Renderings courtesy of the Public Theater
Shakespeare in the Park’s much-anticipated return to the revitalized Delacorte Theater will feature a star-studded cast. The Public Theater on Thursday announced the lineup for next year’s free Shakespeare in the Park program, which will reopen with a production of the classic comedy “Twelfth Night” featuring stars including Peter Dinklage, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Sandra Oh. Shakespeare in the Park is set to return to its home in Central Park in August 2025.
Directed by Saheem Ali, the upcoming production of “Twelfth Night” will see Dinklage as Malvolio, Ferguson as Andrew Aguecheek, Nyong’o as Viola, and Oh as Olivia. Additional casting and details will be announced this fall.
This upcoming production will be the seventh staging of “Twelfth Night” at the Delacorte, with previous productions in 1969, 1986, 1989, 2002, 2009, and 2018. The new cast joins a roster of notable performers who have appeared in past productions, including Tom Aldredge, Jeff Goldblum, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Pfeiffer, and more.
“Twelfth Night is the epitome of joy. It also happens to be the first production I ever saw at The Delacorte, as a college student taking the Chinatown bus from Boston. I’m delighted to be reuniting with my dear friend Lupita Nyong’o, joined by fellow Public Theater alums Peter Dinklage, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Sandra Oh,” Ali said.
“Free Shakespeare in the Park is a gift to our city. I’m honored to be helming this production as we reopen The Delacorte after an extensive and essential revitalization.”
When it returns next summer, Shakespeare in the Park will be hosted in the newly renovated, state-of-the-art Delacorte Theater. Approved by the city’s Landmark Preservation Commission in January 2022, the $77 million renovation project aims to enhance the theater, which has not seen significant improvements since 1999.
Designed by Ennead Architects, the renovation will address critical safety and theater code requirements, improve infrastructure and backstage efficiency, and make upgrades that support the theater program. The renovations also include a new exterior designed to create a more aesthetic experience with a focus on sustainability and resilience.
Work will continue into the fall, with the installation of new lighting towers, grandstand risers, and a wood facade made from recycled NYC water towers. Additionally, the Central Park Conservancy is renovating the Delacorte Restroom, scheduled to open alongside the theater next summer.
In 2018, 6sqft reported that the Delacorte Theater would be receiving its first major renovation since the open-air theater was built more than five decades ago.
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