Video: Behind the Scenes of the Renovated Delacorte Theater in Central Park

In a new video, viewers are invited backstage at the newly revitalized Delacorte Theater in Central Park, home to Free Shakespeare in the Park. Patrick Willingham (Executive Director of The Public Theater) dives into the history of the space, looking back at the original mission of founder Joseph Papp and the approach to the theater's recent updates.

Along the way are interviews with Twelfth Night cast members Junior Nyong'o, Sandra Oh, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and John Ellison Conlee, who speak about the new updated venue from the perspective of performers. Recorded this summer at the newly renovated space, Great Performances: Twelfth Night premieres this Friday, November 14 at 9/8c on PBS.

The Shakespearean comedy of mistaken identity tells the romantic misadventures of twins Sebastian and Viola after they survive a shipwreck, including revenge plots and tricks of love. Recorded this summer, the production is directed by Tony Award nominee Saheem Ali with a cast that includes Lupita Nyong’o, Junior Nyong’o, Peter Dinklage, Sandra Oh, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Daphne Rubin-Vega. The show follows previous Free Shakespeare in the Park productions broadcast on Great Performances, including Hamlet, Richard III, Merry Wives, and Much Ado About Nothing.

The cast also features John Ellison Conlee (Sir Toby Belch), b (Antonio), Khris Davis (Orsino), Ariyan Kassam (Curio), Moses Sumney (Feste), Kapil Talwalkar (Fabian), and Joe Tapper (Sea Captain). The ensemble includes Dario Alvarez, Jania Rose Jallow, Valentino Musumeci, Precious Omigie, Chinna Palmer, Nathan M. Ramsey, Jasmine Sharma, Julian Tushabe, Adrian Villegas, Ada Westfall, and Mia Wurgaft.