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Dear Friends,
For 27 seasons, New York Classical Theatre has held to a simple belief: great theatre belongs to everyone. This year, that belief brought us together in more ways than ever—from intimate conversations at Vino & Verse and new works taking shape through New Visions, to a room full of friends and supporters at our annual Gala and thousands of New Yorkers gathering in the parks for The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.
Our summer season transformed Central Park, Carl Schurz Park, and The Battery into ancient Rome, where audiences moved alongside nine extraordinary actors as they brought 24 characters to life. And while severe weather, extreme heat, and illness made this one of our most challenging outdoor seasons, the response from New Yorkers was unmistakable: nearly 15,000 reservations were made, and more than 6,500 people ultimately joined us in the parks.
What stays with us most, however, are the moments behind those numbers: children making Roman-inspired art before a performance; older adults experiencing Panoramic Theatre with greater accessibility; dogs joining their humans for Shakespeare under the trees; audiences celebrating Pride; students encountering the classics outside the classroom; and New Yorkers engaging with questions of leadership, citizenship, and democracy. These experiences reminded us that Free Theatre for All is about more than removing the price of admission. It is about creating a place where everyone is invited to participate.
None of this would be possible without the artists who create the work, the audiences who bring it to life, the partners and volunteers who expand what we can offer, and the donors whose generosity keeps professional theatre free and open to all. As we look ahead, we carry with us everything this season taught us—and an even deeper commitment to making extraordinary theatre part of the shared life of New York City.
Thank you for being part of it.
With Gratitude,
Steven, Stephen & Colin
Steven Perlstein, Board Chair
Stephen Burdman, Artistic Director
Colin Knapp, Director of Development & Communications
27th Season Highlights: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
Shakespeare in the Heart of New York
14,772 Reservations | 6,560 Attendees | 19 Completed Performances | 3 NYC Parks 62% First-Time NY Classical Attendees | 58% New or Infrequent Shakespeare Attendees
Every summer, New York Classical Theatre transforms some of New York City’s most beautiful parks into stages where great stories come alive. This year, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar brought thousands of New Yorkers together in Central Park, Carl Schurz Park, and The Battery. Staged by a six-person artistic team, nine actors brought 24 characters to life with the support of eight run crew members and stage managers, all working together to transform each location into ancient Rome. Everyone was paid a living wage, with union artists also receiving pension and health benefits. Together, the company presented 19 FREE performances for 6,560 New Yorkers through our signature Panoramic Theatre—making Shakespeare immediate, communal, and alive in the heart of the city.
Our summer programming opened even more doors into The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Dog Nights welcomed our four-legged Roman citizens with free pet paw-traits by illustrator Sophie Furman, photo ops, dog-friendly swag from Dooloop, and prizes from Zoomies. Family Nights with PLAYDAY invited children to create Roman-inspired art before the show, while Pride Night continued with Slay, Caesar! SLAY! at City Coffee & Bar, hosted by Metanoia Rex and featuring Benedick the Bastard and Mallory Josephine Blu. Our inaugural partnership with AARP New York expanded access through AARP Night, a seated senior matinee, and a virtual lecture with Dr. Sid Ray, while Civics Is Sexy brought civic engagement into the parks, connecting Shakespeare’s questions of leadership, persuasion, and citizenship to civic life today.
From The Parks to The Press
The New York Times · Time Out New York · Chelsea News · BroadwayWorld · Downtown Alliance
Gala Spotlight
A Night for Free Theatre
On March 24, 2026, our annual Gala brought the NY Classical community together at the Manhattan Penthouse for an evening celebrating the people who make Free Theatre for All possible. This year, we honored former Washington Post Chief Theatre Critic Peter Marks and longtime NY Classical supporters Susan & Ethan Falkove, while gathering artists, friends, donors, and champions of accessible theatre in support of the season ahead. The evening helped sustain the work audiences would soon experience throughout New York City—from new-play development and artistic conversations to our free summer production in the parks.
New Visions Program
New Voices, Timeless Stories
Nearly 400 plays from across the United States were submitted for Cycle 2 of New Visions, NY Classical’s multi-year program developing new works in conversation with the classical canon. From that national pool, four plays were selected to move forward: Beshert by Daniel Kushner, Cercle Hermaphroditos by Shualee Cook, Hedda by Franky D. Gonzalez, and Romeo and Her Sister by Jillian Blevins, with two additional works selected for further development.
On May 19, 2026, Gonzalez’s Hedda, a contemporary reimagining of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, culminated in a free two-hour public reading following a two-day developmental workshop. Directed by Rebecca Aparicio and featuring Stella Baker, Neil Tyrone Pritchard, Alex Purcell, Bobby Roman, and Iraisa Ann Reilly, the reading brought artists and audiences together as the play continued its development—putting New Visions’ mission of expanding and reimagining the classical canon into practice.
The Impact of Free Theatre
Opening the Door to Shakespeare
This summer reaffirmed what access to free professional theatre can make possible. Nearly 62% of survey respondents were attending NY Classical for the first time, while approximately 58% were first-time, lapsed, or infrequent Shakespeare attendees. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar generated $31,634 in tracked performance-period donations, giving per attendee increased from $4.83 to $5.09, and 363 new donors joined our community. Even as weather, extreme heat, and illness reduced opportunities to gather, audiences continued to show up and give—demonstrating the lasting impact of removing the price of admission. As we look ahead, we carry forward what we learned this year with deeper partnerships, greater knowledge, and the commitment that has guided NY Classical for 27 seasons: extraordinary theatre should belong to everyone. To everyone who makes this work possible, thank you. Free Theatre for All. Made possible by all of you.
Financial Overview
Navigating a Challenging Season
FY27 tested NY Classical’s financial resilience as severe weather, extreme heat, and illness disrupted more than 40% of scheduled summer performances. Yet community support remained steadfast: giving per attendee rose to $5.09, while individual giving reached $169,000—an 11% increase over the previous year. This generosity sustained living wages and benefits for artists, community programming, and free professional theatre across New York City as we continue building a resilient future for Free Theatre for All.
Notes:
Revenue:
- Gala is Under Individuals
- Peach Color
Expenses:
- Admin and Misc - Switch Colors
- Admin Wages and —-
- Artist Wages…Health and Pension Benefits
More Photos from The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
