The outdoor bilingual musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s shortest play has returned, just as festive and comically confusing as it was last summer, but now the main attraction of Free Shakespeare in the Park, since the Delacorte Theater in Central Park is shut down for renovations. “The Comedy of Errors” is touring through all five boroughs over the next month. (see schedule below)

I saw the production opening night last night at the first of its 17 locations, which was listed as “The New York Public Library at Bryant Park.” It wasn’t actually in the park at all; it was just off of Fifth Avenue, in a corner of the library’s shallow courtyard (I had never even realized there was a courtyard there), with enough seats for at most a tenth of the audience at the Delacorte.

This turned out to be something of an ideal setting for what felt like a scrappy troupe of traveling troubadours, whose boisterous antics, full-throated singing (in Spanish) and lively dancing competed effectively with the screeching of the sirens from the fire engines and ambulances barreling down the street.

Sure this adaptation of “The Comedy of Errors” takes liberties. It’s a full fifteen minutes — full of a procession and dancing a couple of original songs — before anybody in the cast utters a single word from Shakespeare. But what better Shakespeare play in which to take liberties. The Bard takes many himself.

This is the other, less beloved play about twins (not Twelfth Night.) It’s a slapstick tale of two sets of identical twins with identical names!  Joél Acosta portrays Antipholus of Syracuse, long ago separated from Antipholus of Ephesus (also Acosta, with a change of hats), while  Gían Pérez portrays Antipholus of Syracuse’s servant Dromio, who was likewise separated from his twin Dromio of Ephesus. (also Pérez, with a different hat)

The Syracusans travel to Ephesus where they are mistaken for the Ephesians, most notably by the wife of Antipholus of Ephesus, Adriana (Danaya Esperanza.) Much mischief and mayhem ensue.

If anything, the adaptation, by co-writers Rebecca Martinez (who also served as director and choreographer) and Julian Mesri (composer and music director) — make things clearer, with Sara Ornelas, guitar in hand, explaining what’s going on — in English and Spanish — from beginning to happy end:

Most of the wrongs have been rights
We apologize for the confusion we incited
But a party’s coming soon
And everyone’s invited!

The Comedy of Errors
William Shakespeare
in outdoor theaters throughout NYC (see below)
Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission
Free
Adaptation by Rebecca Martinez and Julian Mesri
Music, Music Direction, and Spanish Translations by Julian Mesri
Lyrics by Julian Mesri and Rebecca Martinez
Directed and Choreographed by Rebecca Martinez
Cast: Joél Acosta(Antipholus), Varín Ayala (Egeon/Pinch), Michael Castillejos (Solino/2nd Merchant), Danaya Esperanza (Adriana), Rebecca Jimenez(Understudy), Keren Lugo(Luciana),Alan Mendez(Understudy), Sara Ornelas (Troubadour),Gían Pérez(Dromio),Desireé Rodriguez (Courtesan/Emilia), and Glendaliris Torres-Greaux (Angelo).Michael Castillejos(Guitar), Jacinta Clusella (Music Director/Guitar), Sara Ornelas(Guitar), and Raphael Torn (Percussion) serve as musicians.
 Scenic design by Emmie Finckel, costume design by Lux Haac, sound design by Charles Coes and Tye Hunt Fitzgerald, prop management by Claire M. Kavanah,fight direction by Sean Fletcher Griffin, and dramaturgy by Amrita Ramanan. Luisa Sánchez Colón serves as production stage manager and Ariana Michel serves as stage manager

·  May 28 – June 2: The New York Public Library at Bryant Park, at 5th Ave and 40th Street (Manhattan) 

• Please note, Partner seating is limited on May 29

·  June 4: Wolfe’s Pond at 420 Cornelia Ave (Staten Island) 

·  June 5: J. Hood Wright Park at 351 Fort Washington Ave (Manhattan) 

·  June 6 – June 9, June 13 – June 14, June 20 – June 21: Hudson Yards at Public Square & Gardens (Manhattan) 

• Please note, Partner seating is limited on June 20

·  June 11: Roy Wilkins at Baisley Blvd (Queens)

• ·  June 12, June 15: A.R.R.O.W Field House at 35-30 35th St (Queens)
• June 16, June 30: Cathedral at St. John the Divine at 1047 Amsterdam Ave (Manhattan)
• June 18: Sunset Park at 44th & 6th Ave (Brooklyn)
• June 19: Travers Park at 78th St & 34th Ave (Queens)
• June 22: Maria Hernandez Park at Irving Ave & Suydam St (Brooklyn)
• June 23: Astor Place at Lafayette St and East 8th St (Manhattan)
• June 25 – June 26: Gil Scott-Heron Amphitheater in St. Mary’s Park (Bronx)
• June 27 – June 29: Prospect Park at The Peninsula, Well House Dr (Brooklyn)

Learn more about each venue and the entrances here, and navigate the Google Maps with locations marked here.