Of the many divers offerings of the Public Theatre, its Shakespeare in the Park series, is one of New York’s most attractive summer offerings. This summer the productions include Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare, and The Bacchae, by Euripides. Located in Manhattan’s Central Park, the productions are free open air performances and enhance any evening in this already enchanted city. New York has one of the richest theatre traditions in the world and ranks with London’s West End for prestige and respect. If I can make it there, I’ll make it anyway where are more than song lyrics, they’re incorporated into theatre practitioners dreams and beliefs from around the world. For tourists who are staying in a hotel Central Park , they have the pleasure of experiencing great theatre right outside their rooms. The Public has been offering these summer park performances for over 50 years. Each season, the series attracts many famous and highly acclaimed actors, directors and designers. Audiences come from all over the world to see these great performances.
Twelfth Night tells the story of two shipwrecked and stranded siblings who have landed in Illyria. Sebastian and Viola, the twins, are separated from each other and each of them encounters a comedic and enchanted journey in this island dukedom. The play is full of disguises, gender reversal and episodes of mistaken identity. It remains one of Shakespeare’s more popular plays for contemporary audiences. Tony Award winning director, Daniel Sullivan will direct this production. Euripides was one of the great Greek tragedians and continues to be inspiring and produced today. His most famous work is the gruesome story of Medea, who murdered her two sons. The Bacchae is based on the mythological story of King Pentheus and his mother Agave. The two are punished by the god Dionysus when they refuse to worship him. Joanne Akalaitis will direct this production and Philip Glass will provide a musical score.