King Lear / Emma at Various

This Summer: our fifth year and our biggest undertaking yet! Not only are we visiting more of Long Island than ever before (you have 15 chances to catch us!) but we’re doing it with a double bill! Catch the same cast bring you Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear and Jane Austen’s romantic comedy Emma — sometimes in the same weekend!

Support Free Theatre

 • Celebrate Jane Austen‘s 250th year with us! Emma Woodhouse is clever, educated, and energetic… and in imminent danger of going mad with idleness. In a time when respectable ladies are expected to sit quietly at home, she desperately needs projects—and prides herself on matchmaking, much to the chagrin of her friend Mr. Knightley. But where Emma’s considerable energies focus, screwball comedy ensues.

 • A family feud tears apart a kingdom in Shakespeare’s epic tragedy King Lear. When the aged King relinquishes his empire, he divides it amongst his three daughters, promising the largest share to the one who professes to love him the most. But when the balance of power transfers to the next generation, Lear is cast out by those he trusts, embarking on a maddening quest for self-knowledge and reconciliation.

Scheduled Performances:
6/18 • King Lear • South Huntington Public Library • 6:30PM
6/22 • Emma • Long Beach Public Library • 1PM
6/26 • Emma • Long Island Museum, Stony Brook • 5:30PM
6/28 • Emma • Hicksville Public Library • 1PM
7/05 • King Lear • Heckscher Park, Huntington • 8PM
7/12 • King Lear • Clark Botanic Garden, Albertson • 4PM
7/13 • Emma • Heckscher Park, Huntington • 8PM
7/20 • King Lear • Amityville Beach • 5PM
7/26 • Emma • Northport Public Library • 2PM
7/27 • Emma • Amityville Beach • 5PM
8/02 • King Lear • Port Jefferson Free Library • 3PM
8/07 • Emma • North Merrick Public Library • 6:30PM
8/09 • King Lear • Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library • 2PM
8/10 • King Lear • Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library • 3PM
8/14 • King Lear • Elmont Memorial Library • 6PM

All performances are free and open to the public. Keep an eye on our social media for weather updates. King Lear by William Shakespeare is adapted and directed by Paul DeFilippo. Emma by Kate Hamill is adapted from the novel by Jane Austen and directed by Nicole Savin. Featuring original music by John Brautigam and costumes by Lyn Adler and Wendy Grimm. 

The cast of both productions features Amy Benjamin, John Brautigam, Tom Ciorciari, Genevieve K. Henderson, Kuan Hao Huang, Deanna Ibrahim, Stephanie Moreno, and Michelle Osojnak.