Inside Look at Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park on THE ENSEMBLIST

Mo Brady and Nikka Graff Lanzarone announce the release of The Ensemblist's 28th episode: "Shakespeare in the Park."

Do you like the idea of seeing professional theatre for free? Well, look no further than Shakespeare in the Park! Through The Public Theater, Shakespeare in the Park has been performing productions each summer since 1962 at the Delacorte Theater, an outdoor theater located in Central Park. This wonderful, annual event was made possible thanks to Joseph Papp, who wanted to showcase marvelous and classical works for a variety of audience members.

This summer, Shakespeare in the Park offered performances of Much Ado About Nothing and King Lear. Do not be deceived by this lineup of performances, however; Shakespeare in the Park performs more than just the Bard, including musicals.

On this episode of The Ensemblist, we hear from three performers who have had the opportunity to participate in and watch Shakespeare in the Park. Come rain or come shine, these performers know what it is like to perform in an outdoor setting where anything is possible. Shakespeare in the Park veterans Josh Lamon, Tommar Wilson and Jessica Wu share some of their favorite and most memorable experiences from their times at the Delacorte Theater.

Lamon (Elf, Hair) last performed for Shakespeare in the Park as the Steward in Into the Woods. He explains how mother nature can play many different roles throughout a show's run, and sometimes, she is not always too kind, especially when weather and wildlife are taken into consideration. Lamon also relates how playing Into the Woods in Central Park at night time was a perfect match for the show.

Wilson (The Book of Mormon, Hair, Lestat, Never Gonna Dance, Hairspray, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Music Man) was last seen at the Delacorte Theater in Hair as a member of the Tribe. He conveys how surreal of an experience performing Hair in its intended setting, Central Park. Wilson also shares his experience of preparing to perform at an outdoor space, like the Delacorte Theater.

Wu (A Chorus Line) performed last summer for Shakespeare in the Park in the ensemble of The Comedy of Errors. She tells listeners about how she and the cast had to brave the elements throughout technical rehearsals and performances. Wu also details her unique experience of performing a Shakespearean work that had been reworked to include dancing in an entirely different setting.

New episodes of The Ensemblist can be downloaded every two weeks through the iTunes store by searching for "The Ensemblist." Episodes can be also be streamed on Stitcher Radio, TuneIn, and downloaded directly from Podbean at theensemblist.podbean.com.

Upcoming episodes will feature interviews from ensemblists who have helped originate tracks in brand-new musicals and also from ensemblists who have performed in movie musicals.

Our website, TheEnsemblist.com, features stories, Q&As, and blog posts from those in the know about life as an ensemblist, plus cool stuff we can't NOT share. You can also follow @theensemblist on Twitter and Like us at facebook.com/theensemblist.