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The Delacorte Theater is the summer home of the annual "Shakespeare in the Park" production.

Romeo and Juliet at the Delacorte Theater
John B. Moore

Romeo & Juliet outside the
Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Begun in 1957 by Joseph Papp as part of the Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival the annual productions draw thousands to the open air theater at the heart of Central Park. Originally built as a temporary structure in 1962, the Delacorte Theater is the setting for the continuing series. The audience sits in a horseshoe shape, just short of being in the round. The backdrop to the stage is Turtle Pond, bathed in a shifting shimmer of artificial lighting. Beyond the Pond is the velvety night green of the Great Lawn. And to the right, perched on Vista Rock, highlighted by spotlights is Belvedere Castle, waiting for its close-up.


While the majority of free tickets for Shakespeare in the Park are distributed via the free line at the Delacorte Theater, a limited number of tickets will be available the day of each performance online. Specific locations for senior and handicapped accessible seats are not available through the virtual ticket line.
Form more ticket info click here.

"The Shakespeare Marathon" was Joseph Papp's plan to produce all of Shakespeare's plays at the Delacorte or the Public Theater. The Marathon began in 1987 with "Much Ado About Nothing," and ended in 1997 with "Henry VIII." The Delacorte also has hosted classical plays such as "Electra," "Agamemnon," "The Skin of Our Teeth," – and musicals including "The Pirates of Penzance" and "On the Town." The list of well-known actors who have appeared at the Delacorte is a "Who's Who" of theater: Linda Ronstadt, George G. Scott, Kevin Kline, Blythe Danner, Denzel Washington, Richard Dreyfuss, Gregory Hines, Raul Julia, and Michelle Pfeiffer. And that's just a sampling.

The Public Theater has announced the full lineup for Summer 2009:


TWELFTH NIGHT
By WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Directed by DANIEL SULLIVAN

JUNE 10 - JULY 12

With Charles Borland, Andrew Crowe, Michael Cumpsty, Steve Curtis, Clifton Duncan, Raúl Esparza, Herb Foster, Leslie Harrison, Anne Hathaway, Slate Holmgren, Kevin Kelly, David Kenner, Christopher Layer, Robin LeMon, Hamish Linklater, Dorien Makhloghi, Audra McDonald, David Pittu, Ray Rizzo, Jay O. Sanders, Julie Sharbutt, Stark Sands, Baylen Thomas, Zach Villa, Jon Patrick Walker, Julie White

This summer kicks off with a powerhouse production of one of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies. The Public welcomes Academy Award Nominee Anne Hathaway as she makes her Public Theater debut playing Viola, one of the canon's most charming heroines. This beguiling comedy follows the romantic adventures of Viola and her identical twin Sebastian, both shipwrecked in the enchanted dukedom of Illyria. At the helm of this time-honored story of cross-dressing and mistaken identity, all in the name of love, is Tony Award winning Director Daniel Sullivan.

 

THE BACCHAE
By EURIPIDES
Directed by JOANNE AKALAITIS
Music by PHILIP GLASS
Translated by NICHOLAS RUDALL

AUGUST 11 - AUGUST 30

With George Bartenieff, André De Shields, Marisa Echeverría, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Jonathan Groff, Jennifer Ikeda, Karen Kandel, Jennifer Nikki Kidwell, Alexa Kryzaniwsky, Vella Lovell, Joan MacIntosh, Nana Mensah, Steven Rishard, Ereni Sevasti, Elena Shaddow, Rocco Sisto, Han Tang

JoAnne Akalaitis returns to The Public Theater to present Greek tragedy as it was always meant to be seen - in the open air of the city. This visionary interpretation, featuring a lush choral score by Philip Glass, re-imagines the classic story about what happens when a government attempts to outlaw desire.

 

Location : Mid-Park at 80th Street

Details : Southwest corner of the Great Lawn - Seasonal

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