Shakespeare in the Park opens at Delacorte

The Public Theater opens its 2026 Free Shakespeare in the Park season on Friday, May 22, with “Romeo & Juliet” at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. The production starts the first full summer season at the newly revitalized Delacorte and runs through Sunday, June 28, according to The Public Theater. Saheem Ali, The Public’s associate artistic director and resident director, is directing the staging. Free tickets are being distributed through multiple channels, including day-of pickup at the Delacorte, borough voucher sites and a digital lottery on TodayTix. ### When do performances begin, and how long does this first production run? Friday, May 22, is the first performance date for “Romeo & Juliet,” The Public Theater said in a May 14 announcement. The company said the run continues through June 28, with an official press opening scheduled for June 11. (iloveny.com) The Delacorte schedule is part of The Public’s broader “Shakespeare for the City” program, which the theater says runs from May 22 through Sept. 8 across parks and plazas in all five boroughs. “The Winter’s Tale” is scheduled to follow at the Delacorte from July 25 through Aug. 23. ### Who is in this “Romeo & Juliet”? Ra’Mya Latiah Aikens plays Juliet and Daniel Bravo Hernández plays Romeo, according to The Public Theater’s production materials. (iloveny.com) The cast also includes LaChanze, Deirdre O’Connell, Francis Jue, Caleb Joshua Eberhardt, Glenn Fleshler, Jessica Pimentel and Okieriete Onaodowan. Saheem Ali said the production uses both English and Spanish. (publictheater.org) In The Public’s description, Romeo and Juliet speak to one another in Spanish, which the company said is reserved for the lovers’ shared world. ### What is different about this season at the Delacorte? The Public Theater says 2026 marks a return to the revitalized Delacorte Theater after renovation work and folds the Central Park run into a larger citywide program. (publictheater.org) The organization said the summer lineup includes Delacorte productions, a touring Mobile Unit staging of “As You Like It,” Public Works programming and Public Forum events. (iloveny.com) Since its inception, more than six million people have attended more than 160 free productions of Shakespeare, classical works and musicals at the Delacorte, according to The Public Theater. ### How do free tickets work this year? The Public Theater says day-of tickets are still free and are distributed at noon on performance days. The organization says audiences can get them in person at the Delacorte, through borough distribution partners and through the TodayTix digital lottery. (publictheater.org) A Public Theater patron ID is required for in-person distribution, according to the theater’s ticket page. (publictheater.org) Time Out reported that The Public expanded borough distribution to 50 locations across all five boroughs this year, including Citizens bank branches and community sites. The outlet also reported Nordstrom NYC will host in-person ticket lottery events at its flagship store on June 23, July 28 and Aug. 18. ### What else is scheduled around the reopening? (publictheater.org) May 30 is the date of a free “Summer Kickoff Celebration” at the Delacorte, according to The Public Theater. The event is scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. and is billed as a reopening celebration for the theater and the start of the summer program. The Public Theater also lists “Summer Fridays” at the Delacorte on June 5 and 19 and Aug. 7, 14 and 21. (timeout.com) Those dates include open houses from noon to 4 p.m. and evening picnics from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the theater said. June 28 is the closing date for “Romeo & Juliet,” and July 25 is the scheduled start of “The Winter’s Tale” at the Delacorte, according to The Public Theater’s 2026 listings. (publictheater.org) (publictheater.org)