I came for Romeo & Juliet at 8pm on a Thursday night. I got the tickets from Borough distribution which was much easier than online lottery or in person standby. You just go to the Borough distribution location (schedule of locations posted online) at 12pm. It's getting harder and harder to get tickets over the years. You exchange at the box office 5:30pm-7:30pm. The show was 3 hours including a 20 minute intermission. I liked the show, it was more modern and diverse with Spanish singing & dialogue. I'm glad they're trying to make Shakespeare in the Park more interesting instead of the same traditional show year after year. Hopefully, there's more modern interpretations next year! read more

Shakespeare In the Park - End of Romeo & Juliet - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

Romeo and Juliet 2026 Shakespeare must be twisting in his grave. What a grotesque atrocity. The beautiful world of Verona was replaced by a politicized spectacle set on the U.S.-Mexico frontier, complete with immigration agents and contemporary ideological messaging. Instead of Shakespeare, the audience was given a lecture. The bilingual concept was equally misguided. Not only did it abandon Shakespeare's language, but the Spanish itself felt crude, vulgar, and deeply disappointing. This was not the Spanish of Cervantes or Ortega y Gasset. It was street slang, chabacano, burdo, and grosero, utterly out of place in one of the greatest works ever written. Romeo and Juliet were transformed into loud, hypersexualized Hispanic caricatures that bore no resemblance to Shakespeare's characters. Every subtle emotion was replaced by exaggeration. Every moment of poetry was drowned out by noise. The production seemed determined to substitute stereotypes for character development and provocation for artistry. The result was less Shakespeare and more a cheap carnival performance. Stratford-upon-Avon felt a million miles away. I wanted to cry out in horror during the opening scenes. We wanted to leave within the first five minutes but stayed until intermission in the hope that it might improve. It did not. Many others left as well; it was not just us. Adaptations can be daring. They can modernize and reinterpret. This production simply vandalized the play. It stripped away the beauty, elegance, poetry, and humanity of Romeo and Juliet and replaced them with a loud, vulgar, politically obsessed parody. An abomination! read more

The play itself was wonderful, and the performances were excellent. However, I was disappointed to see what felt like an opportunity taken to display political messaging. Theater has the power to bring people together, regardless of their beliefs, and I wish the focus had remained on the art and shared experience. Despite that, the production was wonderful done and very enjoyable. read more

Went and saw the performance last night. Amazing! Probably one of the best performances I've seen at the Delacorte in ten years The line to get tickets was super long. I think you have to get there no later than 4 or 5 am just to get tickets. I've decided I am now going to line up every day to get a pair of tickets so others who may not be able to get there that early can still get to see the show. So, if you are interested in seeing any one of the upcoming performances just shoot me a text anytime. Chuck 646-530-7293. read more

Shakespeare In The Park is an annual production. Admission is free, and it takes place in The Delacorte Theate, which is located in Central Park in Manhattan. The Delacorte Theater is located in the West section of Central Park near the Great Lawn. Individuals can apply for Shakespeare In The Park Tickets one of the following ways that includes: 1.) Going to Central Park - (81st Street & Central Park West) the day of the specific performance before noon (sometimes people are out there as early as 7am, 8am, etc.) and obtaining available tickets 2.) By applying via The Public Theater's online Lottery, 3.) Going to The Public Theater and placing your name on a ticket lottery for possible available tickets, etc. The Public Theater distributes two tickets to each person. If one is unable to get tickets earlier in the day, one can go to The Delacorte Theater the evening that Shakespeare In The Park will have the play that day around 6pm (81st Street & Central Park West) to see if anyone has canceled and handed their tickets back in - The Public Theater Satff will inform you and give you tickets while supplies last. Shakespeare In the Park plays are at 8pm and have been good with starting on-time. Shakespeare In The Park productions have been wonderful over the years. It has been a pleasure viewing Hercules, Othello, Twelth Night, Merry Wives, etc. The play Hamlet that we saw last week was amazing. Casts for each production have been fantastic . Everything from the stage sets, the props, the cast, and the overall productions have been magnificent. The next Shakespeare In The Park play will be The Tempest, which is running for one week (Aug. 27 - Sept. 3). The same rules apply regarding ways to obtain tickets. After this production, the Delacorte Theater will be closed due to renovations, and Shakespeare In The Park will be on hiatus from the Delacorte Theater from Fall 2023-2025. Although having Shakespeare In The Park productions at the Delacorte Theater will be missed, I look forward to future productions resuming at the Delacorte Theater in 2025! Public Theater Website & Instagram www.publictheater.org @publictheaterny Thank you for Blessing us w/ lovely Theater! read more

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This production was so disappointing we left at intermission along with a lot of other people.

Shakespeare in the Park never never disappoints. Last year I got to see Richard III. This year - Hamlet and the Tempest. These shows are a huge part of the Summer in NYC experience. I'm so disappointed I won't be able to see it next year because of renovations. Pros: + Free entrance based on lotteries. You can enter at Center Park, Local Burroughs, The Public Theater + Incredible performances + Outdoors - dress comfortably and bring bug repellant also Cons: - Crowded, make sure you come early IG: QueenOfAdventureNYC read more

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Of course this is just my personal opinion but it seems to me that Shakespeare In The Park with its beautiful and unique setting has for some time focused more on political messaging and inclusion than on the quality of the performances and staging of their productions. This may be for better or for worse depending upon ones point of view. IMO political messaging should not be a part of "Public Theater for All". It is by its nature exclusionary and divisive. Most of the key personal dialogue between Romeo and Juliet in this current production is not in English. Signage for U.S. border policy is hung up , verbal reprimanding of government polices is given and gay marriages are being held on stage at every performance. People are fee to believe what they wish in our society, but public theater "For All" should not be political or take sides. I applaud the actors in this production some of whom are beginning their journey. I felt the direction with mixed dialogue, sparse staging , political messaging and alteration of Shakespeare's ending lessened what should have been a much more emotional and powerful production. read more

Shakespeare In The Park is an incredible NYC tradition and I'm so happy to have finally partaken in it. The whole process was pretty straightforward, I was nervous about not being able to score tickets for closing night of Richard III, so here are some tips/tricks I picked up along the way: -If you live in the outer boroughs, Public Theater sets aside a number of vouchers for in-person distribution on certain days, which start at 12pm. I arrived at 11am and the line was quite long-- I heard people came at 7am and brought chairs but I managed to get my vouchers. Bring a book or a chair or a sandwich for this part! -Vouchers need to be exchanged for tickets at the Delacorte box office between 5:30-7:30pm. The website says that seating is totally random and not dependent on the time you redeem your vouchers for tickets. I redeemed mine around 5:45p and got really good seats. Not sure if coincidence or not?! -You will need a Public Theater Patron ID to receive your tickets. You can make an account ahead of time or while you wait in line but they will need the ID number (a screenshot works too) to in order to process the distribution. -Doors open at 7:30p and the play starts at 8p but get there early because they will need to check your vaccination cards + ID and scan your tickets too. It would be best if you purchased your concessions and went to the restroom before the play starts as intermission is only 20 min long which barely affords you enough time to do either. I got to the theater at 7:50p and the line to enter stretched all the way down to the Swedish cottage, though it moved quickly. -The seats are really uncomfortable and half of the people in our row were fidgeting. Bring a cushion if you can't sit in small hard seats for hours at a time. The theater is outdoors so it is mask optional but it was really nice to see a fair number of people still wearing masks throughout the play. read more

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I've seen many productions of Twelfth Night and this is one of the best. Amazing cast and being so close to them was really special.

Such a fun experience! I haven't really watched plays (I'm more of a broadway girl) so this was a new experience for me. We couldn't get lottery tickets so we had to wait in line. They start giving out tickets at 7:30pm (show starts at 8pm) and we started lining up at around 6pm ish? There were around 60 people in front of us when we arrived and another 40? behind us by the end. It took a while to get the tickets (almost thought we wouldn't make the cut) but the people working there ran back and forth trying to get all the remaining tickets and I think everyone ultimately got in! We got our tickets at around 8:05pm so we missed the first 10/15 mins but it was all good. Our seats were great too! We watched "Much Ado About Nothing". All the performers were stunning - it was a good laugh and very entertaining; singing was great too! Highly recommend! If you don't get the lottery tickets, come early and bring food/drinks/picnic blanket and the wait will be more enjoyable :) read more

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Managed to win tickets through the app lottery!Skipped the wait and picked up tickets before 730pm the day of. Absolutely loved the show and was so lucky to see Danielle Brooks star in Much Ado About Nothing!! What an experience to watch a show at Delacorte Theater under the night sky in the summer and to be surrounded by trees. It felt like we were tucked away in the middle of a forest. Highly recommend it! read more

Shakespeare In the Park - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

Been craving to attend Shakespeare in the Park for years and finally have had that amazing opportunity! The process: there are several ways to get tickets. You can donate to the public theater, enter a digital lottery, or wait at the line at Central Park for leftover tickets. Hearing how difficult it is to score those free tickets, I decided to go the easiest route--online registration and lottery. First, I created a (free) account on Public Theater's website. Been receiving weekly emails with notifications about upcoming performances around the city. My goal was Shakespeare in the Park specifically, so I signed up for that lottery alert (through Today Tix). Meaning, every morning of the scheduled performance, I get an email alert to enter the lottery to win two free tickets. The very first time I enter the lottery at 10 am, by noon, I receive a confirmation that I won two tickets for Othello at Delacorte Theater in Central Park!!! Happy beyond words. It's so difficult to win something in that ticket lottery but I got super lucky on my first try. The caveat is that you have to proactively check your email. If you don't claim your tickets by 1:15 pm by clicking on the confirmation email that you receive, you lose your tickets. Disclaimer from the company: "tickets must be picked up with a photo ID at the Delacorte Theater box office in Central Park from 5:00-7:30pm. The name on the photo ID must match the name on the ticket order. Tickets are only available for pick up until 7:30pm for performances on the day they are issued. After 7:30pm, they will be released to the standby line to ensure that no seats are left empty." Anxious not to miss my chance to pick up my tickets, of course I had to get lost in the park and run around, panicking that my tickets would be given away. I got to the box office at 7:29 and was very grateful that my tickets were waiting for me! My name was printed on them, which was really cool. The stand by line for any last minute available tickets stretched all the way around to where I could not see the end. So anyone who's brave to try his luck--be prepared to wait a looooong time and still walk away empty handed. The performance: start is around 8:10pm, lasting 2 hrs. 53 mins. Including one intermission. Prepare to leave after 11pm. Ushers and all staff members are super friendly and courteous. Amazing customer service. You can get concessions and alcoholic beverages to keep you warm throughout the night. You can eat/drink during the performance, but no taking photos or videos. The beautiful amphitheater was surprisingly cozy and smaller than expected. Loved the intimate experience that it created. Felt like we were very close to the actors. Breathtaking view of the stage, set, and Central Park in the background--what a pleasure! As the night falls, it gets chilly, so bring jackets and scarves. Your butt might get cold from sitting on the freezing metal/plastic seats. The best part of the amphitheater is that there are no bad seats. Anywhere you sit, you'll have amazing, unobstructed view of the stage. The acoustics are spectacular. The stage set for Othello was simple--just a few pillars that were moved around the stage. Beautiful, thematic costumes. Lack of excessive stage décor really emphasized actors' mastery. Superb acting. Really enjoyed the experience! Definitely an experience worthy of your time and effort! Looking forward to attending future performances at the fantastic Delacorte Theater! read more

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The Quick: An absolutely amazing Manhattan experience! Consider donating to the public theater in order to get tickets. The Details: A free Shakespeare play, performed by amazing actors and actresses (a few big names always join the cast!) Outside in the beautiful Central Park where you can bring food and wine; could anything be more Manhattan summers? Winning free tickets is extremely difficult, but if you donate a certain amount to the public theater I believe you are guaranteed tickets to one of the shows. I've been trying to go for multiple years, I was so delighted with the quality of the performance and the overall experience. Kudos! The Damage: Free but very difficult to get read more

Shakespeare In the Park - Wow - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

Was lucky to win lottery for two in my first attempt online. Took my mom to watch Twelfth Night. Beautifully done open door theatre, well organized event and very helpful staff. We were allowed entry at around 7:35 pm, we were welcomed by a fair prior to the start of the show and a chance to walk through the set. Overall performances in the actual play were impressive and sound quality was fine too considering this was an outdoor event. Really enjoyed my experience... Would love to go for more shows at Delacorte. read more

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Shakespeare in the Park play was the most enjoyable experience I had so far. Can't believe I was reviewing it so late wherein I watched their opening episode for its 53rd season. Got so tied up with other things but memories from The Tempest experience still lingers. The plot was presented lightly to easily comprehend. The actors performances were remarkable. I recognized 5 or 6 TV show actors, the most recognizable was the main lead who was from The Law and Order and the supporting actor who played Jester was from Modern Family. The props and decorations are astonishing. The sounds and lighting effects were astounding. The theater size can accommodate about 400-500 theater, culture and art lovers.The staff were so friendly and creative. During the half intermission, they tried to accommodate all the ladies who were in looooonnngggg line for the bathroom by breaking into the men's bathroom, guarded everybody and made the transition process smoothly. Watching Shakespeare in the Park is one of many things New Yorkers try to accomplish to be considered true New Yorkers.. Getting free tickets is not easy. You should know your options for ticket distribution places and the scheduled day. Or else, you'll end up getting in line in Central Park way way way earlier than other distribution center. The early you get in line, the better chance of getting tickets. The early you exchange your voucher for tickets, the better chance of getting good seats. Good timing worked for us. Weather was as its best when we watched it. Still need life cover up though as it gets chillier at nighttime. The sun setting down and turning the daylight to dark , appearing the brightness of the stars as backdrop of the stage were completely magical experience. I would love do it again and again and again. read more

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S uper awesome series right in Central Park~ H ad a pair of tix from the virtual lottery, #winning A nyone can enter online day-of, every day K ept missing out last year, but finally won :D E ven in the rain, they won't cancel until after 8pm S o you gotta pick up at the Box Office 5-7pm P ray for the best and that the show will go on... E veryone's assigned seating, no need to save spots A nd no umbrellas allowed! So come prepared! R eally open and unprotected theater, can get chilly E specially sitting quite still for 2+ hours at night I f you've never experienced, I HIGHLY encourage! N ot your typical play production at all :] T hey oft have big names for some of the roles H ad a great time watching "The Tempest" E ven if it was cut short due to... a tempest... :P P lan on bringing snacks, drinks, cushion, blanket A nd money for reasonably priced food they sell R emember: no umbrellas, photography, or glass K eep this event unobstructed, safe, and fun for all! read more

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giving less than 4 stars to a free, professional performance is just plain mean. that being said, Winter's tale AND Merchant of Venice most definitely deserve FIVE! Awesome cast, directing, and sets. Tip: call them the day before the performance to ask for a good estimate of when to get in line. I haven't missed a performance since 2005! read more

"Well, let's build the bastard a theater," was what director-producer Joseph Papp famously said before the Delacourt Theatre was built after a heated legal battle with then parks commissioner, Robert Moses over keeping the production in Central Park free for viewers. And after 45 years, Shakespeare in the park remains free for all to see, thanks to the one man who started it all and fought to keep it accessible for everyone's enjoyment. It's since become quintessentially New York, as much New York as the yellow taxis, overpriced pretzels and the brights lights of Times Square. And for me, watching a Shakespeare play in Central Park meant that I was one step closer in my metamorphosis of becoming a true New Yorker. It's been on my bucket list of things to do since I first came to NY almost a decade ago and while that list has dwindled considerably, "Shakespeare" has remained at the top. You see, tickets are a little hard to come by and the show doesn't run for very long. The season begins at the last week in May and ends during the first week of July, leaving me with only 6 Saturdays out of the year to try my luck. Admittedly, I've never stood in line at 6 am as so many of my fellow Yelpers have bravely done, instead I attempted the online lottery once and did a whole lot of longing while slaving away at work. But that all changed this weekend (well not the slaving away at work part). After a long and arduous day in the office, my crazy, amazing, most wonderful friend (who blocked me on yelp, so will never know all the nice things I said about him) surprised me with tickets to the Tempest, starring Sam Waterston and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. What was probably more surprising, however, was how he obtained these tickets, as I knew for a fact that he was also chained to his desk only a few blocks away and couldn't possibly have stood in line that morning all the way across town. Most surprising, though, was his method for securing these tickets. Instead of the traditional methods: waiting in line, entering the online lottery or donating $100, he went on Craigslist and bought tickets from a man who happened to be homeless. Being the most gracious person I know, my friend never told me how much he paid, but I suspect he paid the man generously for his time. A little unconventional, I know, but that's how I finally got to watch a Shakespeare play in Central Park - with my best friend, on a beautifully memorable Saturday evening, the sun gradually setting and transforming day to night as the backdrop of the stage - and it was absolutely magical. On a side note, you're allowed to bring food so we bought snacks for the 2hr 45min performance and had a little picnic by the Delacourt Theatre before the show. I recommend bringing your own food unless you want to overpay for hotdogs made from God knows what. read more

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What could be better than a warm June evening in the park, some wine and cheese, and Shakespeare? Apparently nothing for those three hours. A troupe of talented actors - both on and off Broadway, off-the-radar and famous - illustrated the tragicomedy The Winter's Tale this past Saturday. I was floored by the performance, both eloquent and fairy taled, a bit dark with a tad of hilarity, too. The stage itself is grand and beautiful, especially in the dark and lit by stage lights and candles. A 1/3 crescent was used as a moving background prop, and portions of the floor opened up to reveal all sorts of other props - and people. The sound system was excellent. I can't recommend it enough!! read more

Shakespeare In the Park - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

My family and I have gone to different plays over the years, and we always have a good time! It can be a tough process to get tickets, but for us it's totally worth it. There are multiple ways of getting tickets including a virtual lottery, physically waiting in line, and by becoming a Summer Supporter or through company sponsorship. Since I don't have the money or connections to get tickets via the latter, I prefer going there in person and waiting on line. If you secure a good spot on line, you're more guaranteed to get tickets versus the lottery. Since the line waiting can be an arduous experience, the employees/volunteers are very good about monitoring the line and everyone in it. They lay out all the ground rules for the line and for the play at the beginning of the day (7AM-ish). Please pay attention to the run down and make sure to follow all the rules because it will make things a lot easier for yourself and others. As for the plays themselves, I've never seen a bad one yet. They're usually very good at casting at least one big name celebrity who is experienced in Shakespeare, which does heighten the excitement a bit more. What's really nice about the theater is that since it has stadium seating, whatever ticket you're given will still have a good view of the play. They also have concession stands for food and drinks (including alcohol), and souvenir/merchandise stands. This is an old NYC tradition, and one that I love and hope goes on for many, many more years! I wouldn't say it's for everyone, but I find the effort to be worth the reward. Good luck everyone!! read more

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I got lucky and missed out on the line experience because I have an awesome friend. She was visiting from out of town, camped out with her friends to snag 8 tickets, and offered me one! They arrived around 4am and entertained themselves until 1pm. I'm also told that the line monitor was cute. It seems like a pretty civilized/orderly process. Seats are assigned. Just go to the right door. Drinks are allowed as long as it isn't in a glass bottle. I strongly recommend bug spray. There is a short intermission. We saw the Merchant of Venice. Excellent, quality production. Al Pacino, Jesse Martin, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Byron Jennings (factoid: he was a dean on Gossip Girl!), Heather Lind (who reminded me of Blair from GG), etc. Extra props to the actors for holding up in the heat wave. We left around 10:30 and a line was already forming for the next day. read more

Bravo! I was lucky enough to score two tickets via the virtual lottery on opening night to "Into the Woods". Whoo hoo! My first attempt and I got them without the notoriously crazy wait in line for a full house show! The musical itself was outstanding! The creative story line intertwines several children's fairy tales: Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel*. Everything was first rate: the performers, lyrics, orchestra, props. I was captivated the entire three hours. We actually thought the musical was over after the first half until the ushers kept saying "keep you tickets to re-enter!" So just FYI for those of you who don't read the program (like me), there's two halves and an intermission! There are no *bad* seats in this outdoor theater. My two tickets were center stage and more toward the back, but because it's stadium style seating, even a shorty like me was able to see with an unobstructed view. Pack a picnic (just no glass bottles), some insect repellent, and you're good to go. Try the virtual lottery! It takes just seconds to enter and if it's your lucky day, you'll score some really great entertainment for the evening. One of the perks of living in NYC...free summertime shows! *"Into the Woods" has nothing to do with any of Shakespeare's work even though it's playing at Shakespeare In the Park. Who woulda thought?! I went expecting to have to decipher some old school talk. read more

Lined up at around 9am for a Friday night performance of "Comedy of Errors". The line wasn't as long as I had feared (but it was during the first 2 weeks of the run). I was kind of afraid I wouldn't know what was going on, but the play was pretty easy to understand. The actors were all amazing. Even with a set technical malfunction in the middle of a scene (which caused a 10 minute delay), they were all really professional and played it off well. read more

Absolutely 5 Stars!! Yes, tickets can be hard to come by, but it's worth it! I attended the Measure for Measure performance and it was the finest Shakespeare performance I've ever seen. The actors are incredible and really bring the characters to life. The set changes were even mesmerizing; I was completely lost in the performance the whole time. The lighting was unique with the way the lights mixed with the natural lighting of the sunset...not to sound cheesy, but it was magical. It's so nice being in an outdoor theater in the park during the summer, you almost forget you're in Manhattan. The Public Fare food stand at the theater is on the pricey side, but worth it. They serve gourmet food. I loved having their egg BLT sandwich for breakfast, while waiting for the tickets. The gelato I had at intermission was also delish. The prosecco wasn't bad either ;) If you come prepared for the line with good company, chairs, and things to occupy yourself then time will go by fast. You need to arrive earlier in line for weekend shows as they are more popular...I would say 1:30- 2:00am to guarantee no problems (you never know with the season ending soon). The Shakespeare in the Park line is a New York experience and its great to see the "set ups" people will bring for the wait. read more

Shakespeare In the Park - Get in line! - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

One of the BEST theater experiences in NYC. When I took my sister and her husband--avid theater goers--they absolutely loved it. A must do in the city. read more

GO SEE CYMBALINE before it ends on 8/23!! It honestly was the most fantastic experience and I much preferred it to the Temptest. The theater itself is pretty small, which makes for a somewhat intimate experience, no matter where you're seating. I was lucking to have clear nights on both occasions, so I can't complain about the open-air setting. The food/drinks at the concessions stand were actually superb - hello Brooklyn Summer Ale. Pricey, obviously, but definitely a tad classier than your typical theater fare. There are many ways to win tickets via the lottery. I personally did not stand in line, but I would go and stand given the quality of the performance. read more

Shakespeare In the Park - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

During my 8+ years in NYC, I have learned that there are fewer and fewer things that are worth the hype. I had the lucky privilege of viewing Taming of the Shrew at Shakespeare in the Park on a Friday evening. I had miraculously won tickets via the Today Tix lottery, and I could not have been more excited for this experience. The seating and atmosphere was fantastic alone - outdoors in Central Park - but the play was just so well done. The cast was talented, the costumes amazing and choreography on point. There was even a few minutes where they had to pause the play to move a car off the stage that got stuck, and one actress just hopped to center stage and did a bit of clearly impromptu entertainment, perhaps one of my favorite moments of the night. If you can snag tix to Shakespeare in the Park, absolutely drop everything and do it. I'll definitely be taking a closer look at The Public's performances outside of this moving forward, too!! Bravo! read more

Shakespeare In the Park - Taming of the Shrew - Shakespeare in the Park - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

I entered the lottery to win a pair of tickets but missed my chance to claim them. Customer service representative, Kimberly was very nice. I spoke with her around the time unclaimed tickets reenter a pool for the 8PM show on a first come, first serve basis , so I was fortunate to reclaim my pair then. 'Twas my very first time at this outdoor theatre. We arrived close to curtain time, (around 7:45PM). Our tickets were held at the box office- which much to our surprise, there was no wait. Easily recognizable staff was plentiful, friendly and helpful in getting you where you have to go. Speaking of going- ladies, be prepared to stand in line to use the ladies room. That line was at least 20 deep- as that's the only restroom facility in the vicinity. I'm not much of a critique on plays and such but I enjoyed it. The director/writer had a certain presidential candidate in mind as the play was interspersed with quips and digs at said candidate. The seats were not the best; the chairs themselves were narrow and I began feeling uncomfortable about halfway through the play :-/Had I had known, I would have brought a seat cushion. Also, where I sat, they're not much on legroom either. I'm 5' 10" and it took effort to keep from kneeing the man in the row ahead. Another distraction :-/ read more

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This was my first time at Shakespeare In The Park. I had won tickets in the lottery previously but the performance was cancelled because an actor tested positive for a contagious disease. I eventually won a new ticket the next month from Goldstar, a company recently selected to manage ticket distribution. Due to pandemic rules, all tickets were only available via the online system which made it easier to win one. Central Park was purposively NOT designed with a grid system so I can thank Google Streets for finding me a route through the woods to find the theater. The Merry Wives Of Windsor, set in Harlem, was amazingly funny, clear and enticing with incredible mobile set designs. There was no playbill but all the information is available online. Other than for some back issues with 30 minutes to go, I had a great time. read more

I {heart} NY! wow, we got free tickets in the virtual line on the first try... beats standing in line at 6am :) I can not explain how impressed I am with the production of "Twelfth Night". I love the multi-functional grass stage. It has a very contemporary design language... rolling, curvy shapes. The cast was great - fun to see Anne Hathaway - but hard to pick a favorite... everyone was outstanding. It was a bit of a cool night, and luckily I brought a warm sweater, but I saw some wearing just a T-shirt... uh, no pneumonia for me, please... it can get cold, sitting there for 3 hours. $6 beers (large can) at concession stand. read more

Shakespeare In the Park - No, no, I didn't take this picture. - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

I came here like 9 years ago and haven't gone back since the line for these tickets are CRAZY. I watched Merchant of Venice - it was lovely. read more

This is such a treat for anyone with even the slightest appreciation for the arts. If lining up for tickets, it's best to get there before 10:30. Otherwise, you'll likely end up with single tickets (not together) or none at all. The first people in line when we went had been there since 6am with blankets, lawn chairs etc. - people camp out for real. With that said, it is totally worth whatever means (lining up, raffle, etc.) and gamble. The performers are entertaining to the max and can bring to life any Victorian plays. The amphitheater is great and surprisingly organized given the usual crowd. You can also bring any food and drinks (no glass), as play is usually ~3 hours with 15 intermission. Definitely recommend. read more

Shakespeare In the Park - Stage set-up for Cymbeline - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

I am glad I could cross this off my bucket list. Outdoor theatre, fabulous actors, strolling around Central Park before the show - it made for a great way to spend the evening. The free tickets are distributed at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park at 12 noon. I have heard the queue gets pretty crazy and people start lining up since early morning. On specific dates, a limited number of vouchers are distributed at locations though out the five boroughs. I won two tickets for The Comedy of Errors on the daily lottery. Amenities: Food and drink are available for purchase at the cafe outside the theatre. Restrooms are located near the theatre. The performance by the actors was good. We got a little surprise when the actors started speaking Shakespearean. I had assumed the show would be in normal English. It was a little hard to follow at first; but since we already knew the story of The Comedy of Errors it became easier. We were sitting in Row S section M, and had a pretty good view of the stage. The lighting and sound was great. The stage was beautifully designed. The show was really funny and we had a great time. I would love to catch other performances! read more

Shakespeare In the Park - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

What a wonderful experience! I recommend anyone living in or visiting New York during the summer attend this at least once. I was lucky enough to score 2 tickets through the online lottery (visit the Public Theater's website for details) to see Cymbaline. Here is how that works: Sign up for an account on the Public Theater's website and apply for tickets to show before noon on the day you would like to attend. If you are selected you should receive an email by 1pm saying so. You then have to pick up your tickets from the will call booth at the theater itself before 7pm. Arrive any later, and you are out of luck - unclaimed tickets go directly to the standby line. The concession stand has a variety of options, though few of them are vegetarian friendly. That said, you're not there for the food, you're there for The Bard! The gates to the seating area opened at around 7:30 and the show promptly started at 8. There don't seem to be any bad seats in the place since the acoustics are pretty good. One cool thing you'll notice is how peaceful the Delacorte Theater is - it's hard to believe you are in the middle of the city! Two thumbs up, I can't wait to go back next year. read more

Shakespeare In the Park - The stage, set up for Cymbaline - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

What an awesome experience. If you don't love Shakespeare or have the ability to "deal" with it, this isn't the show for you. I'm not a huge fan of Shakespeare but I don't despise it either, so this was definitely one of the things on my list to try. I saw All is Well That Ends Well and getting tickets is so much easier with the Virtual Ticketing process. It's kind of exciting when 1PM rolls around and I find out if I got tickets or not. Luckily I did eventually get them and luckily it wasn't a hot summer night. You are allowed to bring food and snacks, just no glass bottles. Also, NO PICTURES! They must have some sort of radar because as soon as a picture is taken, they run over to you and make you delete it...while they watch. The show itself is around two hours with an intermission inbetween. The seats are hard and you don't have much space, but it is bearable. Overall, it was a great experience and worth checking out at least once. read more

NYC is hell for middle class citizens. Politicians only think of their wallet and their base. The Delacorte is one of the few local institutions I still respect and cherish. They are a moral and artistic example to a city is as corrupt as any Roman Empire under Julius Caesar. read more

"O, wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, That has such people in't!" The Tempest I had no idea what I was getting into that morning as I woke at dawn but after the line was done, tickets were received, performance was given, I left the Delacorte thinking that parting was such sweet sorrow, so I said goodnight till it be morrow. I went on a Wednesday (yes I have a job but I work at a school and had the day off) and got there at 8:30am. Come prepared with chairs, snacks, crossword puzzles and a friend to talk to. All that made the time fly by. Around 9:30 the staff will announce some house rules: you can only leave the line to go to the bathroom, no one new can join the line, tickets are handed out at 12, each person can have 2 tickets, you cannot sell the tickets, you can bring food and drink inside the theatre, even alcohol but no glass, etc etc. As long as your not over the second hill from the start of the line you should get tickets. I wish you all good luck and hope you get to enjoy a show, and maybe even have some celebrity sightings - we saw Sam Watterson and Tyler Ferguson in The Tempest, and all the actors were amazing! read more

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I'm not really a fan of shakespeare, and the first 30 minutes of A Comedy of Errors left me utterly confused since I couldn't understand what the actors were saying. Eventually I caught on and it got better. The overall experience is very cool and even better to be able to use this as a date night for free makes it amazing. Come early and check out the garden and the castle. Only bad thing about this is the ticketing system since you have to get lucky and win them online. read more

I was really blown away by "The Comedy of Errors" last week!! I had low expectations because it is Shakespeare...but then again, his lines can be so witty in subtle ways that really make you LOL. And yes, I was cracking up at the various lines throughout the play. You have to really pay attention to get it all! Haha. I liked the props, scenery and just...being able to sit outside on a warm, Sunday night and enjoy some live entertainment. Oh, and the best part? It's absolutely free! I just did the virtual online drawing each day for 5 days, and on Sunday, my boo and I both won two tickets so we could come with our 2 friends :). Yay! Just to add-I recently went to see "Love's Labour's Lost" as well, and got the virutal online drawing on a Sunday yet again! It was raining, however, so while it was cool to see the actors perform in the rain, they eventually stopped the show after a little over an hour passed :( booo. But, the show was scenic, bubbly and fun while it lasted! read more