Shakespeare In The Park Returns To Central Park This Summer

CENTRAL PARK, NY — Theater performances will return to Central Park this summer, as the beloved Shakespeare in the Park series plots a comeback following a year off due to the pandemic, organizers announced Tuesday.

"This is good news, this is positive news, this is hope," said Mayor Bill de Blasio in a news conference at the Delacorte Theater, where the program has been held since the 1960s. "Shakespeare in the Park is the epitome of the New York ideal."

The free, outdoor shows at the Delacorte will begin July 5 with an eight-week run of "Merry Wives," an adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Merry Wives of Windsor," according to the Public Theater, which sponsors the program.

The adaptation will be set in South Harlem, "amidst a vibrant and eclectic community of West African immigrants," the Public Theater said in a news release. Adapted by Jocelyn Bioh and directed by Saheem Ali, it will run through Aug. 29.

In the coming weeks, organizers will share a more detailed performance schedule, as well as information on safety protocols and ticket distribution. (In normal times, people line up for hours outside the theater to score a pair of free tickets, given out at noon before each show.)

The Delacorte, nestled under Belvedere Castle and overlooking Turtle Pond, normally seats about 1,800 people, but current state rules limit capacity to 33 percent. Still, the theater hopes that restrictions might be eased before opening night, allowing for more guests, the New York Times reported.

"The Delacorte is a tool for knitting together the fabric of New York," said Oskar Eustis, the Public Theater's artistic director, at Monday's news conference. "This collective experience is what makes New York special — because it can’t be bought."

The series return was organized in partnership with city officials, health and safety experts and theatrical unions, the Public Theater said.

Free Shakespeare in the Park began in 1962 after the Delacorte was built, managed since the start by the Public Theater.

Last summer, organizers held off for months before finally announcing in August that the series would not be held for the first time in 58 years.

"Every summer for the last 58 years we have reveled in gathering under the stars at the magical Delacorte Theater for Free Shakespeare in the Park," the Public Theater wrote at the time. "But this year is different. This year, we must stand together in keeping our city and each other safe."

Earlier this month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that arts, entertainment and event venues could reopen at 33 percent capacity starting April 2. Broadway theaters, however, are sticking to their plan to remain dark through at least May 30.