NEWSLETTER
Performances Begin on August 7 at Revitalized Delacorte Theater; Strictly Limited Run Through Sunday, September 14; Press Opening on Thursday, August 21
New York, N.Y. (July 31, 2025) – At long last, The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) will begin performances for the highly-anticipated, star-studded Free Shakespeare in the Park production of TWELFTH NIGHT, directed by The Public’s Associate Artistic Director/Resident Director Saheem Ali, which will reopen the revitalized Delacorte Theater. Previews will begin on Thursday, August 7, and the production will run through Sunday, September 14, with an official press opening on Thursday, August 21.
Join us to revel in the midsummer madness as twins Sebastian and Viola survive shipwreck, revenge plots, and the trick doors of love. The Public’s Associate Artistic Director and Resident Director, Tony Award nominee Saheem Ali directs this joyful romp welcoming all of New York back to the magic of Central Park’s beloved theater. Be there when the stage lights turn on again at The Delacorte—a New York City classic—with this high-powered production of the Bard’s classic comedy.
The complete cast of Free Shakespeare in the Park's TWELFTH NIGHT includes Dario Alvarez (Ensemble), b (Antonio
TWELFTH NIGHT features scenic design by Maruti Evans, costume design by Oana Botez, lighting design by Bradley King, co-sound design by Kai Harada and Palmer Hefferan, composition by Michael Thurber, hair, wig, and makeup design by Krystal Balleza, prop management by Claire M. Kavanah, fight direction by Tom Schall, choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie. Karishma Bhagani serves as the Swahili dialect coach. Delacorte veteran Buzz Cohen serves as the production stage manager and Jessie Moore and Luisa Sánchez Colón serve as the stage managers.
This production of Free Shakespeare in the Park’s TWELFTH NIGHT will be the seventh time Shakespeare’s classic comedy has been produced at The Delacorte. Previous iterations were produced in 1969 (directed by founder Joseph Papp), 1986, 1989, 2002, 2009, and an adaptation for Public Works in 2018. These four actors join the ranks of several celebrated performers who have played these roles on The Delacorte stage including Tom Aldredge, Barbara Barrie, Michael Cumptsy, Jeff Goldblum, Kim Greist, Anne Hathaway, Nikki M. James, Andrew Kober, Hamish Linklater, Peter MacNicol, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Audra McDonald, Kathryn Meisle, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sasha von Scherler, Fisher Stevens, Julia Stiles, Michael Stuhlbarg, and more.
Since its inception, over six million people have enjoyed more than 160 free productions of Shakespeare and other classical works and musicals at The Delacorte Theater. Conceived by founder Joseph Papp as a way to make great theater accessible to all, The Public’s Free Shakespeare in the Park continues to be the bedrock of the Company’s mission to increase access and engage the community. The revitalization of The Delacorte will ensure the longevity of Free Shakespeare in the Park for many years to come.
The long-overdue Delacorte revitalization provides upgraded and more comfortable conditions for staff, artists, and audiences alike, modernized back-of-house theatrical operations, and ensure equitable access for people living with disabilities. The Public worked with stakeholders in Central Park and the surrounding neighborhoods as well as design experts to create a design and construction plan that minimizes impact on the Park.
Built in 1962, the theater had not undergone meaningful capital upgrades since 1999. The design comprehensively addresses the theater’s code and life safety needs, makes core improvements to infrastructure and backstage efficiency, and makes substantial upgrades to support its theatrical program. The design maintains The Delacorte’s current form, footprint, and views within the Park while protecting the sanctity of the theater-in-the-park experience.
Key improvements to the theater include accessible and comfortable space for audiences and artists living with disabilities, streamlined backstage operations and improved comfort for cast and crew, revitalized exterior for a more dynamic aesthetic experience, and a focus on resilience and sustainability. For more information on The Delacorte’s revitalization, visit thepublic.nyc/Delacorte-
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ABOUT THE PUBLIC THEATER:
THE PUBLIC continues the work of its visionary founder Joe Papp as a civic institution engaging, both on-stage and off, with some of the most important ideas and social issues of today. Conceived over 60 years ago as one of the nation’s first nonprofit theaters, The Public has long operated on the principles that theater is an essential cultural force and that art and culture belong to everyone. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham, The Public’s wide breadth of programming includes an annual season of new work at its landmark home at Astor Place, Free Shakespeare in the Park at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park, the Mobile Unit touring throughout New York City’s five boroughs, Public Lab, Public Works, Public Shakespeare Initiative, and Joe’s Pub. Since premiering HAIR in 1967, The Public continues to create the canon of American Theater and is currently represented on Broadway by the Tony Award-winning musicals Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Hell’s Kitchen by Alicia Keys and Kristoffer Diaz. Their programs and productions can also be seen regionally across the country and around the world. The Public has received 64 Tony Awards, 195 Obie Awards, 62 Drama Desk Awards, 64 Lortel Awards, 36 Outer Critic Circle Awards, 13 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards, 70 AUDELCO Awards, 6 Antonyo Awards, and 6 Pulitzer Prizes. publictheater.org
The Public Theater stands in honor of the first inhabitants and our ancestors. We acknowledge the land on which The Public and its theaters stand—the original homeland of the Lenape people. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced removal from this territory. We honor the generations of stewards and we pay our respects to the many diverse indigenous peoples still connected to this land.
The Public also gives our respect to the people of Seneca Village, a community of Black property owners who were removed from their land and whose village was destroyed in the creation of Central Park. We recognize the sacrifice that these ancestors made and honor Seneca Village’s legacy.
Jerome L. Greene Foundation is the proud season sponsor of Free Shakespeare in the Park.
CITIZENS is the presenting partner of SHAKESPEARE FOR THE CITY.
FREE TICKET INFORMATION
Performances of TWELFTH NIGHT begin at The Delacorte Theater on Thursday, August 7 and will continue through Sunday, September 14, with an official press opening on Thursday, August 21. The performance schedule will be Tuesday through Sunday at 8:00 p.m. (There will be no performance on Tuesday, September 2 and Wednesday, September 3.)
Tickets to The Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park are distributed in a number of ways. Free tickets may be acquired on the day of the performance in person at The Delacorte Theater, in person at a borough distribution site (complete schedule can be found on The Public’s website), via an in-person lottery in the lobby of The Public Theater at 425 Lafayette Street, or through a digital lottery via the TodayTix mobile app. All tickets are subject to availability.
There will be two American Sign Language Interpreted performances on Sunday, August 23 and Tuesday, August 26, both at 8:00 p.m. There Open Captioned performance in English will be on Friday, September 5. There Open Captioned performance in Spanish will be on Saturday, September 6. For the first time this summer, Free Shakespeare in the Park will offer a Sensory Adapted performance on Sunday, September 7. The Audio Described performance will be on Friday, September 12.
A limited number of tickets are also available via advance reservation by making a contribution in support of Free Shakespeare in the Park. To learn more, or to make a contribution, call 212.967.7555, or visit publictheater.org.
The full performance calendar and complete distribution details can be found at publictheater.org.
The Delacorte Theater in Central Park is accessible by entering at 81st Street and Central Park West or at 79th Street and Fifth Avenue.
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