The Public Theater announced its 2026 Free Shakespeare in the Park season Monday, marking the return of the summer tradition to a newly renovated Delacorte Theater. The upcoming season, titled “Shakespeare For The City,” will run from May 22 through September 8 and is expected to reach more than 130,000 people across the five boroughs.
The season begins with a production of Romeo and Juliet directed by Saheem Ali. The play runs from May 22 through June 28, with an official opening night set for June 11. This staging marks the first time in nearly 20 years the tragedy has appeared at the Delacorte. In a unique creative choice, the title characters will speak to each other in Spanish, a language the production reserves for their private world.
“While Romeo and Juliet endures as one of the greatest love stories ever told, it is equally a cautionary tale about the devastating consequences of division within a society,” Ali said in a statement. “Shakespeare has something urgent and heartbreaking to say about how the young and innocent become collateral in wars they did not choose.”
The cast features Ra’Mya Latiah Aikens as Juliet and Daniel Bravo Hernández as Romeo. The ensemble includes veteran performers LaChanze, Deirdre O’Connell, and Okieriete Onaodowan.
Following the opening production, Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan will direct The Winter’s Tale, which runs from July 25 through August 23. The summer lineup also includes a Public Works production in August and a citywide tour of As You Like It by the Mobile Unit, directed by Emma Rosa Went.
To celebrate the reopening of the theater, The Public will host a kickoff event on Saturday, May 30, from noon to 5:00 p.m. featuring family activities. The theater will also introduce “Summer Fridays” on June 5, June 19, August 7, August 14, and August 21. These dates will include open house tours in the afternoon and evening picnics with live music.
In partnership with Citizens, The Public is expanding its borough distribution program to 50 locations, including 12 bank branches. The first distribution will take place May 23 at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden in Staten Island.
“By offering city wide ticket distributions at our branches, we’re expanding access to Free Shakespeare in the Park,” said Artistic Director Oskar Eustis. He noted that the initiative makes it easier for New Yorkers to experience world class theater within their own neighborhoods.
Tickets remain free for all performances. In addition to the borough distributions, tickets can be acquired through the digital lottery on TodayTix or the traditional in person line at the Delacorte Theater. A limited number of seats are also available to donors who support The Public Theater with contributions starting at $300.
Full distribution schedules and performance calendars are available at PublicTheater.org.
