By Elizabeth McMillan

There’s nothing like summers in New York City. And there’s no better place to spend your time outdoors than at the New York Shakespeare Festival. Believing that New Yorkers should have the chance to see Shakespeare free of charge, founder Joseph Papp parked his mobile theater in Central Park and invited audiences to share his passion for the classics. Five years later, the Delacorte Theater, an open-air amphitheater, was erected as the festival’s permanent home and has become one of the City’s most beloved cultural summer hangouts.

In addition to exploring Shakespeare’s repertoire, other classic and modern plays are added to the bill each season.

“It is our ongoing mission to expand to include more classics,” said Carol Fineman, Head Representative of the Press Department. “For example, during the 1997 season, we produced the musical ‘On the Town’ by Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green and Thorton Wilder’s Pulitzer winner ‘The Skin of Our Teeth’ rounded out the 1998 season.”

The popularity of the festival has also attracted the talents of top actors, but it’s the multi-cultural casting that makes it even more alluring. This season kicks off with Erika Alexander (“The Cosby Show” and “Living Single”) as Bianca in Shakespeare’s comedy “The Taming of the Shrew,” which should prove to be one of the hottest tickets in town.

1999 Summer Season in Central Park

“The Taming of the Shrew”
Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Mel Shapiro
June 17th – July 11th
“Tartuffe”
Written by Moliere
Directed by Mark Brokaw
August 10th – September 5th

Tickets are distributed (two per person) on the day of the performance only beginning 1 p.m. at the Delacorte Theater (Central Park at 81st Street) and from 1-3 p.m. at The Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street). For more information, call (212) 539-8500. M

June 1999