Shakespeare in the Park: early casting announced

The Public Theater has announced the complete cast for the 2010 Shakespeare in the Park summer season. Daniel Sullivan will direct The Merchant of Venice in rotating rep with The Winter's Tale, directed by Michael Greif. The show's will run in repertoryfrom 9 Jun - 1 Aug 2010 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Tickets are free and distributed the day of the performance.

As previously announced the repertory company's featured cast consists of Gerry Bamman (Antigonus/Duke of Venice), Francois Battiste (Florizel/Lord/Salerio), Linda Emond (Hermione - The Winter's Tale), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Young Shepherd/Lord/Launcelot Gobbo), Bill Heck (Lord/Lorenzo), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Paulina/Nerissa), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Leontes - The Winter's Tale), Byron Jennings (Camillo/Antonio), Heather Lind (Perdita/Jessica), Hamish Linklater (Autolycus/Lord/Bassanio), Jesse L. Martin (Polixenes/Gratiano), Nyambi Nyambi (Lord/Prince of Morocco), Al Pacino (Shylock - The Merchant of Venice), Lily Rabe (Portia - The Merchant of Venice), Matthew Rauch (Dion/Jailer/Solanio), Richard Topol (Lord/Tubal) and Max Wright (Old Shepherd/Prince of Arragon).

Due to a scheduling conflict with rehearsals, Pacino will only appear in The Merchant of Venice.

The featured cast will be joined by the following non-Equity ensemble: Happy Anderson, Liza J. Bennett, Tyler Caffall, Cary Donaldson, Luke Forbes, Bryce Gill, Shalita Grant, Jade Hawk, Bethany Heinrich, Tia James, Kelsey Kurz, Brian Macdonald, Alexander Maier, Dorien Makhloghi and Joe Short.

The Winter's Tale and The Merchant of Venice will feature scenic design by Mark Wendland, costume design by Jess Goldstein (The Merchant of Venice) and Clint Ramos (The Winter's Tale), lighting design by Kenneth Posner and sound design by Acme Sound Partners.

Shakespeare in the Park 2010 is not The Public Theater's first foray into rotating repertory. 'Henry IV,' Parts One and Two were performed in rep in the Newman Theater in 1991, and 20 years earlier, the 'Henry VI' plays and 'Richard III 'were condensed into 'The War of the Roses' which was presented in rep and then performed in one all-night marathon in Central Park.

Shakespeare in the Park 2010 will begin on 9 Jun 2009 and run through to 1 Aug 2010.