MANHATTAN — The Public Theater has announced its free Shakespeare in the Park lineup for the 2016 season in honor of the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death.
The Delacorte Theater in Central Park will host the summer-long celebration of the Bard starting in May. Tickets to the performances are free, but you do have to wait in the notoriously long line to secure your seat.
Here's a look at what theatergoers can expect this summer:
"The Taming of the Shrew"
When: May 24 to June 26
Tony Award-nominated director Phyllida Lloyd — who recently directed an all-female adaption of "Henry IV" — will be at the helm of staging a new, all-female rendition of the comedy "The Taming of the Shrew." Actresses Cush Jumbo and Janet McTeer have been cast as Katherine and Petruchio, respectively.
"Troilus and Cressida"
When: July 19 to Aug. 14
The second production for the 2016 season will be the rarely staged "Troilus and Cressida," directed by Tony Award-winner Daniel Sullivan. The play is a surprisingly modern tragedy and is characterized as one of Shakespeare’s “problem plays.”
Public Works: "Twelfth Night"
When: Sept. 2 to 6
Following "Troilus and Cressida," the Public Theater's Public Works program will put on a musical adaptation of "Twelfth Night." The play will be conceived by Kwame Kewi-Armah and Shaina Taub. This the Public Works program's fourth year.
