GO PUBLIC!
A FESTIVAL OF FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK
The Delacorte Theater, our beloved home of Free Shakespeare in the Park, is under construction and undergoing a much-needed revitalization until 2025. So, this summer, we're celebrating all things Free Shakespeare in the Park by bringing the show to you in your community and at home.
Beginning in May, Mobile Unit’s delightful production of THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, a bilingual musical adaptation featuring contemporary rhythms from across Latin America, will return to parks and plazas, bringing joy and mayhem to all five boroughs. The festival continues with free screenings of THIRTEEN'S Great Performances on PBS capture of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Heralded as a “delicious production of a great Shakespearean comedy” by The New York Times, this free movie night will light up screens in parks from the Bronx to Staten Island. You can even bring the festivities home, with free, on demand streaming of THIRTEEN'S Great Performances on PBS captures of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, MERRY WIVES, RICHARD III, and HAMLET throughout May and June.
Mobile Unit's
Bilingual Musical Adaptation of
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
By William Shakespeare
Adaptation by Rebecca Martínez and Julián Mesri
Music, Music Direction, and Spanish Translations by Julián Mesri
Lyrics by Julián Mesri and Rebecca Martínez
Directed by Rebecca Martínez
Free tour to all five boroughs
May 28 – June 30, 2024
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS will be performed in English and Spanish at outdoor sites in collaboration with The New York Public Library and Bryant Park and as part of the “Backyard at Hudson Yards presented by Wells Fargo” series at Hudson Yards. The Mobile Unit will also pop up at public plazas and parks across the five boroughs in partnership with NYC Parks as well as other key Public Theater partners. Performances begin Tuesday, May 28 and continue through Sunday, June 30 as part of The Public’s commitment to bringing free theater to all and deepening its engagement with communities around NYC.
The initial cast for THE COMEDY OF ERRORS includes Varín Ayala (Egeon, Pinch); Jacinta Clusellas (Music Director/Guitarist); Danaya Esperanza (Adriana); Rebecca Jimenez (Understudy); Keren Lugo (Luciana); Alan Mendez (Understudy); Sara Ornelas (Troubadour), Gían Pérez (Dromio); and Desireé Rodriguez (Courtesan, Emilia).
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS Tour Schedule:
Free Outdoor Screenings of THIRTEEN’S Great Performances on PBS capture of 2019’s
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Directed by Kenny Leon
Throughout June, July, and August, in partnership with NYC Parks’ and The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment’s Movies Under the Stars program, and The WNET Group, we'll offer free screenings of THIRTEEN’s Great Performances on PBS Shakespeare in the Park performance of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING in several parks across all five boroughs. These events will be free for all to attend.
All screenings are free and open to the public:
Free Shakespeare @ Home
On Demand Streaming of Free Shakespeare in the Park productions.
This summer, throughout May and June everyone will have free access to stream The Public’s Free Shakespeare in the Park productions of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (2019), MERRY WIVES (2021), RICHARD III (2022), and the premiere of HAMLET (2023), captured live from The Delacorte Theater in Central Park by THIRTEEN for Great Performances on PBS.
Streaming Schedule:
Save the Date Sunday, July 28 for a Public Theater Summer Block Party on Astor Place. Join us in the afternoon on Lafayette and Astor Place as we celebrate the community, The Public, and Free Shakespeare with live performances, activities, and giveaways.
As an expansion of MOVIE IN PARKS, on select dates, PUBLIC POPS UP! creates a day of festivities that culminates in the movie screening at dusk!
Dates and details:
At 5:30PM, join us for Mobile Unit’s Bilingual Musical Adaptation of THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. After the performance, attendees can enjoy food trucks, activities, and live music by composer and songwriter Michael Thurber before a sunset screening of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at dusk.
Starting at 4:00PM, explore the world-famous Queens Night Market in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The family-friendly open-air night market boasts up to 100 independent vendors selling merchandise, art, and food. This particular evening will feature performances by Gentleman Brawlers and BYRNE. The evening will conclude with a screening of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at dusk.
On Monday, August 12 from 6:00–7:30PM, Public Works will present LET'S HEAR IT FOR NEW YORK! An Unforgettable Dance Experience, a participatory community-led dance piece to Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind". Following the initiative, there will be a screening of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at dusk as a part of Central Park Conservancy's 2024 Film Festival, sponsored by National Geographic Partners, LLC.
As a part of PUBLIC POPS UP! this summer, Public Works will be hosting a participatory dance piece set to Alicia Keys’ seminal classic “Empire State of Mind” from the Original Cast Recording of the Broadway musical HELL’S KITCHEN, which originated at The Public in the fall of 2023. The city-wide initiative will be choreographed by HELL’S KITCHEN’s four-time Tony-nominated director/choreographer Camille A. Brown and her initiative Every Body Move, directed by Public Works’ Laurie Woolery, will be the ultimate celebration of New York, bringing together folks of many ages and abilities. The experience will culminate in a performance both by and for New Yorkers on Monday, August 12 at 6:00PM. Following the initiative, there will be a screening of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at dusk as a part of Central Park Conservancy's 2024 Film Festival, sponsored by National Geographic Partners, LLC.
Join in as a Troy Supporter Plus with a gift of $300 or more. You'll gain access to reserved areas at select free outdoor screenings, plus more benefits throughout the summer. However, the greatest benefit is knowing that you're supporting access to Free Shakespeare for all New Yorkers, both in their communities and homes. Join today!
Make a donation of $25 or more to support access to Free Shakespeare for all New Yorkers and help us uphold this commitment far into the future. Give today!