The Public's Shakespeare in the Park 2016 season

The Public Theater has announced its 2016 Shakespeare in the Park season, continuing a 54-year tradition of free theatre at Central Park's Delacorte Theater. This year also marks the 400th Anniversary since the death of William Shakespeare.

Artistic Director Oskar Eustis released the following statement:

"Four hundred years after Shakespeare's death, he continues to be central to our understanding of ourselves. Phyllida Lloyd's all-female version of The Taming of the Shrew and Dan Sullivan's modern take on Shakespeare's tale of perpetual war, Troilus and Cressida, are this summer's blazing contributions to our ongoing dialogue with the greatest writer in the English language."

Director Phyllida Lloyd's all-female version of Shakespeare's comedy The Taming of the Shrew will play the Delacorte Theater from 24 May to 26 June 2016. The cast will feature Olivier Award nominee Cush Jumbo as Katherina and Tony Award winner Janet McTeer as Petruchio.

Synopsis: "This summer, Phyllida Lloyd turns Shakespeare's zany comedy of the sexes The Taming of the Shrew on its head, with an all-female cast and a bold new take. Lovely Bianca is the prize to be won by all the men looking to land themselves a wealthy wife. But the competitors will first have to marry off Bianca's clever, fiery older sister Katherina, who may just outsmart them all. Shakespeare's original screwball comedy shows the lengths men will go to for their legacy, what women will do to break free and the outrageous things we all do for the human heart."

Additional casting and creative team information will be announced at a later date.

The second production of the Summer will be a modern adaptation of Shakepeare's rarely produced drama Troilus and Cressida, directed by Daniel Sullivan, which will play the Delacorte Theater from 19 July to 14 August 2016.

Synopsis: "Both warriors and lovers play hard to get in this surprisingly modern epic about the hot blood, hot thoughts and hot deeds of the ancient Greeks. In the seventh year of the Trojan War, Troilus, a young prince, pines for the affections of Cressida, a bright young woman who knows how to play it cool. Meanwhile, the heroes of the Iliad - Ajax, Ulysses, Achilles and the kings they serve - debate whether to return the dangerously beautiful captive Helen or continue to fight without end. Nations and lovers alike do battle in this sly, piercing drama about romance and revenge in a world at war."

Casting and creative team information for Troilus and Cressida will be announced at a later date.

Finally at the Delacorte Theater, for the fourth year running Public Works returns with a musical adaptation of Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night, which will play from 2 to 6 September 2016.

Twelfth Night features book, music and lyrics by Shaina Taub and is directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah.

Synopsis: "Twelfth Night centres on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola (who is disguised as a boy) falls in love with Duke Orsino, who in turn is in love with the Countess Olivia. Upon meeting Viola, Countess Olivia falls in love with her thinking she is a man."

Public works invites members of the communities of all five boroughs of New York to take part in "creating theater that is not only for the people, but by and of the people as well."

Tickets to all of the Public Theater's free Shakespeare in the Park are distributed, two per person, at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park on the day of each show.