Free Shakespeare in the Park: MERRY WIVES

The Public Theater is thrilled to return to Central Park this summer for Free Shakespeare in the Park with MERRY WIVES, a fresh and joyous adaptation by Jocelyn Bioh, of Shakespeare’s MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, directed by our Associate Artistic Director and Resident Director Saheem Ali.

Set in South Harlem, amidst a vibrant and eclectic community of West African immigrants, MERRY WIVES is a New York story about tricks of the heart, performed in the heart of the City—Central Park’s magical Delacorte Theater. A raucous spinoff featuring the Bard’s most beloved comic characters, this hilarious farce tells the story of the trickster Falstaff and the wily wives who outwit him in a new celebration of Black joy, laughter, and vitality.

This summer, free tickets will be distributed entirely via an advanced digital lottery hosted by a new partner, GOLDSTAR. Enter the lottery through the Goldstar app on Apple, Android, and the website each Tuesday and Friday, one week prior to the next week’s scheduled performances.

Goldstar will begin accepting entries on Tuesday, June 29 (12AM ET to 12PM ET) for the Tuesday, July 6 and Wednesday, July 7 performances, and then again on Friday July 2 (12AM ET to 12PM ET) for performances July 8 through July 10, and continue each Tuesday for Monday-Wednesday performances and Friday for Thursday-Saturday performances thereafter.