Shakespeare in the Park (New York City)
shakespeare park free shakespeare park theatrical program stage production shakespearean play delacorte theater openair theater new york city central park theater production managed public theater ticket distributed free charge day performance originally branded new york shakespeare festival nysf direction joseph papp institution renamed part larger reorganization public theater festival originally conceived directorproducer joseph papp papp began series shakespeare workshop moved free production lower east side eventually play moved lawn front turtle pond central park park commissioner robert moses demanded papp company charge fee performance cover cost grass erosion court battle ensued papp continued fight moses winning enduring respect quote well let build bastard theater following moses requested fund city construction amphitheater park delacorte theater built first performance held theater shakespeare merchant venice starring george c scott james earl jones delacorte theater openair amphitheater located southwest corner great lawn central park closest entrance st street central park west built named george delacorte jr donated money creation belvedere castle turtle pond provide backdrop show delacorte show delacorte begin early evening show usually start daylight play roll sun set audience drawn illuminated action stage since public privilege exclusive use ticket shakespeare park free ticket given performance distributed day various method central park distribution – two ticket per person distributed outside delacorte theater line ticket form park open grows ticket distributed noon separate line available senior citizen older valid id ada accessible line intended patron disability joined checking staff box office morning performance provide availability dictate ticket location suited various individual need downtown lottery limited number voucher evening performance distributed inperson lottery public theater lottery entry accepted pm winner drawn supply last borough distribution – limited number voucher specific performance distributed location throughout new york city five borough certain day run production person line allowed two voucher voucher good one ticket evening performance voucher must exchanged ticket delacorte theater box office day pm pm ticket cannot exchanged event performance rainedout possibility performance never cancelled scheduled start time may continue rain deemed safe production staff late seating discretion management may granted – minute show todaytix – public introduced partnership app todaytix app user log apply virtual lottery day show winner notified pm pm shakespeare park also offer specific performance throughout summer patron hearing andor vision loss including sign language interpreted performance audiodescribed performance opencaptioned performance summer since delacortes opening seen one three work produced two work standard since play shakespeare account fourfifths work produced except summer lineup included least one work shakespeare case one work adapted shakespeare nonshakespeare production included play anton chekhov seagull henrik ibsen peer gynt musical town wood two gentleman verona mystery edwin drood disney hercules latter three made world debut delacorte production julius caesar directed public artistic director oskar eustis stoked controversy creating significant visual behavioral similarity production caesar recently inaugurated u president donald trump despite fact play widely viewed cautionary tale political violence rightwing activist objected characterized murder standin trump interrupted two performance bank america delta withdrew sponsorship production bank america resumed sponsorship shakespeare park following season jetblue replaced delta due effect covid pandemic season cancelled budget shortfall million dollar predicted public theater heavily reliant private donor theater company among new york city art social service institution receive part million grant carnegie corporation made possible donation thenmayor michael bloomberg many play summer festival gone broadway including wilford leach staging mystery edwin drood – season tempest – season festival also attracted many wellknown actor meryl streep morgan freeman martin sheen al pacino – latter two appeared brutus marc antony togaclad historical production julius caesar directed stuart vaughan first nysfs shakespeare marathon since inception festival become popular new york native visitor city delacorte theater seat prospective theatergoer expect sit line hour early afternoon ticket distribution approximately people attend shakespeare park every year year new york shakespeare festival supported theatre company throughout new york helping foster growth offbroadway well specific theatre program project among company benefited nysf critical period development theatre new audience theatre new audience developed number production sponsored nysf including midsummer night dream presented anspacher theatre sponsorship company able grow expand outreach new audience another company riverside shakespeare company festival papps leadership sponsored several riverside shakespeare company production critical stage development beginning riverside new york premiere production brecht edward ii shakespeare center upper west side dedicated joseph papp followed equity park tour free shakespeare throughout five borough new york city much nysf done year riverside shakespeare company summer park tour free shakespeare sponsored nysf began comedy error followed merry wife windsor featuring anna deavere smith new york stage debut mistress quickly romeo juliet taming shrew nysf period support riverside shakespeare company expanded greatly offering first time shakespeare project serving wide range audience five borough hudson classical theater company another shakespeareinthepark program public theater homepage new york shakespeare festival internet broadway database new york shakespeare festival record – held billy rose theatre division new york public library performing art new york shakespeare festival record addition – held billy rose theatre division new york public library performing art new york shakespeare festival music score held music division new york public library performing art