Shakespeare in the Park 2025 is a New York City summer tradition produced by the Public Theater at the Delacorte Theater in Manhattan’s Central Park. While the Delacorte Theater completes its renovation, Shakespeare in the Park goes mobile.
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 current events commentary is quite smart and usually hilarious.
Shakespeare in the Park 2025 Presents a 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
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