Shakespeare In The Park Announces 2020 Line-Up

CENTRAL PARK, NY — New Yorkers hoping to get their hands on one of the highly coveted Shakespeare in the Park tickets can officially start making plans for the summer shows.

The Public Theater has announced the line-up for their annual Shakespeare in the Park season, the long-running free shows at Central park's Delacorte Theater.

The popular summer event has been offering up free productions of the playwright's works and other classical musicals or plays since 1962. This year, that will include one of Shakespeare's dramas, which hasn't been at the Delacorte for 30 years, and a musical adaptation of one of his plays, organizers said.

Organizers haven't yet announced details about this year's tickets, but in past years New Yorkers have lined up in the park to snag a spot in the theater. Last year Public Theater started an initiative started to offer the tickets in all five boroughs through libraries, recreation centers and other distribution spots.

Here are details about the 2020 shows:

May 19 through June 21 — Richard II

Directed by Saheem Ali, this show will be appearing at The Delacorte for the first time in over 30 years.

Richard II has been staged at The Delacorte only once before, in a 1987 production directed by Shakespeare in the Park founder Joseph Papp and featuring Peter MacNicol as Richard II, Marian Seldes as Duchess of Gloucester, Tony Shalhoub as Sir William Bagot, John Bedford Lloyd as Henry Bolingbroke, Tom Aldredge as John of Gaunt, and Rocky Carroll as Sir Henry Green.

July 14 through August 8 — As You Like It

This show is adapted by Shaina Taub and Director of Public Works Laurie Woolery, with music and lyrics by Shaina Taub, original choreography by Sonya Tayeh, and directed by Laurie Woolery.

The work of participatory theater features an ensemble of both professional actors and community members from across New York, brought together through ThePublic Theater’s groundbreaking initiative Public Works. Named on The New York Times’ Best Theater of 2017, Public Works’ As You Like It is an immersive tale of faithful friends, feuding families, and lovers in disguise.

The cast of As You Like It will include Darius de Haas (Duke Senior), Joél Pérez (Touchstone), andShaina Taub (Jaques), reprising their roles from the original Public Works production. They will be joined by two rotating ensembles of community members from all five boroughs to perform together on The Delacorte stage in this enchanting comedy. Complete casting will be announced at a later date.