Peter Dinklage, Lupita Nyong'o, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Sandra Oh To Lead TWELFTH NIGHT At Shakespeare in the Park

Peter Dinklage (Malvolio), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Andrew Aguecheek), Lupita Nyong’o (Viola), and Sandra Oh (Olivia) will lead The Public Theater Shakespeare in the Park's TWELFTH NIGHT, which will reopen the revitalized Delacorte Theater in August 2025. 

The production will be directed by The Public’s Associate Artistic Director/Resident Director Saheem Ali,

Revel in the midsummer madness as twins Sebastian and Viola survive shipwreck, revenge plots, and the trick doors of love. The Public’s Associate Artistic Director and Resident Director, Tony Award nominee Saheem Ali directs this joyful romp welcoming all of New York back to the magic of Central Park’s beloved theater. Be there when the stage lights turn on again at The Delacorte—a New York City classic—with this high-powered production of the Bard’s classic comedy.

Additional casting and creative team details will be announced this fall. 

"TWELFTH NIGHT is the epitome of joy,” shares director of the upcoming production and Public Theater Associate Artistic Director/Resident Director Saheem Ali. “It also happens to be the first production I ever saw at The Delacorte, as a college student taking the Chinatown bus from Boston. I’m delighted to be reuniting with my dear friend Lupita Nyong’o, joined by fellow Public Theater alums Peter Dinklage, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Sandra Oh. Free Shakespeare in the Park is a gift to our city. I’m honored to be helming this production as we reopen The Delacorte after an extensive and essential revitalization."

This production of Free Shakespeare in the Park’s TWELFTH NIGHT will be the seventh time Shakespeare’s classic comedy has been produced at The Delacorte. Previous iterations were produced in 1969 (directed by founder Joseph Papp), 1986, 1989, 2002, 2009, and an adaptation for Public Works in 2018. These four actors join the ranks of several celebrated performers who have played these roles on The Delacorte stage including Tom Aldredge, Barbara Barrie, Michael Cumptsy, Jeff Goldblum, Kim Greist, Anne Hathaway, Nikki M. James, Andrew Kober, Hamish Linklater, Peter MacNicol, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Audra McDonald, Kathryn Meisle, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sasha von Scherler, Fisher Stevens, Julia Stiles, Michael Stuhlbarg, and more.

Since its inception, over six million people have enjoyed more than 150 free productions of Shakespeare and other classical works and musicals at The Delacorte Theater. Conceived by founder Joseph Papp as a way to make great theater accessible to all, The Public’s Free Shakespeare in the Park continues to be the bedrock of the Company’s mission to increase access and engage the community. The revitalization of The Delacorte will ensure the longevity of Free Shakespeare in the Park for many years to come.

The long-overdue Delacorte revitalization will provide upgraded and more comfortable conditions for staff, artists, and audiences alike, modernized back-of-house theatrical operations, and ensure equitable access for people living with disabilities. The Public worked with stakeholders in Central Park and the surrounding neighborhoods as well as design experts to create a design and construction plan that minimizes impact on the Park.

Built in 1962, the theater has not undergone meaningful capital upgrades since 1999. The design comprehensively addresses the theater’s code and life safety needs, makes core improvements to infrastructure and backstage efficiency, and makes substantial upgrades to support its theatrical program. The improvements also include a revitalized exterior for a more dynamic aesthetic experience, and a focus on resilience and sustainability. The design maintains The Delacorte’s current form, footprint, and views within the Park while protecting the sanctity of the theater-in-the-park experience. 

Breaking ground last fall, extensive work has occurred throughout the facility with the demolition of existing seats, risers, and façade, as well as work done to address structural issues for the remaining building. Significant progress has been made towards the reconstruction of interior spaces and the grandstand layout to provide more accessible seating. Major work will continue into the fall with the installation of redesigned lighting towers, grandstand risers, and the new wood façade made from salvaged NYC water towers. Concurrently, the Central Park Conservancy is renovating the Delacorte Restroom, slated for completion alongside the theater renovation.

The Delacorte will reopen to all New Yorkers next summer. For more information on The Delacorte’s revitalization, visit thepublic.nyc/Delacorte-Revitalization.

Ticketing information and dates for the production will be made available in 2025.

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ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Saheem Ali (Director) is a proud immigrant from Kenya, currently serving as the Associate Artistic Director/Resident Director of New York’s Public Theater. He received Tony, Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel nominations, as well as the Joe A. Callaway award for his direction of Fat Ham. He most recently developed the Buena Vista Social Club musical at Atlantic Theater Company (Drama Desk nom). His production of Merry Wives (Free Shakespeare in the Park) was recorded for PBS’ “Great Performances” and was the subject of the HBO documentary Reopening Night. Other productions include Goddess (Berkeley Rep); Nollywood Dreams (MCC); Romeo y Julieta, Shipwreck, and Richard II (radio plays); Fires in the Mirror (Signature Theater); The Rolling Stone (Lincoln Center Theater); Passage (Soho Rep); Sugar in Our Wounds (MTC); Tartuffe (Playmakers Rep); Where Storms Are Born (Williamstown); and Kill Move Paradise (National Black Theater). He is a Usual Suspect at New York Theater Workshop, a Sir John Gielgud SDCF Fellow, a Shubert Fellow, and the recipient of an Obie Award for Sustained Excellence in Directing. 

Peter Dinklage (Malvolio) is an award-winning actor in film, television and theater. He is most recognizable for his Emmy® Award-winning performance as “Tyrion Lannister” in “Game of Thrones,” for which he won a record four Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. Dinklage’s breakout role came in 2003 with the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award–winner The Station Agent. Since then, he has starred in the numerous films including X-Men: Days of Future Past, Death at a Funeral; Living in Oblivion; I Think We’re Alone Now; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; Avengers: Infinity War; I Care a Lot; My Dinner with Hervé; Cyrano; She Came to Me; The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes; American Dreamer; and Unfrosted: The Pop Tart Story. Upcoming films include The Thicket, Brothers, Wicked, and The Toxic Avenger. His extensive theater credits include A Month in the Country, Things We Want, Knickerbocker, Richard III, Uncle Vanya, and Cyrano.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Andrew Aguecheek) has previously performed in The Public/Free Shakespeare in the Park productions of On the Town, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Winter’s Tale, The Merchant of Venice, The Comedy of Errors, and The Tempest. Broadway credits include Take Me Out (Tony Award), Fully Committed, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Ferguson earned 5 Emmy nominations for his role on “Modern Family.” Recent film credits include Cocaine Bear and All That We Love (Tribeca Film Festival). He is the host of the podcast Dinners on Me, the author of the cookbook Food Between Friends, and the cofounder of Pronoun, a foundation fighting oppression in the LGBTQIA+ community. 

LUPITA NYONG’O (Viola) is a Kenyan actress, producer, and New York Times bestselling author. She made her feature debut in Steve McQueen’s Academy Award® winning film 12 Years a Slave. For her performance, Nyong’o received the Academy Award®, the Screen Actors Guild® Award, the Critics’ Choice Award, the Independent Spirit Award, and the NAACP Image Award. Nyong’o stars in Paramount’s A Quiet Place: Day One, written and directed by Michael Sarnoski. The film released in June to critical acclaim and was the most successful debut in the blockbuster franchise. In September, Nyong’o will star in DreamWorks Animation’s feature film The Wild Robot, written and directed by Chris Sanders. Among her film roles, Nyong’o plays “Nakia” in Marvel’s Oscar-nominated Black Panther franchise. In Jordan Peele’s critically acclaimed Us, Nyong’o appeared as both “Adelaide” and “Red,” earning her a Screen Actors Guild nomination, the NY Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress, and an NAACP Image Award. For her Broadway debut in Danai Gurira's play, Eclipsed, Nyong’o earned a Tony nomination. In 2021 she played “Julieta” in The Public Theater’s bilingual (Spanish and English) audio adaptation of Romeo y Julieta for Tony-nominated director Saheem Ali. 

Sandra Oh (Olivia) (OC) is an award-winning television and film actor. A graduate of The National Theatre School of Canada, her theatre credits include this year’s The Welkin at The Atlantic, Stop Kiss and Satellites at The Public, Oleanna, Death and the Maiden, House of Bernarda Alba, and Office Hour. Oh is best known for her roles as Cristina Yang in “Grey’s Anatomy,” Eve Polastri in “Killing Eve,” and Ji-Yoon Kim in “The Chair.” Oh’s film credits include Sideways, Under the Tuscan Sun, Last Night, and Double Happiness. Her extensive voice work includes “Invincible,” Turning Red, and The Tiger’s Apprentice. Oh’s recent projects include the Emmy-nominated Hulu film Quiz Lady and HBO’s “The Sympathizer.” She will be in the upcoming films Good Fortune and Can I Get A Witness.