Theater Profile

THEATER PROFILE

I am going to do a report on The Public Theater in NYC. I will first give you some background on the theater. The Public Theater is a New York City arts organization founded as The Shakespeare Workshop in 1954 by Joseph Papp, with the intention of showcasing the works of up-and-coming playwrights and performers. It is headquartered at 425 Lafayette Street in the former Astor Library in the East Village section of Lower Manhattan. The venue opened in 1967, mounting the world-premiere production of the musical Hair as its first show. It currently is led by Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson.


The Public Theater is known for presenting "challenging work." This has a variety of meanings, including artistic heterodoxy. It also reflects the Public Theater's role as a voice for the American social and political Left. Many of its productions are considered avant-garde and not likely to find a home in theaters catering to a mainstream audience.

In addition to five theater spaces, the site includes Joe's Pub, a cabaret-style setting used for new work, musical performances, spoken-word artists and soloists. The Public also operates the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, where it presents its free Shakespeare in the Park performances during the summer months. These productions feature popular actors and tickets are disbursed quickly. The Public Theater also invests in theater education, training classical actors through the annual summer acting intensive known as the Shakespeare Lab. It also hosts the Under the Radar Festival, directed by Mark Russell.

The Public Theater Musical Theatre Initiative Director is Ted Sperling, named in 2008. This program is intended to expand and develop new works for the American musical theatre.

The most famous work to emerge from The Public, other than the original production of Hair, is the Michael Bennett musical A Chorus Line, based on the lives and careers of Broadway dancers, commonly known as "gypsies." The announced opening created such a stir of anticipation among the theatrical community that the entire limited run sold out long before opening night. Demand for tickets was such that the show moved uptown to the Shubert Theater, where it remained "one singular sensation" for fifteen sell-out years. Over the years, revenue from the many worldwide productions, both professional and amateur, of the show has been a steady and main source of income for the Public.

Public Theater productions have won a total of 138 Obie Awards, 40 Tony Awards, 39 Drama Desk Awards, 19 Lucille Lortel Awards, and 4 Pulitzer Prizes. The Public has brought more than 50 shows to Broadway, including Sticks and Bones, The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel, The Water Engine, The Human Comedy, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, That Championship Season, Plenty, The Pirates of Penzance, The Tempest, Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk, On the Town, The Ride Down Mt. Morgan, Elaine Stritch at Liberty, and Take Me Out.

One of the reasons that the theater appeals to me is that The Public Theater’s Education and Outreach programs are dedicated to making the arts accessible to students all over New York City. I believe that new york city has a vast number of people who can come and enjoy plays. I mean in any given day there is 1 million people walking around new york city.

One other reason I admire the theater is because of their internship program. The Public Theater’s internship program offers a unique opportunity for individuals to gain practical experience in one of the country’s premiere not-for-profit theaters. Founded by Joseph Papp to bring Shakespeare to the people of New York, The Public has expanded to include contemporary pieces, specially commissioned new works, staged readings and workshops. Internships are offered in a variety of departments, from the creative to the administrative; and interns are encouraged to explore beyond their department to learn more about how the theater functions as a whole.

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. Supporting the Public in its daily activities, interns will gain insight, knowledge and hands-on experience in all aspects of the theater.