Photo Coverage: THE MERCHANT OF VENICE Celebrity Arrivals

Gala attendees included longtime Public advocates Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon, Sam Waterston, James Gandolfini, Vanessa Williams, Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts, Zach Braff, Lucy Liu, Neil Patrick Harris, Kathleen Turner, Kate Walsh, Lea Michele, Jonathan Groff, Amanda Seyfried, Dominic Cooper, Willem Dafoe, Amanda Peet, Jane Krakowski, Josh Lucas, Aidan Quinn, Edie Falco, Nora Ephron, Kyle McLachlan, Gloria Reuben, Audra McDonald, Sarah Paulson, RosAnna Scotto, Bill Irwin and Linda Emond, in addition to Rena DeSisto, Global Arts and Culture Executive, Bank of America; Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer, Lincoln Center Theater; Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; and Public Theater Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson.
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, directed by Daniel Sullivan, began performances for Shakespeare in the Park on Saturday, June 12. The Public Theater began Shakespeare in the Park performances of A Winter's Tale, directed by Michael Greif on June 9. Both shows will play in repertory through Sunday, August 1 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE company features Happy Anderson, Gerry Bamman, Francois Battiste, Liza J. Bennett, Tyler Caffall, Cary Donaldson, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Luke Forbes, Bryce Gill, Shalita Grant, Jade Hawk, Bill Heck, Tia James, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Byron Jennings, Kelsey Kurz, Heather Lind, Hamish Linklater, BrIan MacDonald, Dorien Makhloghi, Jesse L. Martin, Nyambi Nyambi, Al Pacino, Lily Rabe, Matthew Rauch, Joe Short, Richard Topol and Max Wright.

Tickets to Shakespeare in the Park are free and are distributed, two per person, at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park at 1 p.m. the day of the show. This summer, The Public Theater will again offer free tickets through Virtual Ticketing, available at www.shakespeareinthepark.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / Retna Ltd.

As a 14 year old youth, Walter was transfixed by his first Broadway Show, the original production of 'GREASE'. His Journey to celebrity photojournalism began that fateful night. Meeting, photographing and getting to know the cast inspired him to spend his professional life doing what he loved. Walter moved to Manhattan and for a leading role as a Photographer & Photo Researcher. Currently headlining in New Jersey with his partner Richard and family members Dali (Jack Russell) & Gala (Schnoodle). Recently he made his Broadway debut sharing the stage with Hugh Jackman in 'Hugh Jackman on Broadway' as well as receiving the Actors' Equity Association Gypsy Spirit Award. Walter McBride Photography is syndicated worldwide by Corbis/AP.

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