Delacorte Theater
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The Delacorte Theater is an open-air theatre located in Manhattan's Central Park. The Delacorte is owned by the City of New York and operated by The Joseph Papp Public Theater in lower Manhattan. It is a modified theatre in the round.
Each summer, the Joseph Papp Public Theater presents a short series of productions at the Delacorte, almost always including at least one work by William Shakespeare. These are presented free to the public (two tickets per individual are distributed on the morning of each performance day on a first-come, first-served basis), although subscribers to the Public Theatre may purchase tickets.
The productions often feature distinguished actors; when this is the case, most famously for a production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull in 2001 which starred Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Natalie Portman, and John Goodman, lines at The Public can be enormous, with New Yorkers camping out on the street the night before.
Some productions are presented without "stars"; the Public is known for casting both seasoned talent and for providing exposure for up and coming actors.
Most recently a production of Mother Courage and Her Children played at the Delacorte Theatre with a cast featuring Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, and Austin Pendleton. The play by Bertolt Brecht received a new translation by Tony Kushner, music by Jeanine Tesori and direction from George C. Wolfe. Once again, New Yorkers camped out for the chance to get tickets.
The theater is named in honor of George T. Delacorte Jr., who donated money in 1962 for its establishment.
