Public Theater Cancels 2020 Shakespeare In The Park Season

By: Apr. 17, 2020
Broadway Impact
Click Here for More on Broadway Impact
Enter Your Email to Unlock This Article

Plus, get the best of BroadwayWorld delivered to your inbox, and unlimited access to our editorial content across the globe.




Existing user? Just click login.

The Public Theater has just announced that the 2020 summer season of Shakespeare in the Park, a 58-year tradition of free theater in Central Park, has been canceled, in addition to the downtown production of Cullud Wattah. A statement from the theater reads: "While our stages will remain dark, our commitment to our mission will burn brighter than ever. Our promise to you is that we will keep working tirelessly to bring you glorious work by our incredible artists. Thank you for continuing to stand with us."

The theater will furlough about 70% of its full-time, permanent staff, and senior leadership will take significant pay reductions to ensure the long-term viability of the institution.

The Public will present its June 1 Gala in a new virtual format with more details to come, Check out the full line-up of ongoing digital artistic experiences here.

This summer season was previously set to include RICHARD II and AS YOU LIKE IT.

Every summer for the last 58 years we have reveled in gathering under the stars at the magical Delacorte Theater for Free Shakespeare in the Park. We come together as strangers, visitors and fellow New Yorkers, as audiences and artists, and we get a glimpse of what a unified city could look like. But this year is different. This year, we must stand together in keeping our city and each other safe. This means our summer season of Free Shakespeare in the Park will not be possible, and we must cancel our planned productions of RICHARD II and PUBLIC WORKS' AS YOU LIKE IT and our remaining season of programs and events including CULLUD WATTAH and all performances at Joe's Pub at our flagship home at Astor Place through August 31. While our stages will remain dark, our commitment to our mission will burn brighter than ever. Our promise to you is that we will keep working tirelessly to bring you glorious work by our incredible artists. Thank you for continuing to stand with us. Please consider making a gift today at the link in our bio. Please take care of yourselves and each other and thank you for being a part of The Public community. Together We Power The Public. || ? by Steve Brown

A post shared by The Public Theater (@publictheaterny) on Apr 17, 2020 at 7:01am PDT

Since 1962, over five million people have enjoyed more than 150 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.


Vote Sponsor


Videos