Shakespeare in the Park (or
Free Shakespeare in the Park) is a theatrical program that stages productions of
Shakespearean plays at an open theater in
New York City's
Central Park. The theater and the productions are managed by the
Public Theater and tickets are distributed free of charge on the day of the performance. Originally branded as the
New York Shakespeare Festival under the direction of
Joseph Papp, the institution was renamed in 2002 as part of a larger reorganization by the Public Theater.