Shake up Shakespeare

Shake up Shakespeare

7k followers
Think you know Shakespeare? These pieces flip the script on the classics to give you something totally new. From pop-music sequels and rowdy drinking games to gritty, modern-day thrillers, this collection proves these old stories are still wild, loud, and anything but boring.
Poster of Standard Lottery - Free Shakespeare in the Park's Romeo & Juliet in New York..

Standard Lottery - Free Shakespeare in the Park's Romeo & Juliet

Saheem Ali's bilingual reimagining for The Public is the first Romeo & Juliet in Central Park in nearly twenty years. The Montagues and Capulets argue, brawl, and grieve in English; Romeo and Juliet speak Spanish to each other, a private language reserved for their shared world. Free tickets via the daily digital lottery this summer, exclusively on TodayTix.

Poster for Hamlet at Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Hamlet

82%

8 ratings

from $31

This sharp reimagining ditches the traditional museum-piece approach for a witty, fearlessly contemporary energy. Starring Life of Pi’s Hiran Abeysekera, this production transforms Shakespeare’s darkest tragedy into a fast-paced, darkly funny, and modern experience at BAM.

Poster of Drunk Romeo & Juliet in New York.

Drunk Romeo & Juliet

86%

1.2k ratings

from $31

The world’s greatest love story gets a riotous makeover in this hidden library speakeasy where one professional actor downs five shots before the curtain rises. Watch as a sober cast tries to keep the star-crossed tragedy on track amidst whiskey-fueled mayhem and unpredictable improvised twists.

Poster of & Juliet in New York.

& Juliet

91%

5.8k ratings

from $58

This nine-time Tony nominee flips the script on the world's most famous tragedy by asking: what if Juliet didn't die? Set to a high-octane soundtrack of Max Martin pop hits, this neon-soaked explosion of music and meta-theater rewrites Shakespeare's ending into a hilarious and empowering journey of self-discovery.

The Lion King

92%

13.6k ratings

from $102

It’s an open secret that this Pride Lands epic is actually a masterclass in reimagining Hamlet, trading the gloomy castles of Denmark for a vibrant, sprawling savanna. By leaning into the "heir to the throne" tragedy through stunning puppetry and a lush score, the show makes the high-stakes drama of Shakespeare feel entirely approachable and visually breathtaking for a modern audience.

Poster of Drunk Shakespeare in New York.

Drunk Shakespeare NYC

86%

1.2k ratings

This riotous reinvention tosses out the rulebook by tasking one professional actor with five shots of whiskey before attempting a masterpiece. Surrounded by library stacks and craft cocktails, it’s a high-stakes, improvisational whirlwind where no two performances are ever the same.

Poster of Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts in New York.

Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts

from $67

Three rarely-staged Shakespeare histories compressed into two evenings of rep at The Public, turning the sprawling War of the Roses saga — the funeral of Henry V, decades of foreign war, full-blown civil collapse into something you can actually watch in a single weekend. Part 1 and Part 2 play on different nights, so check the calendar before you book.

Discover more collections

View all