On select summer evenings, crowds of theater-lovers and charter bus visitors fill the Delacorte Theater and its surrounding Great Lawn in Central Park for the free Shakespeare performances by The Public Theater. Originally called the New York Shakespeare Festival, the two-month-long event now is known simply as Shakespeare in the Park. The outdoor plays have featured stars such as James Earl Jones and Al Pacino, and continue to be one of the city's most popular cultural events. Visit New York with a bus, coach bus, party bus, mini bus, passenger coach or school bus rented from Bus Companies New York and enjoy an evening with Shakepeare in Central Park.
In 1954, Joseph Papp created his Shakespeare Festival in New York City, which became the Free Shakespeare for New Yorkers festival in 1956. In 1957, the festival brought free mobile performances to locations in all five boroughs. The Delacorte Theater in Central Park opened in 1962 as the festival's permanent venue with help from both private supporters and the city government. A year later, Papp purchased the historic Astor Place Library and founded The Public Theater, which continues to run the festival, free performances in the boroughs and its own productions.
New York charter bus visitors can check with the theater’s website for performance schedules and other information.
The festival has featured all of Shakespeare's major works, including "Romeo and Juliet" and "Hamlet," and frequently stars top-tier celebrities. Occasionally other plays are presented, including classic works by Chekov, and modern works by playwrights such as Eric Bogosian have been included in the festival lineup for the entertainment of rental bus attendees.
Shakespeare in the Park runs from early June through early August and usually offers two separate performances that run for four weeks each. Free ticket distribution begins at 1 p.m. the day of the show, and many die-hard charter bus visitors are lined up by dawn for most performances.
The Shakespeare in the Park festival has been running for more than 50 years and continues to be one of the highlights of New York City's summer festival season for rental bus visitors. The company also runs a free Shakespeare workshop series available to students in any city public school and it culminates in a live performance by students at The Public Theater.
The Delacorte Theater is located on the southwest corner of the Great Lawn, which is in the middle of Central Park near 80th Street, and easily reached by charter bus. The theater is situated directly under Belvedere Castle, which is lit up by spotlights on nights of the show.
Plan a rental bus trip to New York and make a date with Shakespeare with the help of the friendly staff of Bus Companies New York. Bus Companies New York has a selection of fully equipped charter buses that will fulfil your rental bus group’s every charter bus transport need.