August Shakespeare in the Park

Each year in Central Park, we get treated to one of summer’s finest events, and a free one at that. Yes, it’s summer time and Shakespeare in the Park is returning.

The Public Theatre produces this marvelous event each year at the open-air Delacorte Theatre in Central Park. Some of America’s finest actors have performed on this famed stage, including Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Chekov’s The Seagul, Morgan Freeman in The Taming of the Shrew, Patrick Stewart in The Tempest and, perhaps most remarkably, Al Pacino in The Merchant of Venice.

This summer’s play is Troilus and Cressida, through Aug. 14, directed by Daniel Sullivan, who previously directed All’s Well That Ends Well, The Merchant of Venice (with Pacino) and King Lear.

Shakespeare in the Park runs until Aug. 14. Performances generally run from Tuesday to Sunday.

If you want to make sure you get a seat to this wonderful event, get there early. Seat availability is highest during the first week of performances. You can line up the traditional way and hope to get a ticket at the entrance or else enter an online lottery.