At Castle Clinton, Shakespeare Downtown Is Ditching The Bard And Embracing Chekhov

Like Anton Chekov’s famous gun, here’s a piece of arts information you’re going to see now and use later on: Shakespeare Downtown — the company that tries to recreate the feeling of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater in Lower Manhattan — is stepping away from the bard and embracing the master Russian playwright. The troupe will be putting on a free production of Chekhov’s “The Three Sisters” at its home venue, Castle Clinton in Battery Park this month.  

The production will run from June 17–27, Thursdays through Sundays from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Every day, the 200 free tickets will be available the day of the performance: just show up at the castle at 5:45 p.m.

“The Three Sisters” is Chekhov’s 1901 play about the Prozorov sisters who yearn for the excitement of Moscow. Castle Clinton is a fortification in the Battery dating back to the War of 1812, which provides a setting for the open-air, in-the-round performances put on by Shakespeare Downtown. 

photo: Shakespeare Downtown