The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park has returned to the newly renovated Delacorte Theater in Central Park and runs through September 14. The series, started by Public Theater founder Joseph Papp in 1954, is completely free of charge to attendees.
The current season boasts performances of “Twelfth Night,” which stars Lupita Nyong’o, Sandra Oh, and Peter Dinklage, and features a diverse cast of players reinterpreting the critically lauded, gender-bending comedy for today’s audiences. Shakespeare in the Park’s “Twelfth Night” provides laughter and raises questions about societal and gender roles that are as relevant today as they were when the play debuted in the 1600s.
In a New York City tradition, fans online have reported lining up as early as 5 a.m. to score tickets to the coveted show; however, some folks’ schedules might make doing so next to impossible.
Luckily, there has been a push by the Public Theater to make these free, in-demand tickets even more accessible. Currently, there are five ways to score free tickets to a performance, which are distributed on the day of each show.
You can wait in line outside the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Public Theater employees begin monitoring the line at around 6 a.m., but some attendees line up much earlier. Hundreds of people flock to the theater daily with lawn chairs and snacks, braving the weather and time to earn a spot in the theater. This option is best for people who have flexibility in their schedules and can spend long hours outside, but may not be ideal for everyone.
This year, the Public Theater is distributing tickets at various Citizen Bank locations in the five boroughs, giving fans who may not have the means to trek to Central Park in the wee hours of the morning an opportunity to attend a performance of “Twelfth Night.” I showed up to a Wednesday morning distribution line in the Bronx at about 10:45 p.m. and they had only just started advising people at the end of the line to go home, with 100–200 people waiting at the time — significantly fewer than in Central Park. This is a better option for people who do not live in or close to Manhattan, and do not have flexible mornings.
The Public Theater also hosts a daily, in-person lottery in their lobby (425 Lafayette Street, near Astor Place). They take names from 11a.m.–12 p.m. and begin drawing at noon. On a Wednesday morning, roughly 150–200 people were signed up for the lottery, and the theater gave away roughly 50 spots. This is a great option for people in the area with flexible dates who may have a free hour on their lunch break or otherwise.
An online lottery system is also available through the ticketing service TodayTix, although the odds of winning are unclear, nor how many tickets are distributed through these channels. This could be a good option for someone with flexible dates, but without the time or means to get tickets during regular distribution hours.
As a last resort, a standby line opens at the Delacorte Theater after the last ticket is distributed for the day. This is an option for anyone who may have missed the distribution window, doesn’t have flexible dates, but really wants to see the show.
The r/Broadway community on Reddit has created a daily “megathread” where users can report line activity. Check these out to give you a sense of your odds, and the best option is for you. Good luck and happy hunting!
More information can be found here.
