Mortgage Calculator
With a foundation rooted in the quote, “Well, let’s build the bastard a theater,”
Shakespeare in the Park is one of New York City’s greatest summer events with a storied history of its humble beginnings.Founded by Joseph Papp in 1954, the performance used to take place for free in a theater on the Lower East Side. Papp moved the production to Central Park in 1959 but earned the ire of the parks commissioner who was furious over the lawn erosion caused by the the hordes descending to see the plays. After a court battle between Papp and the parks commissioner for usage rights, a theater was built in 1961 with funding from New York City. The first performance was The Merchant of Venice , starring George C. Scott and James Earl Jones.
Now, each summer Shakespeare in the Park takes place in the famous Delacorte Theater, an open-air amphitheater in Central Park. The production is run by the Public Theater. The shows start in the evening while the sun is still out, yet as day turns to dusk the dimming light draws the audience ever more into the Bard’s beloved tales.
A 62 year old tradition, Shakespeare in the Park is one of New York City’s greatest summer events. With free tickets distributed at the theater on the day-of of a performance, there is something uniquely romantic and thrilling about the attempt to secure a spot to a show. At noon, two tickets are given out to each person who has lined up at the theater in anticipation of the show.
In 2009, the Public introduced an online platform to enter a lottery for the chance to win tickets to the show. The Public also runs a voucher system throughout the five boroughs on certain days of performances which can be exchanged for one ticket that evening. In 2015, the Public introduced a partnership with the app Today Tix which allows users to enter a lottery for tickets. While getting tickets to Shakespeare in the Park isn’t the easiest undertaking, the magic of seeing a masterpiece performed under the setting sun in the greatest city in the world makes up for it. Troilus and Cressida , a tragedy and rarely produced Shakespearean play, is running July 19th through August 14th this summer. With modern appeal for its close examination of relationships, and infidelity in particular, the play allows for the examination of commonly held intrinsic values. Directed by Tony award winning director Daniel Sullivan, the play focuses on the love lives of the Greek warriors during the 7th year of the Trojan War.
As one of the premiere events of New York City and one that makes the list of best free things to do time and time again, Shakespeare in the Park is a great outing to make this summer. While a bit of persistence is needed to get the coveted tickets, the reward is well worth the effort and the experience is unforgettable.
