List of Shakespeare in the Park productions at the Delacorte Theater

__NOTOC__ The Public Theater has produced over 120 plays and musicals at the Delacorte Theater in New York City's Central Park since the theater's opening in 1962. Currently the series is produced under the brand Free Shakespeare in the Park, and all productions are staged at the Delacorte. In past decades, the series was branded The New York Shakespeare Festival and encompassed productions at both the Delacorte and the Public's downtown location in the former Astor Library.

Henry VIII, staged in 1997, was celebrated as the final work of the Shakespearean canon to be performed as part of the series, but within productions staged at the Delacorte, Macbeth was not performed until 2006 and, , the three parts of Henry VI have not been performed except as the heavily abridged Wars of the Roses in 1970.

With the 2022 season, As You Like It joined Measure for Measure, Twelfth Night, and Much Ado About Nothing as the most-performed works, each having been produced six times (including musical adaptations).

Productions before the Delacorte All plays are by William Shakespeare. Except as noted, all productions were staged in Central Park on or adjacent to the site of the future Delacorte Theater.

Year Work performed Director Notable cast members Ref.1956Julius CaesarStuart Vaughan Cannon, Walter MasseyThe Taming of the ShrewStuart Vaughan Cannon, Colleen Dewhurst1957Romeo and JulietStuart Vaughan Stephen Joyce, Bryarly Lee The Two Gentlemen of VeronaStuart Vaughan Robert Blackburn, Paul Stevens MacbethStuart Vaughan Roy Poole 1958OthelloStuart VaughanPeter Bogdanovich, Steven Gilborn, Ellen Holly, George Morfogen, Edwin Sherin, Paul Shyre 1959Julius CaesarStuart VaughanFranklin Cover, Staats Cotsworth, Rex Everhart, Ernest Graves, John Harkins, John Heffernan, Donald Madden1960Henry VJoseph PappTom Aldredge, Ed Asner, Roberts Blossom, Roger C. Carmel, Barry Dennen, James Earl Jones, Raymond St. Jacques, Kathleen Widdoes, Louis ZorichThe Taming of the ShrewGerald FreedmanBarbara Ann Barrie, Joseph Bova, Cannon, Roger C. Carmel, John Heffernan, Christina Pickles Frederic Warriner, Jane White1961Much Ado About NothingJoseph Papp Cannon, Nan Martin, Philip SterlingA Midsummer Night's DreamJoel J. FriedmanJonathan Farwell, James Earl Jones, Patricia Routledge, Kathleen WiddoesRichard IIGladys Vaughan Cannon, James Earl Jones

Productions at the Delacorte

All plays are by William Shakespeare except as noted.

Year Work performed Director Notable cast members Ref.1962The Merchant of VeniceJoseph Papp & Gladys Vaughan Nan Martin, George C. Scott The TempestGerald Freedman Paul Stevens King LearJoseph Papp & Gladys Vaughan Frank Silvera 1963Antony and CleopatraJoseph Papp Colleen Dewhurst, Michael Higgins As You Like ItGerald Freedman Paula Prentiss The Winter's TaleGladys Vaughan Mitchell Ryan 1964HamletJoseph Papp Robert Burr, Alfred Ryder OthelloGladys Vaughan James Earl Jones, Mitchell Ryan ElectraGerald Freedman Lee Grant 1965Love's Labour's LostGerald Freedman Richard Jordan CoriolanusGladys VaughanRobert Burr, Staats Cotsworth Troilus and CressidaJoseph Papp Flora Elkins, Richard Jordan 1966All's Well That Ends WellJoseph Papp Barbara Barrie Measure for MeasureMichael KahnShepperd StrudwickRichard IIIGerald Freedman Joseph Bova 1967The Comedy of ErrorsGerald Freedman King JohnJoseph Papp Robert Burr, Harris Yulin Titus AndronicusGerald Freedman 1968Henry IV, Part IGerald Freedman Henry IV, Part IIRomeo and JulietJoseph Papp Susan McArthur, Martin Sheen 1969Peer GyntGerald Freedman Stacy Keach Twelfth NightJoseph Papp 1970The Wars of the RosesStuart Vaughan 1971Timon of AthensGerald FreedmanShepperd Strudwick Two Gentlemen of VeronaMel ShapiroCymbelineA.J. Antoon Tom Aldredge, Karen Grassle 1972HamletGerald Freedman Stacy Keach Ti-Jean and His BrothersDerek WalcottMuch Ado About NothingA. J. Antoon 1973As You Like ItJoseph Papp Kathleen Widdoes King LearEdwin Sherin James Earl Jones 1974Pericles, Prince of TyreEdward Berkeley Randall Duk Kim The Merry Wives of WindsorDavid Margulies Barnard Hughes 1975HamletMichael Rudman Sam Waterston The Comedy of ErrorsJohn Pasquin 1976Henry VJoseph Papp Paul Ryan Rudd Measure for MeasureJohn Pasquin Sam Waterston 1977The Threepenny OperaRichard Foreman AgamemnonAndrei ȘerbanGloria Foster, Ron O'Neal, Dianne Wiest1978All's Well That Ends WellWilford Leach Pamela Reed The Taming of the ShrewWilford Leach Raul Julia, Meryl Streep 1979CoriolanusWilford Leach Morgan Freeman, Maurice Woods OthelloWilford Leach Richard Dreyfuss, Raul Julia 1980The Pirates of PenzanceWilford LeachKevin Kline1981The TempestLee Breuer Raul Julia Henry IV, Part IDes McAnuff 1982Don JuanRichard Foreman Roy Brocksmith, John Seitz A Midsummer Night's DreamJames Lapine 1983Richard IIIJane Howell Kevin Kline Wilford Leach Joe Grifasi, Ron Leibman, Carolyn Dennis, Priscilla Lopez 1984Henry VWilford Leach Kevin Kline The GolemRichard Foreman F. Murray Abraham 1985Measure for MeasureJoseph Papp John Getz The Mystery of Edwin DroodWilford Leach Betty Buckley, George Rose 1986Twelfth NightWilford Leach MedeaYukio NinagawaMikijirō Hira1987Richard IIJoseph Papp Peter MacNicol The Two Gentlemen of VeronaStuart Vaughan Thomas Gibson, James M. Goodwin, Elizabeth McGovern Henry IV, Part IJoseph PappDonald Moffat, Tony ShalhoubTitus AndronicusCharles Ludlam1988Much Ado About NothingGerald Freedman King JohnStuart Vaughan Kevin Conway, Jay O. Sanders 1989Twelfth NightHarold Guskin Titus AndronicusMichael Maggio Donald Moffat 1990Richard IIIRobin Phillips Denzel Washington The Taming of the ShrewA. J. Antoon Morgan Freeman, Tracey Ullman 1991OthelloJoe Dowling Raul Julia, Christopher Walken A Midsummer Night's Dream 1992As You Like ItAdrian Hall Elizabeth McGovern The Comedy of ErrorsCacá Rosset 1993Measure for MeasureMichael Rudman Lisa Gay Hamilton, Kevin Kline All's Well That Ends WellRichard Jones Miriam Healy-Louie 1994The Merry Wives of WindsorDaniel Sullivan Brian Murray The Two Gentlemen of VeronaAdrian HallJoel de la Fuente, Malcolm Gets, Lisa Gay Hamilton1995The TempestGeorge C. Wolfe Patrick Stewart Troilus and CressidaMark Wing-Davey Neal Huff, Elizabeth Marvel 1996Henry VDoug Hughes Andre Braugher Timon of AthensBrian Kulick Michael Cumpsty 1997Henry VIIIMary Zimmerman Ruben Santiago-Hudson On the TownGeorge C. Wolfe 1998CymbelineAndrei Șerban Stephanie Roth Haberle The Skin of Our TeethIrene Lewis Frances Conroy, John Goodman, Kristen Johnston, Novella Nelson, John Ortiz, Lola Pashalinski 1999The Taming of the ShrewMel Shapiro Allison Janney, Jay O. Sanders TartuffeMark Brokaw Dylan Baker, Danielle Ferland, Dana Ivey, Charles Kimbrough, Curtis McClarin, Wendell Pierce, J. Smith-Cameron, Mary Testa2000The Winter's TaleBrian Kulick Keith David Julius Caesar Barry Edelstein Dennis Boutsikaris, David McCallum, Jamey Sheridan 2001Measure for MeasureMary Zimmerman Joe Morton The SeagullMike Nichols Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kevin Kline, Natalie Portman, Meryl Streep 2002 Twelfth NightBrian Kulick 2003 Henry VMark Wing-Davey Liev Schreiber 2004 Much Ado About NothingDavid Esbjornson 2005As You Like ItMark Lamos Lynn Collins Two Gentlemen of VeronaKathleen Marshall Rosario Dawson, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Oscar Isaac, Norm Lewis2006MacbethMoisés Kaufman Liev Schreiber Mother Courage and Her ChildrenGeorge C. Wolfe Kevin Kline, Jenifer Lewis, Austin Pendleton, Meryl Streep2007A Midsummer Night's DreamDaniel Sullivan Romeo and JulietMichael Greif Lauren Ambrose, Oscar Isaac 2008HairDiane PaulusJonathan Groff, Patina Miller, Will Swenson, Karen OlivoHamletOskar Eustis Michael Stuhlbarg 2009The BacchaeJoAnne Akalaitis Jonathan Groff, Anthony Mackie Twelfth NightDaniel Sullivan 2010The Merchant of VeniceDaniel Sullivan Al Pacino, Lily Rabe The Winter's TaleMichael Greif Ruben Santiago-Hudson 2011All's Well That Ends WellDaniel Sullivan Annie Parisse Measure for MeasureDavid Esbjornson Lorenzo Pisoni 2012As You Like ItDaniel Sullivan Lily Rabe Into The WoodsTimothy SheaderAmy Adams, Donna Murphy, Denis O'Hare2013The Comedy of ErrorsDaniel Sullivan Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Hamish Linklater Love's Labour's Lost, A New MusicalAlex Timbers 2014Much Ado About NothingJack O'Brien King LearDaniel Sullivan John Lithgow 2015The TempestMichael Greif Sam Waterston CymbelineDaniel Sullivan Hamish Linklater, Lily Rabe 2016The Taming of the ShrewPhyllida Lloyd Cush Jumbo, Janet McTeer Troilus and CressidaDaniel Sullivan Andrew Burnap, Ismenia Mendes 2017Julius CaesarOskar Eustis Gregg Henry, Corey Stoll, John Douglas Thompson A Midsummer Night's DreamLear deBessonet 2018OthelloRuben Santiago-Hudson Chukwudi Iwuji, Corey Stoll Twelfth NightOskar Eustis & KwameKweiArmah 2019Much Ado About NothingKenny Leon CoriolanusDaniel Sullivan Teagle F. Bougere, Jonathan Cake 2020Richard IISaheem AliAs You Like ItLaurie Woolery 2021 Merry WivesSaheem Ali Jacob Ming-Trent 2022Richard IIIRobert O'Hara Danai Gurira As You Like ItLaurie Woolery Rebecca Naomi Jones 2023 HamletKenny Leon Ato Blankson-Wood The Tempest Laurie Woolley Renée Elise Goldsberry, Naomi Pierre 2024Delacorte Theater closed for renovations2025 Twelfth NightSaheem AliLupita Nyong'o, Khris Davis, Sandra Oh, Junior Nyong'o, Peter Dinklage, Moses Sumney, John Ellison Conlee, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, b, Joe Tapper, and Kapil Talwalkar2026Romeo and JulietSaheem AliDaniel Bravo Hernández, Ra'Mya Latiah Aikens, Deirdre O'Connell, Francis Jue, Glenn Fleshler, LaChanze, Caleb Joshua Eberhardt, Zack Lopez Roa, Ariyan Kassam, Martin K. Lewis, Jason Manuel Olazábal, Mariand Torres, and Jessica PimentelThe Winter's TaleDaniel SullivanRaúl Esparza, Lily Rabe, Gilbert Owuor, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Daniel Kyri, Isabela Ferrer, Teagle F. Bougere, Steven Skybell, Chuck Cooper, Michael Khalid Karadsheh, Matthew Eby, Alex Hernandez, Matt E. Russell, Jennifer Mogbock, and Aubie Merrylees

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