Shakespeare in the Park is coming to Queens Night Market this weekend, with a performance of “Much Ado About Nothing” scheduled for Saturday evening.
The event, which will take place at Queens Night Market in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, is free to the public and part of the Public Theater’s Mobile Unit, which takes Shakespeare in the Park to locations across the city.
The bilingual, 100-minute production of the popular Shakespeare play is touring locations in the outer boroughs between June 18-29, with performances also scheduled for Astoria’s A.R.R.O.W. Field House at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and for Jamaica’s Roy Wilkins Park at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Jackson Heights’ Travers Park will also host Shakespeare on the Park at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 27.
The Mobile Unit will also bring the production to Brooklyn and the Bronx, with four performances scheduled for Brooklyn and one scheduled for the Bronx.
The upcoming mobile production offers a “family-friendly take” on the classic tale of love, deception, and misunderstandings by blending Latine influences, original music and Shakespeare’s timeless wit, the Public Theater said.
There are no intervals for the 100-minute production. Director Rebecca Martínez and composer Julián Mesri (Mobile Unit’s The Comedy of Errors) reunite for their third consecutive year for the upcoming production.
Shakespeare in the Park’s Mobile Unit, sponsored by Citizens bank, aims to break down economic and geographical barriers to the arts by bringing high-quality performances directly to communities throughout the city before Free Shakespeare in the Park comes to Central Park later in the summer.
The hugely popular summer theater series will take place at Central Park’s Delacorte Theater between Aug. 7 and Sept. 14 with a performance of “Twelfth Night.”
Citizens said the upcoming performance at Queens Night Market is particularly exciting because people will be able to enjoy the show with some high-quality food options. The company also noted that Queens Night Market will feature an interactive canvas experience with non-profit Artists for Humanity.
“Supporting The Public Theater’s Mobile Unit reflects Citizens’ commitment to community connection and to bringing beloved New York institutions into local neighborhoods,” Citizens executive Yajaira Hafley said in a statement. “By presenting these world-class Shakespeare performances in communities across Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens, we’re helping expand access so that more people can experience the magic of live theatre.”
Queens Night Market founder John Wang said the upcoming performance in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park will combine excellent theater and delicious food.
“Thanks to Citizens, we’re combining two of our favorite things at Queens Night Market—incredible food at affordable prices and world-class performances. This is exactly what we’re about—bringing world-class culture directly to our diverse community,” Wang said in a statement.
Queens Night Market runs every Saturday from 4 p.m. until midnight until Oct. 25, featuring over 100 vendors selling food, crafts and merchandise from around the world. Almost all food items sold at Queens Night Market are capped at $6 or less to make the market affordable to all.
