Summer 2025 FAQ

Your free reservation is for a spot on the grass. There is no line to wait in. We recommend you make a free reservation, so we can keep in touch. Just get to the park location listed, and pick your place on the lawn.

All NY Classical performances are 2 hours or less (120 minutes) with no intermission.

The audience will move and follow the actors 5-6 times during the course of each performance (except in Carl Schurz Park, see below)

Picnics at the performance are welcome and encouraged! BUT be prepared to move!

Our rain cancellation policy is that we perform unless the ground is too slippery for the audience and our actors' safety during fight choreography. We make the call by 6pm at the latest—one hour before curtain. You will be notified via email only if we are canceled.

You are welcome to bring a chair for your comfort. Guests with chairs, strollers, or bicycles more than 1ft. or 30cm off the ground are asked to kindly sit in the areas to the sides of the audience to avoid blocking views behind them when asked is asked to turn around.

Ticketing:

All NY Classical performances are free & open to the public. For Summer 2025, we ask that you please make a free reservation.

We're asking everyone to RSVP, so we can…

  • Share our Digital Program and Background Reading about the play

  • Let you know if we have a Rain Cancelation

Walk-up participants are welcome on a first-come, first-serve basis on the day of the performance based on the size of the park lawn.

Weather:

If the weather looks iffy, check the website banner for updates on that day's performance. Guests who have made an online reservation and opt-ed into receiving emails from NY Classical will be emailed by 6pm if we are canceling due to inclement weather (rain, excessive heat).

Tips for attending a production in the park:

·      YOU are in the center of the action! The performance may begin facing south, and then we’ll turn north for the next scene. Expect entrances from all around you.

·      Wear clothes you can sit on the ground in.

·      Do mosquitos love you? Bring bug spray! 

·      Please abide by Park Rules for pets, furniture, smoking, and alcohol consumption. They are listed for Central Park here and Carl Schurz Park here.

·      Central Park is dog-friendly! Note: Some pets may be uncomfortable or become vocal with the actors' shouting, sword fights, or when local dogs pass by during the show. If your pet becomes agitated or needs to wander before the play ends, no worries! We can reschedule you to attend the rest of the performance at another time.

·      And for the safety of all, kindly stay home if you're feeling sick. We are happy to assist with rescheduling your reservations pending availability.

Information for Audience Members with Disabilities

NY Classical strives to make its performances accessible to our whole audience! With advance notice, we are happy to assign a staff member to help guide you along. 

Please note, during our Central Park and Battery Park performances the audience travels approximately two city blocks on paved paths and scene changes are 100-200 ft. apart from each other. The paths in Central Park are, at times, inclined.

At our Carl Schurz Park venue, we play in a singular location to better support people with disabilities—especially those with mobility challenges. We call this Take-A-Seat week.

All audience seating areas are on grass or hard surfaces (Battery Park only) and none of our venues have stairs.

If you have further questions about accessibility, feel free to contact us at info@nyclassical.org or call (212) 233-6496. Please note: we need 48 hours advanced notice to arrange a staff member to guide you in through one of our moving venues.