The Public Theater is an institution in the American art scene. Based in Manhattan, it produces a variety of works that have enjoyed international success. It is also a breeding ground for new talent. The Public Theater is located on Lafayette Street in the East Village neighborhood on Manhattan Island. It is geographically and artistically close to Greenwich Village and its creative spirit.
It was founded by Joseph Papp (1921-1991), a major theater producer on the New York scene. He is considered a talent scout, and as such was one of the first to cast artists such as Kevin Kline, Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Christopher Walken or Al Pacino, as well as directors such as Richard Foreman, George C. Wolfe, Mike Nichols or Wilford Leach.
It was at the Public Theater that plays such as “Hair” and “A Chorus Line” were first performed. They were respectively presented to the public in 1967 and 1975 and directed by Gerald Freedman and Michael Bennett. Each year new works are presented, which may be contemporary or classic Shakespearean plays.
Thanks to its many quality productions, the Public Theater has won a multitude of awards, including 38 Tony Awards, 135 Obies (Off-Broadway Theater Awards), 37 Drama Desk Awards, 18 Lucille Lortel Awards, and even 4 Pulitzer Prizes.
The Public Theater’s cast has presented over 50 plays on Broadway including Sticks and Bones, That Championship Season, A Chorus Line, The Pirates of Penzance, The Tempest, Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk, On the Town, The Ride Down Mt. Morgan, Topdog/Underdog, Elaine Stritch at Liberty, Take Me Out and Caroline.
The beginnings of the Public Theater
The Public Theater began in 1954, first as the Shakespeare Workshop and then as the Public Theater of today. Since 1967, it has been housed in the Astor Library, the former public library. Very productive, the Public Theater has an annex in Central Park. This is the Delacorte Theater, where every summer the troupe presents a series of plays free of charge, including at least one work by William Shakespeare.
The Public Theater is a launching pad for many American artists. It has two less formal creative venues of its own: the Shakespeare lab and the New Work Now.
Another original outgrowth of the theater is Joe’s Pub, a casual club that opened in October 1988 and immediately established itself as the must-see music venue in New York. Here you can dine or have a drink while listening to an intimate concert.
Visit the Public Theater website to see the program: www.publictheater.org
