Steve On Broadway (SOB)

Public Theater's 2006 Shakespeare in the Park Officially Starts

Public Theater's 2006 Shakespeare in the Park Officially Starts

This week marked the official start to the 2006 "Shakespeare in the Park" performances staged by New York's acclaimed Public Theater. Joseph Papp began the tradition for millions of New Yorkers back in 1962 at Central Park's Delacorte Theater. Macbeth is the season's first production and will be followed by Mother Courage and Her Children.

Despite some critical misgivings over Moisés Kaufman's direction of The Bard's Macbeth, there's little surprise that Liev Schreiber has been lauded for his portrayal of the title role. Macbeth will continue through July 9 with all performances scheduled for 8:30 pm.

The next production to play at the Delacorte Theater will be the "world premiere" of playwright Tony Kushner's adaptation of Mother Courage and Her Children, a seminal work by Bertolt Brecht. Running from August 8 through September 3, this George C. Wolfe-helmed production will feature one of the year's most dazzling array of actors, starting with Meryl Streep and Christopher Walken, and featuring such standouts as Austin Pendleton and Jack Noseworthy. The survival tale follows Mother Courage (Streep) during the course of a devastating war that is claiming the lives of her children.

Free Tickets for both shows may be obtained on the day of the performance starting at 1 pm at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park or from 1 to 3 pm at The Public Theater's box office located at 425 Lafayette Street.

Finally, in related news, the Public Theater has announced that Kevin Kline will assume the titular role of King Lear slated for this fall.

Click here for more ticket information.

Labels: Meryl Streep, Off-Broadway, Public Theater

posted by Steve On Broadway (SOB) @ Friday, June 30, 2006