Patrick Willingham News

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Patrick Willingham) announced today that it will extend Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved musical INTO THE WOODS one final week through Saturday, September 1. The Shakespeare in the Park production, part of The Public's 50th Anniversary season at the Delacorte, will officially open on Thursday, August 9.

Public Theater Executive Director Patrick Willingham announced last night from the Delacorte Theater stage that the Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust has generously donated $4 million to The Public Theater to support free Shakespeare in the Park and the capital campaign for the revitalization of its landmark Astor Place building, which includes five theaters and Joe's Pub. Members of the Spitzer family were in the audience on Wednesday evening to enjoy the free Shakespeare in the Park production of Into the Woods. The Spitzers' first gift to the theater will be gratefully acknowledged with a plaque at the Delacorte Theater.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Patrick Willingham) and Theater for a New Audience (Founding Artistic Director Jeffrey Horowitz; Managing Director Dorothy Ryan and Chairman of the Board, Henry Christensen III) will present THE WALLACE SHAWN-ANDRÉ GREGORY PROJECT in 2013, a celebration of the remarkable 40-year collaboration between Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory. The two plays, THE DESIGNATED MOURNER and GRASSES OF A THOUSAND COLORS, will offer a long overdue retrospective of Shawn's work as well as an opportunity for him to appear on the New York stage again under Gregory's direction. The Public Theater presented Shawn's first play in New York, Our Late Night, in 1975, directed by Gregory.

INCOMING! The Public Theater's Under the Radar Festival will present new work at Joe's Pub, The Public Theater's most intimate performance space, on August 23 and 24. INCOMING! offers emerging talent the freedom and flexibility to experiment with new material - sometimes for the first time - in front of a live audience. This year's lineup includes Obie winner Edwin Lee Gibson's Five ' Til, the Brooklyn-based theater company Lilac co's Drusi Is Coming and playwright Christina Anderson's Hollow Roots.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Patrick Willingham) will begin previews on Monday, August 6 for The Mobile Shakespeare Unit's RICHARD III, directed by Amanda Dehnert. Following a three-week tour, bringing free Shakespeare to audiences who have limited or no access to the arts, RICHARD III will run at The Public Theater through Saturday, August 25, with an official press opening on Saturday, August 11. Tickets are $15 and on sale now.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Patrick Willingham) announced today that the first preview of INTO THE WOODS at the Delacorte Theater on Monday, July 23, has been postponed due to weather delays. The first preview will now take place on Tuesday, July 24 at 8:00p.m.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Patrick Willingham) will take its MOBILE SHAKESPEARE UNIT on tour again this July with a production of RICHARD III, directed by Amanda Dehnert. The three-week tour, July 16 to August 3, will bring free Shakespeare to audiences who have limited or no access to the arts before a sit-down run at The Public Theater, August 6-25. Tickets for Richard III at The Public are $15 and go on sale July 12.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Patrick Willingham) announced complete casting today for Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved musical INTO THE WOODS, directed by Timothy Sheader with co-direction by Liam Steel. Ellen Harvey (Cinderella's Stepmother); Bethany Moore (Stepsister); Jennifer Rias (Stepsister); Sarah Stiles (Little Red Ridinghood); and Kristine Zbornik (Jack's Mother) complete the cast with Chip Zien, who originated the role of the Baker in the 1987 Broadway production, playing Mysterious Man.

Last night, June 18, The Public Theater celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Delacorte Theater, home of Shakespeare in the Park, and honored Al Pacino for his body of work at The Public. The evening included a benefit reading of Romeo and Julie featuring Kevin Kline as Romeo and Meryl Streep as Juliet. On hand to celebrate were the likes of Julia Stiles, Chelsea Clinton, Steve Martin and many more who have both particiated and enjoyed the works at the Delacorte. BroadwayWorld was also on hand and brings you photo coverage below!

Tony Kushner and Annie Leibovitz photograph and interview the team behind Delacorte Theater's Shakespeare in the Park and some of its biggest stars, including James Earl Jones, Oscar Eustis, Audra McDonald, Blythe Danner, Kevin Kline, Mandy Pantinkin, Jonathan Groff, Tyler Ferguson and more! Watch the Vanity Fair video feature here.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Patrick Willingham) began previews on Tuesday, June 5, for AS YOU LIKE IT, the first show of The Public's 50th Anniversary season at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park--home of free Shakespeare in the Park. Directed by Daniel Sullivan, AS YOU LIKE IT will continue for four weeks through Saturday, June 30, with an official press opening on Thursday, June 21. Check out photos of Paul Taylor, Andre Braugher, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Lily Rabe, David Furr, Donna Lynne Champlin, Oliver Platt, Jordan Tice, Stephen Spinella, Susannah Flood and Will Rogers in the production below!

Star of the The Public Theater's FEBRUARY HOUSE - actor Julian Fleisher has been tapped by Joe's Pub for a solo performance tonight, June 11.

The Public Theater presents the world premiere of February House, with music and lyrics by Gabriel Kahane and book by Seth Bockley, now through June 10th. Three stars of the show - composer and lyricist Gabriel Kahane, actress Kacie Sheik, and actor Julian Fleisher have all been tapped by Joe's Pub at The Public Theater for solo performances this month, beginning tonight, June 4.

The Public Theater announced today that Tony Award winner Denis O'Hare has been cast as The Baker in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved musical INTO THE WOODS, directed by Timothy Sheader with co-direction by Liam Steel. INTO THE WOODS will be O'Hare's Shakespeare in the Park debut. Previews begin on Monday, July 23 at the Delacorte Theater and continue for five weeks through Saturday, August 25, with an official press opening on Thursday, August 9.

The Public Theater will begin previews on Tuesday, June 5 for AS YOU LIKE IT, the first show of The Public's 50th Anniversary season at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park--home of free Shakespeare in the Park. Directed by Daniel Sullivan, AS YOU LIKE IT will continue for four weeks through Saturday, June 30, with an official press opening on Thursday, June 21.

The Public Theater just announced today that it will extend the critically acclaimed new musical FEBRUARY HOUSE by one additional week through Sunday, June 17. With music and lyrics by Gabriel Kahane and book by Seth Bockley, FEBRUARY HOUSE, currently playing in The Public's Martinson Theater, opened on Tuesday, May 22 and was originally scheduled to close on Sunday, June 10. Single tickets, beginning at $80, are on sale now.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Patrick Willingham) announced today that Shakespeare in the Park alumni Raul Esparza, Jesse L. Martin, Jerry Stiller, Christopher Walken, Sam Waterston and Jeffrey Wright will join Kevin Kline as Romeo and Meryl Streep as Juliet in a one-night-only benefit reading of ROMEO AND JULIET on Monday, June 18-- the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

The Public Theater is presenting the world premiere of February House, with music and lyrics by Gabriel Kahane and book by Seth Bockley, beginning today, May 8th in The Public's Martinson Theater, and running through June 10th. Three stars of the show - composer and lyricist Gabriel Kahane, actress Kacie Sheik, and actor Julian Fleisher have all been tapped by Joe's Pub at The Public Theater for solo performances this June.

The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Patrick Willingham, Executive Director) will continue the 2011-2012 Public Forum season tonight, May 7, with THE CULTURE CAPITAL: IS NEW YORK CITY STILL A HOME FOR ARTISTS?

Nominations Talley for 3 or more: 9 - Nice Work If You Can Get It; 7 - Newsies, Once; 5 - Follies, Death of a Salesman, Evita, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark; 4 - One Man, Two Guvnors, Porgy and Bess, Tribes; 3 - The Best Man, Bonnie & Clyde, Death Takes a Holiday, The Lyons, Queen of the Mist, Sons of the Prophet;