DATES/TIMES/LOCATION

When:

• July 16th 7:00 pm
• July 17th 2pm & 7pm
• July 18th 5pm

Where:

THE HOWE THEATRE in the Roosevelt Island Cultural Center, 548 Main St., Roosevelt Island, NY 10044

TICKETS: CLICK HERE, General Admission $20, Student/Senior $15

*MSTDA is committed to the health and safety of their community. Covid safety guidelines, masks and limited audience capacity will be observed.

Reimagining Shakespeare’s Richard ll

MSTDA’s Shakespeare Workshop is presenting “Richard ll” as a fully staged reading in the intimate black box Howe Theatre of Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance on July 16, 17 & 18. This show has something for everyone with its classic text, historical intrigue, modern relevance, live music and… puppets!

This is just the beginning of a new Shakespeare production here on Roosevelt Island, which includes original songs by MSTDA composer Jonathan Fadner (“The Monkey King,” “Ghosts All Around Us,” “The Wind in the Willows.”)

The Shakespeare Workshop is a vehicle to develop a new project with theatrical elements and professional actors. The seed for Steven Eng’s “Richard ll” has been germinating for a few years and he refers to it as his “passion project.”

It took a big leap toward the stage when Eng enlisted Fadner to write original songs for guitar and voice, which the actors perform live, interwoven into the texture of the poetically rich text. The creative team and cast embarked on this experimental adventure together only 3 weeks ago and are offering the Roosevelt Island audience an early glimpse into Eng’s ambitious reimagining of this play.

“It’s time to bring the MSTDA and Roosevelt Island community back into the theatre. I can think of no better reason to present one of Shakespeare’s most poetically rich plays about finding one’s humanity in the midst of chaos.” Steven Eng (Director/Actor)

Seize the opportunity to view theatre that has a very exciting unexpected element… Puppets! Puppets are coming to life as the cast of “Richard ll” embodies the historical characters of Shakespeare’s play. Steven Eng’s vision for this play incorporates handmade puppets made by Tanya Starace and costumed by Jeanne Castagnaro.

The puppets offer a unique perspective from the eyes of a king who falls from heavenly heights to an “earthy pit.” This concept makes for a thought-provoking and profound theatre experience.

Cast and Crew

Director Steven Eng, Music Director Jonathan Fadner, Assistant Director Rachel Reuben, Stage Manager Zackry Childers, Props Designer Tanya Starace, Costume Designer, Jeanne Castagnaro, Featuring Russ Cusick, Steven Eng, Andy English, Kimbirdlee Fadner, Jacqueline Lucid

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The Well-Funded Vision and the Silent Landlord

A capable nonprofit has done the work. The public corporation that controls the land has offered no position.

Theo Gobblevelt Jun 19, 2026

RIOC’s Real Estate Development Advisory Committee met last night. The Renwick Ruin was not on the agenda. A nonprofit that has spent eight years developing detailed plans for the site, raised more than a million dollars, and assembled a board with serious finance and legal credentials continues its work.

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