Fifty years ago Joseph Papp had a vision: that the greatest writer in the English language belonged to all the people. Free Shakespeare in the Park was born. When Joseph Papp acquired the Astor Place Library thirty-five years later for the home of The Public Theater, he expanded that vision: the greatest new writing would come from the people, all the people.
Ever since then, The Public Theater has held true to those two great principles, and the logic that extends from them -- that the highest culture should be the most democratic culture, and that the art of theater is constantly replenished by including the myriad voices of diverse communities.
As The Public celebrates its 50th Anniversary Season, it is committed to everything that has made The Public great for half a century.
It is dedicated to making the work of Shakespeare widely available, in all its beauty and complexity, to the greatest number of our fellow citizens, regardless of income or class status. We see Shakespeare and the Western canon in general -- as a rich legacy to be shared. We strive not only to make those classics accessible but to reinterpret and re-appropriate them so they become a living cultural heritage for the many diverse communities of the 21st century.
The Public continues to provide a home for writers who are interested in tackling the great social themes of our times; who are interested in pushing the boundaries of the form; who are more interested in giving voice to the many than in selling tickets to the few.
As Charles Ludlum said, “theater is a humble material enterprise that seeks to produce riches of the spirit, not the other way around.” The Public is proudly non-profit, and counts its success by serving artists and audiences, not by earning money.
We look forward to another fifty years of pursuing the ideas and values upon which The Public was founded, creating theater that is dynamic, diverse, alive, and, most importantly, relevant to all people.
Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director
Mara Manus, Executive Director
