Originally built in 1962, The Delacorte Theater is home to one of New York City’s most iconic cultural experiences: Free Shakespeare in the Park. After an 18-month revitalization project led by Ennead Architects, the theater reopened in 2025 with a fully redesigned facade, seating section, and stage. Built with reclaimed redwood from decommissioned NYC water tanks, the Delacorte’s new form exists in harmony with the ecology and openness of Central Park, reflecting the theater’s founding mission to expand access to the arts for all.
The Public Theater is offering a special behind-the-scenes tour for OHNY Members to learn about the renewed space, explore the theater’s history, and go behind the scenes to areas not typically seen by the public. With over 60 years of operation and more than five million tickets distributed, the theater’s rich legacy includes productions of King Lear, Othello, Hamlet, and Much Ado About Nothing, with performances from Denzel Washington, Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.