Hip to Hip Theatre Marks 20 Years With Free Shakespeare Park Tour

Hip to Hip Theatre Company will celebrate its 20th anniversary season with free repertory performances of As You Like It and Macbeth in parks across Queens, Staten Island, Jersey City and Southampton from July 28 to August 22. The tour includes kids’ workshops before each show and no-ticket public access at every stop.

Why it matters: - Hip to Hip Theatre Company is keeping Shakespeare free and outdoors for a milestone 20th anniversary season. - The tour brings live theater to neighborhood parks in four areas, expanding access for audiences who might not attend an indoor production. - The repertory format pairs comedy and tragedy with the same cast, giving audiences two different Shakespeare experiences in one season.

What happened: - Hip to Hip Theatre Company is presenting As You Like It and Macbeth in repertory from July 28 through August 22. - Performances will run in public parks and cultural sites across Queens, Staten Island, Jersey City and Southampton. - The season opens July 28 at Queens College on the quad in Flushing. - All performances are free to the public. - No tickets or reservations are required. - Audiences are encouraged to bring blankets, low chairs and picnics.

The details: - As You Like It is co-directed by Jason Marr and Joy Marr. - Macbeth is directed by Joel Leffert. - The two plays are performed by the same cast throughout the tour. - Kids & the Classics starts 30 minutes before each performance. - The workshop is designed to help children engage with the text through story previewing, theatre games and close reading. - The repertory cast includes Anneke Angstadt, Brianna Cabrera, Bishal Dahal, Haley Kofuku Henson, Salim Ishimwe, Sam Kebede, Joel Leffert, Bree Marr, Jason Marr, Joy Marr, Ren Ragsdale, Diana Rendon and Kelechi Udenkwo. - Brianna Cabrera, Sam Kebede, Joel Leffert, Jason Marr and Joy Marr appear courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association. - The production team includes costume designers Nancy Nichols and Madeline Rostmeyer, production stage manager Faith Bruschini, assistant director Tatyana DelPreore, sound designer Terry Chun, and production assistants Skye Quidone and Leslie Diaz. - The schedule includes stops in Flushing, Sunnyside, Staten Island, Astoria, Fresh Meadows, Long Island City, Jersey City and Southampton. - One performance of As You Like It at Newport on the Green in Jersey City is listed with a rain date of August 18.

Between the lines: - The repertory model lets Hip to Hip Theatre Company stretch one ensemble across two plays while keeping production costs and logistics relatively lean. - Free admission and park venues signal a focus on public access over ticket sales. - The Kids & the Classics workshop suggests the company is treating the tour as both performance and education. - The mix of familiar city parks and a Southampton stop broadens the company’s footprint beyond a single neighborhood audience.

What's next: - The tour continues through August 22 with additional performances in Queens, Staten Island, Jersey City and Southampton. - The remaining schedule includes repeat performances of both plays at several park sites. - Hip to Hip Theatre Company is promoting the season through social media, including Instagram and Facebook.

The bottom line: - Hip to Hip Theatre Company is using its 20th anniversary to double down on a simple formula: free Shakespeare, outdoors, for everyone.