The Public Theater's Public Forum Series to Return to The Delacorte Theater

The Public Theater will present the return of the renowned Public Forum series to The Delacorte Theater in Central Park, beginning with free event QUICK, BRIGHT, THINGS COME TO CONFUSION, OR WHAT WE DO FOR LOVE on Monday, June 15 at 8:00 p.m.

With its madcap romances, busted friendships, and chaotic fairy magic, A Midsummer Night’s Dream has surprised and delighted audiences for more than 400 years. Frankie J. Alvarez, Grantham Coleman, Micaela Diamond, J. Harrison Ghee, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Matty Maggiacomo, and Christian Slater will present Shakespeare’s story of the play’s four young lovers in all their lovestruck comic confusion, sparking a conversation about why and how we do so many crazy, inspired, devoted, disloyal things in our friendships and love affairs. The program is curated by Alexa Smith and Jeremy McCarter. 

Audiences will hear insights from Kwame Anthony Appiah, the NYU philosopher who writes the weekly “Ethicist” column in The New York Times Magazine and serves as  Public Theater trustee; James Shapiro, Public Theater Shakespeare Scholar in Residence since 2012 and Larry Miller Professor of English at Columbia University; Ayanna Thompson, Public Theater Shakespeare Scholar in Residence and Regents Professor of English at Arizona State University; and Logan Ury, Hinge’s Lead Relationship Scientist and author of How to Not Die Alone.

Monday evenings, typically the night off from The Public’s Free Shakespeare in the Park performances, will now feature the revival of the PUBLIC FORUM series. The series will feature a distinctive mix of performance and conversation and a focus on American voices on this year’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Free tickets will be made available on each Public Forum date via the line at The Delacorte, evening Standby at The Delacorte, digital lottery with TodayTix, and an in-person lottery at The Public. 

AMERICAN SUBLIME

June 22

An in-progress theatrical exploration inspired by artist Amy Sherald’s acclaimed body of work, originally exhibited as American Sublime at major US museums, is now taking shape for the stage. The evening will feature live performance excerpts alongside a conversation with Sherald and director Zhailon Levingston, joined by additional collaborating artists, reflecting on the creative process and the evolution of Sherald’s work for the stage. Creatively developed in association with National Black Theatre (Sade Lythcott, Chief Executive Officer; Jonathan McCrory, Executive Artistic Director) and JamRock Productions. Participants include James Ijames, Niles Luther, and Anna Deavere Smith.

CITIES UNDER SIEGE

June 29

The arrival of an estimated 3,000 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minnesota—dubbed Operation Metro Surge—began a period of significant civic unrest with far-reaching impact on public safety, law enforcement, the local economy and workforce, education, and the daily lives of Minnesotans. In January 2026, The Public Theater and The Guthrie Theater partnered to commission acclaimed documentary theater artists Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen to capture firsthand interviews, begin in-depth engagement with affected communities, and embark on the creation of a new play featuring Minnesotans’ real experiences. This special Forum evening will feature excerpts from this urgent work in progress and discussion around how cities and civilians respond in moments of crisis.

DIVISION AND RENEWAL: AN EVENING WITH MICHAEL SANDEL

August 10

American society has rarely been more polarized. How did we reach this moment of crisis, and what can any of us do to repair what has been broken? Michael Sandel, the Harvard professor and globally acclaimed “rock-star philosopher,” will return to The Delacorte Theater for a night of public philosophy, engaging an audience of New Yorkers in a spirited conversation about meritocracy, dignity, and where we go from here.

SUMMER BOOK CLUB CELEBRATION WITH THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

August 17

Calling all New Yorkers! As part of its annual Summer at the Library programming, The New York Public Library, in partnership with The Public Theater, invites New Yorkers to join a summer book club and read N.K. Jemisin’s The City We Became together. The book club will culminate in a marquee event at The Delacorte Theater featuring readings, commissioned performances, and public conversation inspired by and celebrating the book.