For many New Yorkers, it doesn’t feel like summer until you’re engaged in one of the following activities:
1. Sunbathing at Rockaway Beach
2. Scarfing down a hotdog on the Coney Island boardwalk
3. Catching the first whiff of sweltering garbage

If you’re a giant theatre nerd like me, it doesn’t feel like summer until you’ve watched an outdoor production of Shakespeare.

Last night, Shakespeare in the Park opened their production of Much Ado About Nothing and the rave review in the Times today means the infamous line is likely to balloon for the rest of the final 12 days of the run. You should absolutely try to see it and read my article first: A Former Usher’s Tips for Getting Shakespeare in the Park Tickets.

In the meantime, this weekend June 13-16, you can catch a delightful production of Shakespeare in the (lowercase) park just a short walk away from the Delacorte Theater. Totally free with no need for tickets or any kind of line!

I was lucky enough to see Occupy Verona’s production of Occupy Harry last Saturday. With that kick-off, it’s officially summer for this theatre nerd.

Occupy Harry at Summit Rock in Central Park

The “production value” of this show is a stark contrast to that down the hill with the Public Theater. Thus this production of Henry V (rebranded “Occupy Harry“) becomes a prime example of how the brilliance of Shakespeare lies in the words. Just like your college theatre professor promised- don’t need much else!

The grassy hill serves as the set, a fitting battlefield. Costuming is minimal, yet effective, and there were few props beyond bow staff weapons. The raggle-taggle feeling gives this show its charm. I was able to hear every single word utter despite zero amplification.

What the NYC theatre company Occupy Vernona may lack in budget, they make up in talent. The performances are strong and you can tell every actor feels lucky to be a part of this band of brothers. No matter how hot the sun beats down on their fur-trimmed vests, or how many barking dogs compete with their iconic speeches.

I reached out to company founder, Occupy Harry director, and actor Joe Raik, and asked him a smattering of questions about the production:

Can you tell me a little bit about your idea for the show?
Thank you for asking! Occupy Harry is Shakespeare’s Henry V, re-imagined as a feminist uprising against a toxic patriarchal power structure. 

Was it important for you to make Shakespeare relevant for a 2019 audience? How did you go about that?
One of the reasons I love doing Shakespeare is that the plays (most of them) explore such deeply universal truths that they will always be relevant in any year! One of the things we can do to highlight the clear connections to our own time is mess around with the context. So we still have these powerful themes of courage, heroism, leadership and the various pitfalls and obstacles to each, but instead of applying them to a nationalist fervor as in the original, we can reposition the players and explore true revolutionary change.

Why is your production called Occupy Harry, not Henry V?
Laurel Andersen, who plays Katherine and the Chorus, came up with that title, possibly as a joke. All of our Shakespeare plays start with ‘Occupy’. I was thinking of calling it Occupy France or Occupy Agincourt because that’s literally what happens but decided to go with Occupy Harry because it’s the play itself we are occupying and its historical identity as this rousing fight-song that inspires and fills us with hope and pride with its stirring speeches and flawed but magnetic hero… Those things are what we want to make use of but in a way that speaks to current themes. So we Occupy Harry.

What’s your favorite part about performing outside?
Every now and then there’s a breeze and it has the effect of both cooling and making you look amazing with your costume blowing in the wind!

What’s the biggest challenge?
Sirens. Always sirens.

Any other Occupy Verona events in the works? 
Occupy’s got a couple of things in the offing for next year but nothing we’ve announced yet! You’ll have to stay tuned! But I’ll be acting in Sextant Theatre’s world premiere of Potemkin Play at HERE Arts Center in July. Hope to see you there! 

Thanks for the info, Joe! I first met Joe back in my Jekyll and Hyde days. Today we get drunk perform together with The Drunk Texts. Full disclosure: dude is MAD talented.

Check out Occupy Harry this weekend 6/13-6/16 at Summit Rock, on the west side of Central Park by the 81st Street entrance.
Thursday and Friday at 6PM, Saturday and Sunday at 4PM.