Pacino, Ferguson & Martin Lead Shakespeare In The Park 2010, Previews 6/9

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will begin Shakespeare in the Park performances on Wednesday, June 9 with the first preview of THE WINTER'S TALE, directed by Michael Greif. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, directed by Daniel Sullivan, will begin performances on Saturday, June 12. Both shows will play in repertory through Sunday, August 1 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

2010 Shakespeare in the Park Ticket Information

Tickets to Shakespeare in the Park are free and are distributed, two per person, at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park at 1 p.m. the day of the show. This summer, The Public Theater will again offer free tickets through our Virtual Ticketing, available at www.shakespeareinthepark.org.

Virtual Ticketing will be the same as last year where on the day of a show, users can log on to our website anytime between midnight and 1 p.m. to register for that evening's performance. After 1 p.m. that same day, users can log on to see if they have received tickets through Virtual Ticketing; Recipients will also be sent a confirmation email by 5 p.m. if they have received tickets for that evening's performance. Virtual Ticketing recipients are chosen at random to receive tickets, not in the order requests are received.

Participants with a Virtual Ticketing confirmation can claim their tickets at the Delacorte Theater Box Office between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. that evening. Any tickets not picked up by 7 p.m. will be released to the standby line. A valid photo ID is required for all Virtual Ticketing pick-ups at the box office.

Senior Virtual Ticketing will also return this year; it functions the same way as the regular virtual ticketing but registrants must be 65 or older to be eligible and present valid photo ID with proof of age.

In addition to the ticket line at the Delacorte Theater and Virtual Ticketing online, a limited number of vouchers for specific performances will be distributed, while supplies last, at locations throughout New York's five boroughs. Each person in line is allowed two vouchers and each voucher is good for one ticket for that evening's performance. Vouchers must be exchanged for tickets at the Delacorte Theater Box Office that day from 4:00-7:30 PM.

For THE WINTER'S TALE ticket vouchers will be distributed, while supplies last, on Thursday, June 10 in The Bronx at Lehman Stages at Lehman College (250 Bedford Park Boulevard West ); Wednesday, June 16 in Staten Island at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center (100 Richmond Terrace); Saturday, June 19 in Queens at the Chocolate Factory Theater (549 49th Avenue, Long Island City); Tuesday, June 29 in Manhattan at Harlem Stage at The Gatehouse (150 Convent Avenue at West 135th Street); and on Friday, July 2 in Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Children's Museum (145 Brooklyn Avenue).

For THE MERCHANT OF VENICE ticket vouchers will be distributed, while supplies last, on Saturday, June 12 in Manhattan at Harlem Stage at The Gatehouse; Thursday, June 17 in The Bronx at Lehman Stages at Lehman College; Friday, June 18 in Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Children's Museum; Friday, June 25 in Staten Island at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center; and Saturday, June 26 in Queens at the Chocolate Factory Theater.

In the tradition of Joe Papp, Summer Supporter tickets for THE WINTER'S TALE and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE are available in packages of two tickets for a tax-deductible contribution of $350. The two tickets can be used in any combination for this summer's Shakespeare in the Park productions. These reserved seats are only available for a limited time to ensure that the highest number of free seats will be available to distribute to the general public on the day of the show. Summer Supporter tickets help to underwrite free Shakespeare in the Park.

Summer Supporter donations can be made at The Public Theater Box Office at 425 Lafayette Street or online at www.publictheater.org. Beginning this summer, seating locations for Summer Supporters and Public Theater Partners will be allocated strictly by giving level.

In the event of rain, the start of the performance may be delayed. However, the production will be performed if and when it is possible to do so. Please be aware that rain at 7:30 PM may clear by the start of the show, and no performance will be cancelled before 8 :00 PM. If a performance is canceled due to rain or any other reason, tickets obtained via the line at the Delacorte Theater or through Virtual Ticketing are not valid for re-issue or exchange.

For additional information about Shakespeare in the Park, visit www.shakespeareinthepark.org or call (212) 539-8750.

The 2010 repertory company for THE WINTER'S TALE and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, consecutively, features Gerry Bamman (Antigonus/Duke of Venice), Francois Battiste (Florizel/Lord/Salerio), Linda Emond (Hermione - The Winter's Tale), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Young Shepherd/Lord/Launcelot Gobbo), Bill Heck (Lord/Lorenzo), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Paulina/Nerissa), Byron Jennings (Camillo/Antonio), Heather Lind (Perdita/Jessica), Hamish Linklater (Autolycus/Lord/Bassanio), Jesse L. Martin (Polixenes/Gratiano), Nyambi Nyambi (Lord/Prince of Morocco), Al Pacino (Shylock - The Merchant of Venice), Lily Rabe (Portia - The Merchant of Venice), Matthew Rauch (Dion/Jailer/Solanio), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Leontes - The Winter's Tale) Richard Topol (Lord/Tubal) and Max Wright (Old Shepherd/Prince of Arragon).

The summer's non-Equity ensemble features Happy Anderson, Liza J. Bennett, Tyler Caffall, Cary Donaldson, Luke Forbes, Bryce Gill, Shalita Grant, Jade Hawk, Bethany Heinrich, Tia James, Kelsey Kurz, BrIan MacDonald, Alexander Maier, Dorien Makhloghi, and Joe Short.

THE WINTER'S TALE and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE will feature scenic design by Mark Wendland; costume design by Jess Goldstein (The Merchant of Venice) and Clint Ramos (The Winter's Tale); lighting design by Kenneth Posner; sound design by ACME Sound Partners; and original music by Tom Kitt (The Winter's Tale) and Dan Moses Schreier (The Merchant of Venice).

Shakespeare in the Park 2010 is not The Public Theater's first foray into rotating repertory. Henry IV, Parts One and Two were performed in rep in the Newman Theater in 1991, and 20 years earlier, the Henry VI plays and Richard III were condensed into The War of the Roses which was presented in rep and then performed in one all-night marathon in Central Park.

The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Andrew D. Hamingson, Executive Director) was founded by Joseph Papp in 1954 and is now one of the nation's preeminent cultural institutions, producing new plays, musicals, and productions of classics at its downtown headquarters and at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. The Public's mandate to create a theater for all New Yorkers continues to this day onstage and through extensive outreach and education programs. Each year, over 250,000 people attend Public Theater-related productions and events at six downtown stages, including Joe's Pub, and Shakespeare in the Park. The Public has won 42 Tony Awards, 151 Obies, 41 Drama Desk Awards and four Pulitzer Prizes. The Public has brought 52 shows to Broadway, including Sticks and Bones; That Championship Season; A Chorus Line; The Pirates of Penzance; The Tempest; Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk; On the Town; The Ride Down Mt. Morgan; Topdog/Underdog; Elaine Stritch at Liberty; Take Me Out; Caroline, or Change; Well; Passing Strange; and, most recently, the current Tony Award-winning revival of Hair. www.publictheater.org.

Bank of America is the proud Season Sponsor of Shakespeare in the Park.

The LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust provides leadership support for The Public Theater's year-round activities.

Time Warner is the Supporting Sponsor of The Public's 2009-2010 season. Bloomberg is the Supporting Season Sponsor of Shakespeare in the Park. The New York Times is the exclusive Print Media Sponsor, and WNYC/WQXR Radio is the Media Sponsor of Shakespeare in the Park. Penguin Group is the official Publishing Sponsor of Shakespeare in the Park. Additional generous support for the 2010 season of Shakespeare in the Park is provided by the George T. Delacorte Fund at the New York Community Trust - Fund for Performances at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Major support for The Public Theater is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Shubert Foundation, the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, the Susan Stein Shiva Foundation, the George T. Delacorte Fund at the New York Community Trust-Fund for Performances at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, and by Warren Spector and Margaret Whitton.

Additional generous support is provided by the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, The Shen Family Foundation, and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

Public support is provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; the New York State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Special thanks to Continental Airlines, the official airline of The Public Theater.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus