Public Theater's Central Park-Based Delacorte Theater to Receive First Major Renovation

The Delacorte Theater, the Public Theater's iconic home of the Free Shakespeare in the Park and Public Works programs, will soon undergo a renovation for the first time since its initial development in 1962. The $110 million overhaul of the beloved amphitheater is slated to begin in 2020 with a schedule to complete work by 2022.

Architect Bjarke Ingels has been contracted to design the revised Delacorte, with plans to maintain the theater's current footprint and capacity (1,872 seats). The renovation is expected to repair areas behind and beneath the Delacorte, in addition to updating the steps to align with Americans with Disabilities Act standards, moving the women's bathroom closer to the theater and adding stalls. The Public is also speaking with climatologists to find ways to make the theater more comfortable during cold and inclement weather—this could mean heated seats or a retractable roof, but discussions are still underway.

To accommodate the construction, the Delacorte will go dark in the summer of 2021. During that time, the Public will offer its free theater programming at another venue to be determined.

Following the renovation, The Public expects to expand Delacorte programming into the spring and fall; the venue currently serves primarily as a summer space for the Shakespeare in the Park and Public Works programs. The Public also holds an annual summer gala at the theater.

The Public's founder, Joseph Papp, established the Delacorte in 1962 with the intention of making Shakespeare accessible to all. Recent productions seen at the theater include a new staging of Othello and a remount of the acclaimed Public Works Twelfth Night musical.