Pencil This In

THEATER: Shakespeare in the Park may be having its formal opening today, but at the Paradise Factory Shakespeare is Dead http://www.eastcheaprep.com/home, or so goes the title of Orran Farmer's new play starring Luke Rosen and Chelsea Lagos, which is about "what happens to love when the poetry is gone." An artistic couple -- writer and actress -- must somehow move past the death of their child so that they can continue their own lives and love. Is that possible, or will they end up just as destroyed and distant as Lord and Lady Macbeth? - Mallory Jensen

Paradise Factory // 64 E. 4th St. // Through July 22, Wed.-Sat. 8pm // Tickets via Smarttix

READING: Head down to KGB Bar for the Paragraph Members Reading Series - Paragraph is a writer's workspace located on 14th street and tonight, three of their members will be reading from recent work: Grant Stoddard is the former Nerve "I Did It For Science" columnist, and author of Working Stiff (November 2007), Stoddard's recollections and confessions from three years on the front lines of fringe sexuality. Michael Darin Cohen is currently at work on a novel called Woe is B.. A play dubbed Beernuts, and a short film with a long title, Leave You in Me to be Found. Bernard Kravitz performed improv comedy for almost 10 years, and until recently toured around the country with the Chicago City Limits National Touring Company. - Krissa Corbett Cavouras

7pm // KGB Bar [85 E. 4th St] // Free

Elsewhere, Maggie and Jake's dad, Stephen Gyllenhaal, talks about his book, Claptrap: Notes from Hollywood. Accompanying him will be Mary Gordon, author of Pearl.

7pm // Housing Works Used Book Café [126 Crosby St between Prince and Houston] // Free

EVENT: Every Wednesday from now until mid-August, Summer in the Square will take place. The free performance series includes live dance, music, and theatrical performances. With funky jazz bands, classical ballet, innovative theater and yoga". Yoga is performance?

12:30pm to 8pm // Union Square [B'way between 14th and 17th] // Free

MUSIC: FreeNYC has a ton of great free concerts to check out tonight. If you wanna pay for your entertainment, we suggest heading to Mercury Lounge for Land of Talk and The Little Ones.

7:30pm // Mercury Lounge [Houston @ Essex] // $10