Pub In The Park

William Shakespeare has been one of the most popular and well known playwrights throughout the world for the last four hundred years. He continues to be produced on stages across the globe new generations of fans develop as time rolls on. He is arguably the greatest writer to have ever existed, though to many people that’s not only a critical but also subjective designation. However, what is not subjective is the fact that he has written some of the most popular comedies, tragedies and histories in the world. With that in mind it is only fitting that Shakespeare also be a traditional aspect of one of the most famous theatre companies in New York.

Every summer the Public Theatre company presents their Shakespeare in the Park series which is one of the most popular and famous occurrences in Central Park. Most of the seasons, including the upcoming 2010 season include two productions that are presented in repertory and frequently they feature some of the same cast members. This year the festival will include The Winter’s Tale and The Merchant of Venice. Generally there are some star studded casts and this season’s biggest name is Al Pacino. Pacino is one of Hollywood’s biggest names though he is no stranger to Shakespeare or the stage. In fact, he performed the role of Shylock in a film version of Merchant of Venice, which also featured Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes.

There are many events and activities that occur in New York’s famous park throughout the summer, and the Shakespeare performances are always at the top of most tourists’ lists. There are free tickets available and most of the hotels in Manhattan will have information on how to access them, as well as the Public Theatre and the Shakespeare series. The two plays that are being featured for this season will be directed by Daniel Sullivan and Michael Greif. Additional cast members include Lily Rabe, Max Wright, Jesse L. Martin, Ruben Santiago-Hudson and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. The generous sponsorship of Bank of America is one of the major contributing factors that helps to keep this festival free to the public. Individual donations to the company are also greatly appreciated and have their own important place in the continued success of this series as well as other productions.

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