New Times, Ticket Policies Announced for Shakespeare in the Park

Luke Forbes, Dorien Makhloghi, Nyambi Nyambi, Marianne Jean-Baptiste
and Lily Rabe in a scene from The Merchant from Venice in the park. Photo by Joan Marcus

The Comedy of Errors, the first of this season's Shakespeare in the Park offerings by the Public Theater in Cenral Park, begins previews May 28 and some new policies will be in place for getting free tickets to the shows, which now all will begin at 8:30 pm and last abot 90 minutes without intermission.

To make it easier for patrons to wait in line for free tickets, the ticket distribution at the Delacorte Theater will begin an hour earlier this year at noon. In order to allow as many different people as possible to attend, visitors will be limited to receiving two free tickets to two performances only of each production. As in past years, virtual ticketing lottery for free tickets will be available at www.shakespeareinthepark.org on the day of the show. The Delacorte Theater is accessible by entering at 81st Street and Central Park West, or 79th Street and Fifth Avenue.

All performances this summer for The Comedy of Errors and Love's Labors Lost, a New Musical, will begin at 8:30 pm with running times of approximately 90 minutes, no intermission.  Previously they began at 8 and incuded a break.

Directed by Daniel Sullivan, The Comedy of Errors will feature Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Hamish Linklater as Dromio and Antipholus respectively and will run through Sunday, June 30.

The complete cast  includes J. Clint Allen (Ensemble);De’Adre Aziza (Courtesan); Becky Ann Baker (Emilia); Emily Bergl (Adriana); Keith Eric Chappelle (Balthasar);Robert Creighton (Angelo); Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Dromio);Reggie Gowland (Ensemble); Jonathan Hadary (Egeon/Pinch);Bryan Langlitz (Ensemble); Hamish Linklater (Antipholus);Heidi Schreck (Luciana); Skipp Sudduth (Duke/Luce); andJessica Wu (Ensemble). The non-equity ensemble includes Tyler Caffall,Reed Campbell, Brian T. Lawton, Michael McArthur, Rachel McMullin,Natalie Woolams-Torres, and Adrienne Weidert.

The design team: sccenic design byJohn Lee Beatty, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Jeff Croiter, sound design by Acme Sound Partners, original music by Greg Pliska and choreography by Mimi Leiber

Love's Labors Lost. directed and adapted by by Alex Timbers has songs by Michael Friedman. It begins previews Tuesday, July 23 and runs through Sunday, Aug. 18.

The cast features Daniel Breaker (King of Navarre),Kevin Del Aguila (Dull), Colin Donnell (Berowne), Andrew Durand (Boyet), Jeff Hiller (Nathaniel), Rebecca Naomi Jones(Jaquenetta), Justin Levine (Moth), Patti Murin (Princess),Lucas Near-Verbrugghe (Dumaine), Bryce Pinkham (Longaville),Charlie Pollock (Costard), Caesar Samayoa (Don Armado),Maria Thayer (Rosaline), and Audrey Weston (Katherine). 
The design team: scenic design by John Lee Beatty, costume design by Jennifer Moeller, lighting design by Jeff Croiter, and sound design by Acme Sound Partners.

FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets to The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park are FREE and are distributed, two per person (age 5+) at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park beginning at noon on the day of each performance. As in the past years, the Virtual Ticketing system for free tickets will be available at www.shakespeareinthepark.org on the day of the show. In order to allow as many different people as possible to attend Free Shakespeare in the Park this summer, visitors will be limited to receiving free tickets to two performances only of each production.

There will continue to be a separate line for accessible tickets for senior citizens (65+) and patrons with disabilities.

After the final ticket is distributed for each day’s performance, visitors who did not obtain a ticket may begin to form a stand-by line. The Public Theater staff will begin to monitor this line, starting at 6:30 pm. Pending availability, free stand-by tickets will be distributed, one per person.

Borough Distribution: In addition to the ticket line at the Delacorte Theater and Virtual Ticketing online, a limited number of vouchers for specific performances will be distributed, while supplies last, at locations throughout NewYork’s five boroughs. Each person in line is allowed two vouchers and each voucher is good for one ticket for that evening’s performance. Vouchers must be exchanged for tickets at the Delacorte Theater Box Office that day from 4:30-7:30 pm.

For The Comedy of Errors, ticket vouchers will be distributed, while supplies last, on Wednesday, May 29 in Manhattan at Harlem Stage at The Gatehouse (150 Convent Ave.at West 135th St.); on Thursday, May 30 in Staten Island at Snug Harbor Cultural Center (1000 Richmond Terrace); on Tuesday, June 4 in the Bronx at Lehman Stages (250 Bedford Park Blvd.); on Wednesday, June 5 in Queens at the New York Hall of Science (47-01 111th St.); and onFriday, June 7 in Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum (145 Brooklyn Ave.).

For Love's abors Lost, ticket vouchers will be distributed, while supplies last, on Thursday, July 25 in Staten Island at Snug Harbor Cultural Center (1000 Richmond Terrace); on Friday, July 26 in the Bronx at The Point (940 Garrison Ave.); on Saturday, July 27 in Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Public Library (10 Grand Army Plaza); on Tuesday, July 30 in Manhattan at The Public Theater (425 Lafayette St.); and on Wednesday, July 31in Queens at the Queens Central Library (89-11 Merrick Blvd.)

SUMMER SUPPORTER TICKETS, first conceived by Joe Papp as a way to support free Shakespeare in the Park, are available now. A fully tax-deductible contribution of $175 entitles each Supporter to one reserved seat for either Shakespeare in the Park production. A limited number of Summer Supporter seats are available to ensure that as many free seats as possible will be available to distribute to the general public on the day of the show. Supporter contributions help to underwrite free Shakespeare in the Park.

Supporter donations can be made at The Public Theater Box Office at 425 Lafayette Street, by phone at (212) 967-7555, or online atwww.shakespeareinthepark.org. Seating locations for donors are allocated strictly by giving level and in the order that they are received.

The Delacorte Theater is accessible by entering at 81st Street and Central Park West, or 79th Street and Fifth Avenue.