Theater Profile -The Public Theater

The Public Theater of New York city was originally founded as the Shakespeare Workshop by Joseph Pap in 1954. It was intended to showcase the works of new playwrights and performers. The Public theatre is known for presenting “challenging work.” Many of its productions are considered avant-garde and do not cater to a mainstream audience. The Public Theater also runs the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. This theater presents free Shakespeare in the Park performances in the summer. The Public Theater is “dedicated to achieving artistic excellence while developing an American theater that is accessible and relevant to all people through productions of new plays, musicals and innovative stagings of the classics. Ticket prices for performances are kept low or free of charge in order to attract a broad audience. Free sign language-interpreted and open-captioned performances offered during Shakespeare in the Park. Each year over a quarter of a million people attend Public Theatre productions and events at the six downtown stages –including Joe’s Pub and Shakespeare in the park. The most famous work to emerge from the Public Theater (other than the original production of Hair) is the musical, A Chorus Line. The announced opening spread such anticipation in the theatre community that the entire run of the show sold out before opening night. This demand for tickets was so great that A Chorus Line had to move uptown to the Shubert Theater. Revenue from the many (world-wide) productions, both professional and amateur, of the show has been a steady and main source of income for the Public.

The Public Theater has brought fifty-two shows to Broadway (i.e. A Chorus Line, The Pirates of Penzance, The Tempest, Caroline or Change, Hair, etc). They have won 42 Tony Awards, 149 Obies, 40 Drama Desk Awards and four Pulitzer Prizes.

The current season includes: Fela!, The Brother/Sister Plays Part 1 and Part 2 (Part 1: In the Red and Brown Water, Part 2: The Brothers Size and Marus; Or the Secret of Sweet), Idiot Savant, The Book of Grace, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, and The Last Cargo Cult.

One of the theaters of the Public Theater is Joe’s Pub, which has a cabaret-style setting used for new work, musical performances, spoken-word artists and soloists. Joe’s Pub is a sort of nightclub in Lower Manhattan that hosts regular live performances. Notable performers include: Bono, Elvis Costello, Harvey Fierstein, Sutton Foster, Alicia Keys, Norah Jones, Huey Lewis, Idina Menzel, Mos Def, Dolly Parton, Sarah Silverman, Pete Townshend, etc.

The Public Theater offers an internship that provides an opportunity for individuals to gain practical experience in one of the country’s premiere non-profit theaters. The internship program “aims to provide individuals with valuable mentorship and expert training, bridging the gap between academic education and practice. Interns play an integral part in the inner workings of the Public… interns will gain insight, knowledge and hands-on experience in all aspects of the theater. The Public Theater offers internships in: Artistic Direction, Associate Producing, Casting, Development, Executive Directing, Administration, General Management, Marketing, Press, Production, etc.