An evening of Shakespeare as you’ve never experienced it before.

Acting Shakespeare is a one-man show of Shakespearean monologues interspersed with theatrical anecdotes—and tastefully updated with some contemporary passages . Masterfully performed by Hudson Valley actor Kamran Saliani, and adapted from the original Acting Shakespeare by Sir Ian McKellan. Kamran is on a mission to share its power, message, and magic with the world. He is forever grateful to Sir Ian for his graciousness, his kindness, and the opportunity of a lifetime in entrusting him to revive the work and carry on its legacy.

Acting Shakespeare is produced through the Irvington Shakespeare Company, the official theater troupe of Rivertowns Playhouse - The Official Theater Wing of The Center for Independent Productions, Inc. (CIP)

This event is free, but we ask for RSVPs so we may plan for seating and refreshments.

WHO IS KAMRAN SALIANI?

Kamran Saliani founded the Irvington Shakespeare Theater Company (ISC) in 2020 as a local theater initiative, which evolved into the Rivertowns Playhouse (RTP), a non-profit organization bringing accessible, professional theater to Westchester, NY. Saliani, an actor and producer, gained permission from Sir Ian McKellen to revive his one-man show, Acting Shakespeare, and has received recognition as a "Westchester Wunderkind" for his work. The company is dedicated to making Shakespeare accessible to all people.

Born in the Bronx and raised in Irvington, NY, Kamran is a proud Iranian-Italian-British-American and graduate of NYU Tisch (BFA, Drama). Selected roles include Algernon (The Importance of Being Earnest), Pericles (Pericles, Prince of Tyre), Friar Lawrence (Romeo & Juliet), Malvolio (Twelfth Night), Dumaine (Love’s Labour’s Lost), Bertolt Brecht (Requiem for Black Marie)

Saliani has cited Ian McKellen, Bo Burnham, James (‘Jimmy’) Stewart, Bill Hader, Janet McTeer, Ismenia Mendes, Heath Ledger, Kenan Thompson, Jack Nicholson, Peter Sellers and Marlon Brando as influences.

For more about how this production came to be, please click here.

Contact the host of Ian McKellan's Acting Shakespeare