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Theater fans are nothing if not committed. So when I woke up at 3am to try and secure tickets to The Public's Shakespeare in the Park performance of Twelfth Night at Central Park West and 81st Street, I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I was not prepared for, well, how un-easy it would be.
After a year hiatus due to renovations on the infamous Delacorte Theater, Shakespeare in the Park has returned to NYC in all of its free-ticketed star-studded glory through September 14. The combination of "free" and "star-studded" is thrilling and generous, but to what extent are you willing to go to in order to experience this selective engagement? For me, pretty far, clearly. Here's a logged account of my experience—and the fate of the people behind me.
RECOMMENDED: The Complete Guide to Shakespeare in the Park in NYC
3:45am Saturday, August 30
My journey began on the 1 train. Having had perused many a Reddit thread and TikTok hashtag, I knew that I would be expected to have my Public ID out and ready at some point; I just wasn't sure exactly when. While at the 96th Street stop, I pulled out my phone to get my profile up and ready and noticed a person sitting next to me eyeing my phone. It wasn't until she and her friend stood up after me at the 79th Street stop that I suspected the three of us were in the same boat. Walking in the dark around 81st Street, I overheard one of them singing "We're going to see Shakespeare in the Park!" Though I didn't sing aloud, I definitely understood the urge.
4:10am
This was the first point at which I considered turning around, going back to sleep and just watching She's the Man later as a consolation prize. As the line revealed itself, I began to count each person until the very end. I was 314. No Reddit thread nor TikTok said anything about what numbers made it and didn't, and today was playing by different rules than usual. PBS decided to use this day to film the production for their Great Performances series, meaning fewer tickets were going to be distributed. The thought of that brought a bit of comfort knowing that I'd see it somehow. But, as time ticked by, more and more people continued to line up behind me. I couldn't help but wonder if people were staying out of hope or spite. If the first person in line had gotten there at 11pm and slept there overnight, I decided to stay in place for hope. I owed myself that much.
5am
I suppose about now is a good time to clarify that my circumstances are a bit different than most. Not to worry, though. Like Viola and Sebastian in Twelfth Night, I'm describing two perspectives on a situation that are different in practice but look the same if you close one eye and tilt your head. I'm completely deaf in my left ear, which makes me eligible for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) line. This line, unlike the General Admission (GA) line, makes accommodations for people with disabilities like myself and starts giving out tickets at 10am, rather than noon. Though I knew my experience wouldn't be quite as similar as the 400+ people in the GA line, there were two young women behind me who did. My decision to cover both perspectives couldn't have been possible without the help of these kind strangers from the subway, so this is as much their article as it is mine.
6am
As Central Park opened, I parted ways with the women behind me (the new 314 and 315), and suddenly became number four in the ADA line. Luckily, ADA seating is right in front of The Delacorte, so I was able to see the beginnings of the GA line, as well as the line for 65+ seniors on the other side of the theater. The employee who led myself and the other ADA/senior liners wasn't too shy to say that there was no way everyone in the GA line would get tickets. She wasn't even sure that we would. But, out of hope or spite, we prevailed.
9am
A Public employee began tracing the GA line with a clicker and counting out the total number. The line stretched across the grass with blankets laid, chairs propped and sleeping bags rolled. Students brought homework, others brought games and most were (at this point) still sleeping. The nervous energy was very palpable. Would this big commitment be for nothing? At 9:18am, people started to leave en mass. Some people stayed anyway and moved up in line, while others tried their luck at the other options The Public offers to secure tickets. I thought of the people originally behind me and looked for them in the crowd exiting. When I didn't see them, I felt hopeful for them, too.
10:12am
A different Public employee approached the ADA line and asked the three people in front of me and myself what our needs were, then disappeared until 10:28am, when they came back with tickets for all of us. The gratitude I felt for The Public was overwhelming. To get a seat is one thing but to be accommodated is another. With a skip in my step, I grabbed my ticket and went to find the young women I had entered with. I was overjoyed to see them still in line and gave them my phone number so they could let me know if they got seats. At noon, I heard nothing.
7:08pm
By the time I was getting ready for the show, I completely lost hope that for my fellow line-dwellers. I'd heard stories of many people who had either waited in line or tried the lottery with no luck. Then, as soon as I stepped off the train on 79th Street, at 7:08pm, I got a text from one of them confirming that they got the tickets. Hope is alive and well!
8pm
As the show began, I scanned the crowd and saw primarily smiling faces. I wondered, though, if they were just happy to be there or if they were really enjoying what was going on in front of them. I can say with extreme pleasure that what I saw was incredible. Being serenaded by Moses Sumney at the start is quite literally the best way to open a show, and with stars like Lupita Nyong'o, her brother Junior, Sandra Oh, Peter Dinklage (who gave a performance I'll be thinking about for the rest of my life), Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Daphne Rubin-Vega, you're not only witnessing Saheem Ali's superb production but a masterclass in acting. I would wait, frankly, 24 hours if it meant I could see this production again.
The bottom line
Waiting in Central Park isn't the only option; you can also enter an online lottery, try the outer boroughs or donate some cash. Here's the full guide to how to get free tickets. Waiting in line, however, is the most traditional way—and likely your best shot if you're willing to get there early. If you're a senior or ADA eligible, the line will be much shorter than the GA line but still forms in chronological order. Trying for tickets on Labor Day weekend with less seating capacity than normal made my situation a bit different than most. So did being in the ADA line. Yet, I would recommend getting to Central Park no later than 4am based on my experience. Weekdays may very well be better. All I know is, you'd better bring a blanket, a warm beverage and most importantly, hope.