Brooklyn Shakespeare Festival

The Brooklyn Shakespeare Festival returns for an unforgettable weekend celebrating the works of William Shakespeare through bold productions, live entertainment, and unique theatrical experiences.

Presented by brooklynONE productions, this year's Festival transforms Industry City Courtyard 5/6 into an open-air stage where timeless stories meet contemporary artists in one of Brooklyn's most exciting cultural destinations.

Headlining the Festival is Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, one of the Bard's most beloved comedies. Overflowing with romance, mistaken identities, music, wit, and unforgettable characters, this joyful production anchors a weekend dedicated to celebrating Shakespeare's enduring legacy.

But the Brooklyn Shakespeare Festival is far more than a single production.

Festival Programming

🎭 Twelfth Night

Our featured production, performed outdoors under the summer sky by an outstanding cast and creative team.

🎙️ Thorn & Petal Stick

Experience the magic of completely improvised Shakespeare with Thorn & Petal Stick, the acclaimed New York company behind the UnScripted Shakespeare Festival. Using audience suggestions, they'll create an entirely original Shakespearean comedy or tragedy on the spot—meaning no two performances are ever the same.

✨ Special Performance by the 11th Hour Players

Enjoy a special appearance by the 11th Hour Players, adding another exciting interpretation of Shakespeare to this year's Festival.

Shakespeare After Dark

When the sun sets, the Festival continues indoors.

Join us inside the Tom Kane Theatre for Shakespeare After Dark, an intimate late-night presentation of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew.

Performances begin at 10:00 PM on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, offering audiences a darker, closer, and completely different theatrical experience after the excitement of the outdoor Festival. Admission to Shakespeare After Dark is sold separately from the Festival donation.

Whether you're a lifelong Shakespeare enthusiast or discovering these works for the first time, the Brooklyn Shakespeare Festival offers a full weekend of theatre, comedy, and community.

Festival Highlights

• 🎭 Headlining production of Twelfth Night
• 🎙️ Live improvised Shakespeare from Thorn & Petal Stick
• ✨ Special guest performance by the 11th Hour Players
• 🌙 Shakespeare After Dark: The Taming of the Shrew at 10:00 PM on Friday, Saturday & Sunday
• 🌆 Outdoor performances in Industry City Courtyard 5/6
• 🍽️ Food, drinks, shopping, and entertainment throughout Industry City
• 💜 Suggested Festival Donation: $10 (Shakespeare After Dark tickets sold separately.)

Join us as we celebrate one of the world's greatest playwrights through classic theatre, spontaneous comedy, and unforgettable performances—all in the heart of Brooklyn.

KING KIRBY

By Crystal Skillman & Fred Van Lente

Directed by Bill Coulter

Produced by brooklynONE productions

KIRBY IS HERE!

From the creators of some of the most beloved characters in comic book history comes the remarkable true story of the man who helped create them.

King Kirby tells the inspiring, hilarious, and heartbreaking story of legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby, the visionary co-creator behind many of the most iconic superheroes ever imagined, including Captain America, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, Thor, the Hulk, and the Avengers.

Written by acclaimed playwrights Crystal Skillman and Fred Van Lente, this fast-paced theatrical journey follows Kirby from his humble beginnings on New York's Lower East Side through the battlefields of World War II and into the explosive rise of the comic book industry. Along the way, audiences witness his creative triumphs, personal struggles, and complicated relationship with collaborator Stan Lee as he fights for recognition, ownership, and his artistic legacy.

Part biography, part comic book adventure, and part love story between an artist and his work, King Kirby explores the life of the man whose imagination helped shape modern pop culture while asking a timeless question:

What happens when an artist doesn't own the stories he created?

Featuring:

• Mike Noto as Jack Kirby
• Danielle Johnson as Roz Kirby and others
• Edun Levy as Stan Lee and others
• Gil Ron as Martin Goodman, Jack Liebowitz, General Patton, and others
• Steven Fazzolari as Joe Simon and others
• Clark Herring as Dr. Fredric Wertham, Federico Fellini, Steve Ditko, and others

Presented at the Tom Kane Theatre in Brooklyn's Industry City, this production celebrates the life, art, and enduring legacy of one of the most influential creators in entertainment history.

The production artwork and poster were created by brooklynONE co-host Tommy Lombardozzi as a tribute to the bold visual style and iconic comic book covers that made Jack Kirby known around the world as "The King of Comics."

Whether you're a lifelong comic book fan, a lover of great theatre, or someone who believes artists deserve recognition for their creations, King Kirby is a powerful and unforgettable story about imagination, perseverance, and the cost of greatness.

The King is coming to Brooklyn.

The Tom Kane Theatre

51 35th Street, Industry City, Brooklyn, NY

Tickets On Sale Now

August 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 & 29 at 8:00 PM

August 23 & 30 at 3:00 PM