Shakespeare in the Park is a New York City summer tradition produced by the Public Theater at the Delacorte Theater in Manhattan’s Central Park. There are sometimes mobile productions that tour the boroughs as well.
The Public Theater’s selection of Shakespeare plays is always a very sly commentary on current events. See if you can figure out what the Public Theater is saying without words. Their casting and current events commentary is quite smart and hilarious.
Shakespeare in the Park 2025
Twelfth Night
Shakespeare in the Park returns to the Delacorte Theater in Central Park with Saheem Ali’s production of “Twelfth Night” (ca. 1601-1602), a riotous romantic comedy with gender themes. It stars Lupita Nyong’o and her brother Junior Nyong’o together on stage for the first time as the lead characters Viola and Sebastian, plus several actors you will recognize from film and television. It’s at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, Manhattan; on select days from August 21 to September 13, 2025. FREE. 🇰🇪
Both Saheem Ali and the Nyong’o family are Kenyan Americans who do amazing theatre.
My own interpretation is that this is a commentary on current events where gender has become a political wedge issue. If you are gender fluid, it’s a big deal, but if you are not, it’s not a big deal. Politicians have made a big deal about gender identity because it riles people up to send donations, even though it is really much ado about nothing.
Shakespeare’s use of the phrase “What You Will,” which forms Ali’s stage backdrop, suggests that you can derive whatever meaning you want from the play. It also suggests that anything goes, which is a wry statement on the current political environment where all sorts of foolery that was never accepted before is now being accepted, and even revered in some circles. We are all watching Rome being burned (the end of the American Empire), but nobody seems to care.
The Twelfth Night is the traditional end of Christmas. After the revelry, reality bites. It’s just starting to bite now. God help us.
Mobile “Much Ado About Nothing”
Shakespeare in the Park 2025 opens with a bilingual mobile “Much Ado About Nothing,” the Shakespeare play about two couples who get stirred up by lies. That’s a perfect metaphor for an actor who stirs up trouble by claiming an emergency because the sky is falling (it’s not), and then causes lots of trouble at home and around the world. Being honest is better. The show, directed by Mexican American Rebecca Martinez, with music by Argentine playwright Julian Mesri, opens at Astor Place in Manhattan’s East Village on Thursday-Saturday, May 29-31, 2025 at 6:30pm. Free, but first-come, first-served. 🇦🇷 🇲🇽
Shakespeare in the Park 2024 is Mobile
While the Delacorte Theater is being renovated, past Free Shakespeare in the Park performances are available for streaming on PBS. Then Shakespeare in the Park goes mobile. A Public Theater Block Party celebrates the community.
Free Shakespeare @ Home
The Public Theater offers Free Shakespeare @ Home on the PBS website and apps; with “Much Ado About Nothing” from May 3 to June 30, 2024, “Hamlet” from May 10 to June 30; “Merry Wives” from May 17 to June 30, and “Richard III” from May 24 to June 30.
The Comedy of Errors
The Public Theater’s Mobile Unit presents a bilingual (English/Spanish) musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” by Rebecca Martínez and Julián Mesri at parks and venues in all five New York City boroughs; from May 28 – June 29, 2024. FREE.
The Schedule
- New York Public Library and Bryant Park in Midtown, Manhattan; from May 28 – June 2.
- Wolfe’s Pond Park in southern Staten Island on June 4.
- J. Hood Wright Park in Washington Heights, Manhattan on June 5.
- Hudson Yards Manhattan from June 6-9, June 13-14, June 20-21.
- Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans (Jamaica) Queens on June 11.
- A.R.R.O.W Field House community center in Astoria, Queens on June 12 and 15.
- Cathedral of St. John The Divine in Morningside Heights, Manhattan on June 16 and 30.
- Sunset Park, Brooklyn on June 18.
- Travers Park in Jackson Heights, Queens on June 19.
- Maria Hernandez Park in Bushwick, Brooklyn on June 22.
- Astor Place in NoHo, Manhattan on June 23.
- St. Mary’s Park in Mott Haven, The Bronx on June 25-26.
- Prospect Park Brooklyn from June 27-29.
The Cast
- Varín Ayala (Egeon, Pinch) @therealvarinayala 🇵🇷
- Jacinta Clusellas (Music Director/Guitarist) @jacinta.music 🇦🇷
- Danaya Esperanza (Adriana) @danayitayita 🇨🇺
- Rebecca Jimenez (Understudy) @rebeccitajimenez
- Keren Lugo (Luciana) @kerucha
- Alan Mendez (Understudy) @alan.r.mendez
- Sara Ornelas (Troubadour) @saravornelas 🇲🇽
- Gían Pérez (Dromio) @giansound 🇵🇷
- Desireé Rodriguez (Courtesan, Emilia) @msdesrod 🇵🇷
The Story
“The Comedy of Errors” is one of Shakespeare’s best comedies. It’s about two sets of identical twins who were accidentally separated at birth, but encounter their separated twins on a trip to another town. Mistaken identities cause chaos. There is sex (almost), violence, an arrest, and outrageous accusations. Basically, what can go wrong, will go wrong.
What do you think the Public Theater is saying by presenting this particular Shakespeare play now?
Public Theater Block Party
The Public Theater Block Party celebrates the community, The Public, and Free Shakespeare at Astor Place in NoHo, Manhattan on Sunday, July 28, 2024. Register for details at publictheater.org
Get Tickets
There are at least five ways to get free tickets in Central Park, at the Public Theater, in the boroughs, and on TodayTix. For in-person distribution in Central Park, a Public Theater Patron ID is required. Get one and confirm it, before you get in line.
This links to 2025 free ticket information.