macbeth/Allentown Shakespeare, dir. Moritz von Stuelpnagel), Jason Marr* (Off-broadway Freudian Slips/Abingdon), Joy Marr* (Alabama Shakespeare Festival), Sabrina Marr (fourth grader at The Ella Baker School in NYC), Owen Thompson* (Artistic Director of Protean Theatre Company), Emily Song Tyler (Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival), and Colin Wulff (Southern Shakespeare Festival). *appears courtesy of Actors' Equity Association

The creative team includes costume design by Nancy Nichols (Resident costume designer since 2008), set design by Robert Dutiel (Associate Professor and Technical Director at Marymount Manhattan College), fight direction by Joel Leffert, dramaturg Adriana Alter, and stage management by Krissy Delahanty.

2017 Performance Schedule*Kids & the Classics, interactive workshops begin 30 minutes prior to each performance.

Tuesday, July 25th @ 7:30 pm - Henry IV QUEENS Sunnyside Gardens Park (48-21 39th Avenue)

Wednesday, July 26th @ 7:30 pm -Measure for MeasureQUEENS Flushing Meadows (at the Unisphere)

Thursday, July 27th @ 7:30 pm - Henry IVQUEENS Crocheron Park (35th Ave & Corbett Road)

Friday, July 28th @ 7:30 pm - Measure for MeasureBROOKLN Fort Greene Park (Monument Steps)

Saturday, July 29th at 6:30 pm - Henry IVSTATEN ISLAND Snug Harbor Cultural Center (1000 Richmond Terrace)

Sunday, July 30th at 6:30 pm - Henry IVBRONX Van Cortlandt Park (Broadway and 245th Street)

Tuesday, August 1st - Rain Date Wednesday

August 2nd at 7:00 pm - Henry IVJersey City Newport on the Green (14th St & River Drive S.)

Thursday, August 3rd at 7:30 pm - Measure for MeasureQUEENS Crocheron Park 35th Avenue & Corbett Road Kids

Friday, August 4th at 7:30 pm - Measure for MeasureQUEENS Voelker Orth Museum (149-19 38th Ave, Flushing)

Saturday, August 5th at 7:30 pm - Measure for MeasureQUEENS Gantry Plaza State Park (4-09 47th Road)

Sunday, August 6th at 5:00 pm - Henry IVQUEENS Socrates Sculpture Park (32-01 Vernon Boulevard)

Tuesday, August 8th - Rain Date

Wednesday, August 9th at 6:30 pm - Measure for MeasureMANHATTAN Harlem Meer (110th St & Malcolm X Boulevard)

Thursday, August 10th at 8:00 pm - Measure for MeasureQUEENS Cunningham Park (Union Tpk & 196th Street)

Friday, August 11th at 7:30 pm - Measure for MeasureQUEENS Voelker Orth Museum (149-19 38th Avenue, Flushing)

Saturday, August 12th at 7:30 pm - Henry IVQUEENS Gantry Plaza State Park (4-09 47th Road)

Sunday, August 13th at 5:00 pm - Measure for MeasureQUEENS Socrates Sculpture Park (32-01 Vernon Boulevard)

Tuesday, August 15th at 7:30 pm - Measure for MeasureQUEENS Sunnyside Gardens Park (48-21 39th Avenue)

Wednesday, August 16th at 6:30 pm - Henry IVMANHATTAN Harlem Meer (110th St & Malcolm X Boulevard)

Thursday, August 17th at 8:00 pm - Henry IVQUEENS Cunningham Park (Union Tpk & 196th Street)

Friday, August 18th at 7:30 pm - Measure for MeasureSOUTHAMPTON Agawam Park (25 Pond Lane)

Saturday, August 19th at 7:30 pm - Henry IVSOUTHAMPTON Agawam Park (25 Pond Lane)

Sunday, August 20th - Rain Date

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