The Public Theater

theater review Apr. 16, 2024

Writing Down the Bones: Sally & TomA curiously muted Hemings-and-Jefferson meta-story by Suzan-Lori Parks.

By Sara Holdren

theater review Aug. 30, 2023

A Tempest in the Park That’s (Mostly) No Thoughts, Just VibesIn tone and temperament, this production owes much more to Disney than it does to Shakespeare.

By Sara Holdren

theater review June 28, 2023

A Hamlet in the Park That Puzzles the WillKenny Leon’s production gestures at a lot without capturing any one thing.

By Jackson McHenry

theater review Mar. 15, 2023

The Harder They Come Tries to Fit Too Much OnstageThe overstuffed Jimmy Cliff musical barely has time for its own songs.

By Jackson McHenry

theater review Jan. 13, 2023

When Online Drama Begets Stage DramaSeven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner and Your Sexts Are Shit will have you wondering, yet again, about being extremely online.

By Jackson McHenry

theater review July 11, 2022

A Richard III Made Not So GloriousThe production works against the best qualities of its star, Danai Gurira.

By Helen Shaw

theater review May 26, 2022

Fat Ham Aims to Put the Ha in HamletToo too solid.

By Helen Shaw

theater review Apr. 6, 2022

Suffs Casts a Complicated Vote for a Complicated HistoryVotes for women, soberly musicalized.

By Helen Shaw

theater reviews July 17, 2021

Light-Touch Theater: 3 Shows That Welcome Us Back, TentativelyThe one to see is Liminal Archive, at the New Ohio.

By Helen Shaw

shakespeare in the park Mar. 16, 2021

Shakespeare in the Park Plans to Return to New York This SummerThe Public Theater has announced an adaptation of The Merry Wives of Windsor.

By Jackson McHenry

theater review July 23, 2020

This Sceptered Dial: Richard II on the RadioShakespeare in the Park in your headphones.

By Helen Shaw

theater Apr. 29, 2020

What It’s Like to Stage a New Play Over ZoomJay O. Sanders and Maryann Plunkett explain what it’s like to stage a new Apple family play in a pandemic.

By Jackson McHenry

theater review Sept. 3, 2019

Theater Review: The Strengths and Weaknesses of a Free Public HerculesThe Disney movie musical is onstage for a one-week run in the park.

By Sara Holdren

honey you mean hunkcules Sept. 3, 2019

Losing the Hercules Ticket Lottery With 800 of My Closest FriendsEverything you need to know about your last chance to score tickets to see Hercules in Central Park.

By Madison Malone Kircher

honey you mean hunkcules Aug. 23, 2019

Bless My Soul We’re Getting 5 New Hercules SongsAlan Menken, the genius behind the classics from the movie, has written new material for the show’s Central Park limited run.

By Madison Malone Kircher

theater review Aug. 6, 2019

Theater Review: A Coriolanus Amid the WreckageAfter the apocalypse in Central Park.

By Sara Holdren

theater June 20, 2019

Here’s Who Will Be in the Cast of the New Hercules Musical at Central ParkThe Gospel truth.

By Jackson McHenry

chat room May 15, 2019

Danielle Brooks Turned Down a Movie Role to Do Shakespeare in the Park“Getting to play this part is opening doors to young black women that look like me.”

By Jackson McHenry

off broadway Apr. 9, 2019

Tim Blake Nelson and Michael Stuhlbarg Stage a Classic Philosophical DebateTwo friends on their new play.

By Jackson McHenry

disney musicals Feb. 6, 2019

A Hercules Musical Will Go the Distance to Central Park This SummerBless my soul!

By Jackson McHenry

theater review July 31, 2018

Theater Review: It’s Always Sunny in This Twelfth NightIn the park, not a cloud in the sky.

By Sara Holdren

theater review July 16, 2018

Theater Review: Jump Cuts and Auteur Wannabes, in Fire in Dreamland Rinne Groff’s play about not-quite-successful art-making.

By Sara Holdren

theater review June 18, 2018

Theater Review: In the Park, an Othello in Which Love Conquers LittleRuben Santiago-Hudson’s production for the Public is finely wrought though not wildly inventive.

By Isaac Butler

theater review Apr. 15, 2018

Theater Review: Of Tusks and Treachery, in Mlima’s TaleAn elephant’s-eye view of the illegal ivory trade.

By Sara Holdren

theater review Apr. 10, 2018

Theater Review: On the Road With Miss You Like HellA show I really wanted to like.

By Sara Holdren

Feb. 20, 2018

Theater Review: Kings Falls Into the Relevance TrapWhen timeliness subverts timelessness.

By Sara Holdren

theater Feb. 20, 2018

Gillian Jacobs and Aya Cash on Working Together Onstage and Their Careers in TVThe actors are starring in the Public Theater’s Kings.

By Jackson McHenry

theater review Oct. 30, 2017

Theater Review: The Public Theater Stages Its Own Origin StoryI hope they get it.

By Sara Holdren

theater review Oct. 2, 2017

Theater Review: Tiny Beautiful Things Won Me Over Against My WillDiscord, not so much.

By Sara Holdren

July 31, 2017

Theater Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream That Never Touches EarthAll the froth, none of the underlying dread.

By Sara Holdren

theater review July 17, 2017

A Hamlet Where Everyone’s Onstage, and Oscar Isaac Is Among UsAnd Oscar Isaac is among us all.

By Sara Holdren

shakespeare in the park June 23, 2017

What It Was Like to Star in the Trump-Themed Julius CaesarCorey Stoll, who played Brutus, writes about his experience in the controversial production.

By Corey Stoll

controversies June 12, 2017

Public Theater Artistic Director Addresses Trump Julius Caesar on Opening Night“Like drama, democracy depends on the conflict of different points of view. Nobody owns the truth.”

By Halle Kiefer

the public theater June 12, 2017

Public Theater Issues Statement Amid Controversy Over Trump-Like Julius Caesar“Our production of Julius Caesar in no way advocates violence towards anyone.”

By Jackson McHenry

June 12, 2017

Do Sponsors Like Delta Have the Right to Demand Squeaky-clean Art?The controversy surrounding the Public Theater’s production of Julius Caesar shows that expecting funding without constraints is naïve.

By Justin Davidson

theater review Nov. 9, 2016