Acting Shakespeare: A One Man Musical at The David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center

Presented by Kamran Saliani, founder of the Irvington Shakespeare Company, Acting Shakespeare: A One Man Musical is an official revival of Sir Ian McKellen’s legendary solo show of Shakespearean monologues and personal anecdotes.

The 90-minute performance is enriched by insights from James Shapiro’s Shakespeare in a Divided America, enhanced with musical parodies inspired by the work of singer-songwriter and comedian Bo Burnham, and performed with McKellen’s personal blessing. The result is an intimate journey that illuminates both Shakespeare’s characters and American stories, accessible to lifelong Shakespeare lovers and to those encountering his plays for the first time.

Pairing Shakespeare’s scenes and soliloquies with storytelling, history, humor, and music, the evening will explore why we need the Bard in America today and why great theater belongs to everyone.

Audiences will be seated outdoors on the terrace at the David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center. In the event of rain, seating will be moved indoors.

This performance is part ofUpstate Art Weekend, an annual event celebrating the cultural vibrancy of upstate New York through events and open exhibitions.

This event will be followed by a reception in the DR Center Gallery, now showing Woven Wonders: Kykuit’s Picasso Tapestries.

Guests may arrive 45 minutes prior to the event start time to enjoy the new Sculpture Walk outside the DR Center. Please note that events will begin promptly at their scheduled start time. Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of staff.

Presented in partnership with the Irvington Shakespeare Company.

All sales final; no refunds.