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Shakespeare in the Park

Shakespeare in the Park 2025

May 26, 20253 min read

It's that time of year again!


The Delacorte Theater in Central Park will be presenting only one of the Bard's classics his summer. (The program is in it's second decade, if you can believe it!)

Unfortunately, there's only one production this year, instead of the usual two. The good news is it's one of the bard's best: Twelfth Night, his comedy featuring twins Viola and Sebastian (played by Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o and her brother Junior Nyong'o), who are separated in a shipwreck. Sandra Oh plays Olivia, the mourning noblewoman who takes a shine to Viola when she's dressed as a boy. The all-star cast is rounded out by Peter Dinklage, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Khris Davis, Bill Camp and Moses Sumney.

Performances start on August 7 and run through September 14, and take place at 8 PM. Tickets are free, but necessary to get in. As always, there are several ways to claim your spot:

Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at the Delacorte at noon on the day of the show. Be aware, the line will be long, so get there early! Before you go, you need to register at the Public Theater website and receive a Public Theater Patron ID. There are special lines for senior citizens and people with disabilities. Tix are limited to two per person.


An in-person lottery at the Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street at Astor Place) takes place on each performance date. Again, you'll need that Public Theater Patron ID. Just head to The Ford Foundation Lobby at The Public starting at 11 AM. The lottery will be drawn at noon. If you're a lucky winner, you can trade in your voucher at the Delacorte Theater box office in Central Park between 5:30 and 7:30 PM.


You can also scoop up seats via the Today Tix app, another lottery. You can enter for one or two tickets between midnight and noon on the day of the show. You'll be notified if you got them through the app between noon and 3 PM, and you must confirm within 30 minutes.


And, finally, there's an eleventh hour stand-by line. Any unused tickets will be distributed starting at 6 PM through the beginning of the performance. There's a limit of two to a customer for these tickets as well.

It's a bit of, well, a thing to nab the freebies, but believe us, the performances are always worth it. We love the fact that the folks at the Public Theater want everyone to get a chance to experience the Bard, regardless of income.


The Delacorte is a quick ride from the hotel on the B or C train to 81st Street. Head here for a complete rundown on the plays, registration, and the ticket distribution.

Pro tip: try and go the first week of performances, before reviews and word of mouth increase ticket demand. Also, attend on a not-great-weather day. The show will usually go on, unless there's really a downpour, and it's worth it to stand in a little drizzle, isn't it? We're hardy souls!

Image via ChainGangPictures/iStock

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