DON JUAN Presenter Molière in the Park to Honor Amanda Hambrick, Lynn Nottage

Molière in the Park has announced honorees for its 2026 season in Prospect Park, naming cultural organizer Amanda Hambrick as its Opening Night Honoree and selecting playwright Lynn Nottage and filmmaker Tony Gerber to receive the company's Shoulder to Shoulder Award. Hambrick will be recognized during the Opening Night Benefit Performance for DON JUAN, while Nottage and Gerber will accept their award at the company's annual OneLove OneTheater Gala. The honors coincide with Molière in the Park's upcoming production of DON JUAN, directed by Lucie Tiberghien, which is set to run at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance, preceded by a free public preview at Domino Square in Williamsburg.

Amanda Hambrick, cultural organizer and public theologian, will be recognized as Molière in the Park's 2026 Opening Night Honoree during the company's Opening Night Benefit Performance on Thursday, September 10, in recognition of her commitment to fostering community, dialogue, and cultural connection through her work.

Later this fall, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage and award-winning filmmaker Tony Gerber will receive Molière in the Park's Shoulder to Shoulder Award at the annual OneLove OneTheater Gala on November 9. The award recognizes artists and cultural leaders whose work reflects Molière in the Park's belief that storytelling has the power to foster empathy, bridge communities, and inspire meaningful social dialogue.

The announcements come as Molière in the Park continues to build on the momentum of its acclaimed productions and expand its mission of providing free, world-class theater that brings New Yorkers together through shared artistic experiences.

Molière in the Park's 2026 production of Don Juan, translated by Stephen Wadsworth and directed by Drama Desk Award nominee Lucie Tiberghien, will run September 5–27 at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park, in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance. Before the official opening, audiences will have the opportunity to experience a free public pop-up preview at Domino Square in Williamsburg on August 14 (rain date August 15).

'Molière in the Park represents everything I believe theater should be—bold, welcoming, accessible, and deeply connected to community,' said Amanda Hambrick, Opening Night Honoree. 'I'm deeply honored to celebrate an organization whose work removes barriers to the arts while creating unforgettable experiences that bring people together. Supporting free theater means investing in our communities, our artists, and the conversations that help us better understand one another.'

Founding Executive Director Lucie Tiberghien said the organization's 2026 honorees embody the values that have guided Molière in the Park since its founding.

'Amanda, Lynn, and Tony have each demonstrated the extraordinary power of storytelling to build empathy, strengthen communities, and inspire meaningful dialogue,' said Tiberghien. 'We're honored to celebrate them this season as we continue our mission of making ambitious, thought-provoking theater accessible to everyone. Their support reflects a shared belief that the arts belong to all of us.'

DON JUAN

Celebrating its milestone fifth production in Prospect Park, Molière in the Park presents Molière's daring and darkly comic masterpiece, Don Juan—a feverish descent from seduction to reckoning that blends comedy, tragedy, and the supernatural while exploring hypocrisy, morality, and power.

In Lucie Tiberghien's staging, three actors transform into more than ten different characters while Don Juan and his faithful companion, Sganarelle, remain the only constants in a world slowly slipping from their grasp. The result is a theatrical spectacle, both playful and haunting, that explores the seductive allure of unchecked ego.

The production stars Keshav Moodliar as Don Juan and Kaliswa Brewster as Sganarelle, alongside Naomi Lorrain, Michelle Veintimilla, and Daniel Pearce.

Synopsis

Don Juan has abandoned Elvira, whom he seduced into breaking her vows and marrying him. Over the course of a single adventure-filled day, he and his loyal sidekick, Sganarelle, encounter many of the people Don Juan has betrayed. As he seduces women, defies social conventions, mocks religion, and revels in provocation, his appetite for transgression seems impossible to satisfy. Yet the signs are unmistakable: the walls are closing in. Will he honestly repent? Or will he simply pretend to, like so many around him, and continue down the same path toward the inevitable?

'Our decision to present Don Juan reflects Molière in the Park's commitment to creating ambitious, thought-provoking theater that is accessible to everyone,' said Tiberghien. 'The play feels especially urgent today. Molière never tells us what to think—instead, he holds up a mirror and asks us to examine ourselves. By presenting this work in a free public setting, we hope audiences from across New York City will gather to wrestle with these timeless questions together.'

Original music and live cello performance will once again be provided by Johnathan Moore, whose score for The Imaginary Invalid earned a Drama Desk Award nomination. The creative team also includes New Wilderness (set design), Marie Yokoyama (lighting), Ari Fulton (costumes), and Chad Raines (sound).

Opening Night Benefit (Tuesday, September 10)

Molière in the Park's Opening Night Benefit Performance will take place on Thursday, September 10, with cocktails beginning at 6:30 p.m., the performance at 7:30 p.m., and a celebratory reception with the cast and creative team immediately following.

The evening will honor Rev. Amanda Hambrick, cultural organizer, public theologian, and Consulting Minister for Justice & Community Organizing at Middle Church, whose work is dedicated to building stronger, more connected communities through social justice, civic engagement, and collective action. Through her leadership across faith, advocacy, education, and public discourse, Amanda has championed dialogue, equity, and belonging—values that closely align with Molière in the Park's belief that theater has the power to bring people together across differences and strengthen shared humanity.

OneLove OneTheater Gala (Monday, November 9)

On Monday, November 9, Molière in the Park will host its annual OneLove OneTheater Gala at Roulette in Downtown Brooklyn, where two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage and two-time Emmy-winning American filmmaker Tony Gerber will receive the organization's Shoulder to Shoulder Award.

Conceived by the company to honor artists whose work embodies Molière in the Park's core belief that theater is an essential space where people of all socioeconomic, cultural, and racial backgrounds can sit shoulder to shoulder, the award celebrates those who use storytelling to foster common humanity, deepen understanding, and unite communities across differences.

Performance Schedule

Evening Performances (7:00 p.m.)

September 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27

Opening Night Benefit Performance

September 10 (6:30 p.m. Reception / 7:30 p.m. Performance)

Sunday Matinees (3:00 p.m.)

September 6, 13, 20, 27

Student Matinees (11:00 a.m.)

September 15, 24

Tickets

Free Performances, September 5–27

Opening Night Benefit, September 10

FREE September 5 - 27 performances: https://www.moliereinthepark.org/don-juan-2026

Opening Night Benefit: https://moliereinthepark.networkforgood.com/events/102021-don-juan-opening-night-and-benefit-performance

For more information and updates, visit www.moliereinthepark.org. WNYC is a media partner of Molière in the Park, Brooklyn's home for free world-class theater, presenting Don Juan September 5 through 27 in Prospect Park.

*Audience Advisory: Don Juan explores mature themes including sexuality, manipulation, abuse of power, violence, death, and moral corruption. While suitable for most teen and adult audiences, parental discretion is advised for younger children. Audience members with questions regarding content are encouraged to contact Molière in the Park for additional information.

About Molière in the Park

Molière in the Park (MIP) is a Brooklyn-based theater company dedicated to fostering empathy, dialogue, and community through free theater, founded on the belief that access to the arts benefits all, individually and collectively. MIP presents professional performances across Brooklyn, with a yearly 4-week run at LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park, in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance, removing economic and social barriers to participation while bringing people together across neighborhood, and backgrounds.

MIP's programming centers on the works of Molière, presented in contemporary translations and vibrant productions that resonate with modern audiences while preserving the integrity of Molière's language. Since its founding, the company has produced Molière's plays annually, including Tartuffe, The Misanthrope, The Miser, The Imaginary Invalid, and The School for Wives, with productions staged both in person and online, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guided by a vision of a Brooklyn where all communities benefit equally from access to the arts, Molière in the Park is committed to equity, inclusion, and anti-racist practices. The organization's casting, hiring, and programming decisions reflect these values, prioritizing representation, accessibility, and public engagement at every level of its work.

Molière in the Park offers all performances free to the public and collaborates with local artists, educators, and cultural partners to deepen community connection and expand access to theater across New York City.

For more information, visit https://www.moliereinthepark.org and follow Molière in the Park on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook @moliereinthepark.

About Prospect Park Alliance

Prospect Park Alliance is the non-profit organization that sustains, restores and advances Prospect Park, Brooklyn's Backyard, in partnership with the City of New York. The Alliance provides critical staff and resources that keep the park green and vibrant for the diverse communities that call Brooklyn home. The Alliance cares for the woodlands and natural areas; restores the park's buildings and landscapes; creates new park destinations; and provides free or low-cost volunteer, education and recreation programs. Through the work of the Alliance, Prospect Park is an international model for the care of urban parks, and one of the premier green spaces in the United States. Learn more at www.prospectpark.org.

About Domino Park

Domino Park is a six-acre waterfront public park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Once an inaccessible industrial waterfront, the park is now a vibrant community hub programmed with daily activities designed to serve the wider public. At the heart of the park is Domino Square, a one-acre, flexible public plaza and amphitheater designed for a diverse range of performances and gatherings.

About Rev. Amanda Hambrick

Rev. Amanda Hambrick is a cultural organizer, movement builder, consultant, and public theologian whose work explores the intersections of religion, race, politics, and parenting in pursuit of a more just and inclusive society. She is the founder of Raising Imagination and serves as Consulting Minister for Justice & Community Organizing at Middle Church.

A nationally recognized speaker and advocate, Amanda serves on the Clergy Advisory Board of Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts, the Advisory Committee of the This Land is Ours Community Land Trust, the Diverse Books Coalition, and the Early Childhood Parent Power Building Cohort for MomsRising, among other leadership roles. She has presented nationwide on civic engagement, reproductive justice, anti-racist parenting, and empowering families to engage in advocacy.

Amanda's work has been featured by CNN, MSNBC, The Wall Street Journal, HuffPost, Refinery29, and Crooked Media, and she is a frequent political commentator on Fox News. She has consulted with organizations including the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Red Wine & Blue, and EmbraceRace, and has collaborated with initiatives such as Raising Race Conscious Kids, Vote Common Good, Parenting Is Political, and Racy Conversations.

About Lynn Nottage

Lynn Nottage is the first woman in history to win two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama. Her plays have been produced widely in the United States and throughout the world. Recent work includes the libretto for This House at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, co-written with Ruby Aiyo Gerber and composed by Ricky Ian Gordon (Finalist for 2025 International Opera Award), libretto for the opera Intimate Apparel (LCT), the book for the musical MJ (Broadway), Clyde's (Broadway, 2ST), and the book for The Secret Life of Bees. Other credits include the libretto for Intimate Apparel, the Opera (Lincoln Center Theater), and co-curating the performance installation The Watering Hole (Signature Theater); Mlima's Tale; Sweat (Pulitzer Prize, Obie, Evening Standard Award, Susan Smith Blackburn Prize); By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (Lilly Award); Ruined (Pulitzer Prize, Obie, Lortel, NY Drama Critics' Circle, AUDELCO, Drama Desk and OCC awards); Intimate Apparel (American Theatre Critics and NY Drama Critics' Circle). TV: Writer/Producer of She's Gotta Have It (Netflix), Consulting Producer on Dickinson (Apple TV+). Awards: PEN/Laura Pels Master Dramatist Award, Doris Duke Artist Award, American Academy of Arts and Letters Award, MacArthur 'Genius Grant' Fellowship. She is a Professor at Columbia University School of the Arts, and is a member of the Theater Hall of Fame and the Dramatists Guild.

About Tony Gerber

Tony Gerber is an Emmy and PGA award-winning writer, producer and filmmaker. He has written and directed over a dozen documentaries for National Geographic, shot in some of the most remote and dangerous regions of the world. Most recently he co-wrote and directed the WGA-nominated independent feature documentary War Game (Decal, Anonymous Content) with Jesse Moss. He directed and executive produced Kingdom of the White Wolf, a 3-part natural history series for National Geographic, filmed on location on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian High Arctic. He is a producer of the critically acclaimed, PGA award-winning film Jane about the life and work of Dr. Jane Goodall. His documentary Explorer: Battle for Virunga, about the fight to protect mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo, (National Geographic Channel) was a 2017 recipient of a Genesis Award, the Humane Society's top honor for bringing critical animal protection issues to the public. For CNN Films he directed, and co-wrote with Meryl Streep, We Will Rise chronicling former First Lady Michelle Obama's trip to Africa to raise awareness of the importance of girl's education, featuring Meryl Streep, Isha Sesay and Freida Pinto. The film was a recipient of an American Television Academy Honor and a Cine Golden Eagle. His independent films include Full Battle Rattle (Berlinale premiere and SXSW Special Jury Prize) and The Notorious Mr. Bout (Sundance, 2014). In 2005, Gerber co-founded NY-based production company, Market Road Films, with two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. Gerber produced Emma Francis Snyder's Oscar short-listed documentary Takeover about the Young Lords 1970 take-over of the failing Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx, which made affordable healthcare a topic of national debate. The film is a recipient of support from Ford Just Films and Open Society Foundation. Gerber and Nottage Executive Produced 'Deep South,' a 10-part podcast for Stitcher investigating an unsolved 1950s lynching and the conspiracy of silence in a small southern town. Gerber is on the board of UnionDocs and Yaddo. He is a member of AMPAS, the DGA, the PGA, WGA East, and the American Television Academy.

DON JUAN, translated by Stephen Wadsworth, marks Molière in the Park's fifth season presenting free theater in Prospect Park.

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