Primary Stages has given life to more than 90 new plays, many of them world premieres.  These Off-Broadway productions are highly acclaimed.

Pay What You Can nights at Primary Stages is a night of theater that puts you in charge of the ticket price. Use your spare change for a night of Off-Broadway theater and experience something new.  These special nights vary for each production, but they typically occur on the first two preview performances.

Tickets go on sale two hours before curtain on the evening of the performance at the box office only! Offer not valid through Ticket Central.  Limited availability on a first come, first served basis for 2 tickets per person. Cash only, no change given. Addresses must be provided in order to participate.

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For a more street-theatre, gritty-New-York, young and funky kind of rendition of Shakespeare, check out Midsummer Night’s Dream (July 9-25, 2009) and Measure for Measure (July 30 – August 15, 2009).  Bring your own chair or come early to grab one of theirs.

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The productions, free to all New Yorkers, has book, lyrics and direction by Crystal Field and musical score composed by David Tice.

Street Theater always contains an elaborate assemblage of trap doors, giant puppets, smoke machines, masks, original choreography and a huge running screen providing continuous movement behind the actors. The company of 27 actors and five live musicians performs outside. The music varies in style from Bossa Nova to Gilbert & Sullivan. Complex social issues are often presented through children’s allegories, with children as the heroes, making these free productions a popular form of family entertainment.

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Epic Theatre Ensemble commissions and nurtures new socially-minded work by pre-professional, early-career, and well-established writers and supports playwrights exploring timeless social, political, and ethical issues.  The Sunshine series is a new play festival presented each spring that shines a light on important new political writing and plants the seed for future productions by Epic and other like-minded companies.

Dates and time vary.  You must RSVP by calling or via EpicTheatreCtr [at] aol [dot] com.

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The River To River Festival takes place each summer from June through August in a many public venues in Downtown New York City (from Chambers Street down to the southern tip of Manhattan). The website lists tons of free things to do including live music, concerts, dance, shows, tours, and speaking engagements.

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Only during the summer. Here, many famous actors got their start or have taken time to guest perform. About.com offers tips to receive these coveted tickets.  Tickets are available at 1pmthe day of performance at the Delacorte Theater and also a limted number are online.

A free workshop prior to performance will be lead by the Public Theater’s Teaching Artists. All ages are invited to explore the language and imagery of William Shakespeare.

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