Public Theater Season Will Include World Premieres by John Leguizamo, Jordan E. Cooper, and More

The Public Theater’s Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick  Willingham announced today the line-up for The Public’s 2025-26 Season at their landmark Astor Place  home on 425 Lafayette Street. An iconic New York theatrical institution producing bold, innovative work  downtown since 1967, The Public will feature world premieres of plays and musicals by Obie Award winner  and Emerging Writers Group alumnus Ethan Lipton, based on Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning  classic The Skin of Our Teeth; former United States Ambassador Julissa Reynoso and award-winning  playwright Michael J. Chepiga; Tow Foundation Playwright-in-Residence Else Went; and award-winning  playwright Anna Ziegler, and New York premieres of plays by Tony and Emmy Award nominee Jordan  E. Cooper and Tony and Emmy Award winner John Leguizamo. The Public will also continue its  relationship with Ma-Yi Theater Company through a residency featuring two productions, written by Zoë  Kim and Jeena Yi, and welcome Elevator Repair Service back to The Public. The Public’s programming  and mission-driven work continues year-round with nightly performances at Joe’s Pub’s; artistic programs  including Mobile Unit and Public Works; and numerous artist development programs, residencies, and  fellowships dedicated to offering a home for artists at various stages of their careers. 

“The reopening of The Delacorte has created a surge of energy throughout The Public, and we are  announcing our most robust season of activity since the pandemic laid the world low in 2020. American  classics musicalized, thrilling writing debuts, ambitious new work from long-time Public artists, diverse aesthetics from resident companies—this is a season as robust as New York City and as adventurous as  the American spirit,” said Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, who marked 20 years of artistic leadership in  January. “America's great strength comes from the many unique and diverse voices that make up our  beloved country—and The Public celebrates that beautiful tapestry with pride and conviction. In the fight  for democracy, theater has something unique to offer, and this season makes that case with every offering  and every program.” 

 “We firmly believe the quality of our work is inextricable from the diversity of voices and perspectives  represented on and off our stages, and this upcoming season is a testament to that foundation,” said  Executive Director Patrick Willingham. “In 2026, New York can also look forward to a full summer of  Shakespeare for the City including our second season of Free Shakespeare in the Park at the revitalized  Delacorte Theater in Central Park which, as always, remains Free, For All, Forever.”  

Public Theater Partner and Supporter Plus tickets for THE OTHER AMERICANS, OH HAPPY DAY!, DID  YOU EAT? (밥 먹었니?), THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS, and INITIATIVE will go on sale on Tuesday, June  3 and Public Theater Supporter tickets on Thursday, June 5. Full-price single tickets will be available on  Wednesday, June 18. 

The Public will also host Ma-Yi Theater Company in residence, featuring two productions in the Shiva  Theater. The residency follows collaborative productions of Teenage Dick by Mike Lew in 2018, The  Chinese Lady by Lloyd Suh in 2022, and SUMO by Lisa Sanaye Dring in 2025. The Public and Ma-Yi's  shared commitment to nurturing and uplifting diverse voices in the American theater is the foundation of  this continued partnership. The Public is proud to continue working with Ma-Yi and to honor and celebrate  their important mission of providing a home for Asian American artists, while producing theater that breaks  boundaries.  

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to launch Ma-Yi’s residency at The Public Theater with these two  extraordinary works. Jeena Yi’s JESA and Zoë Kim’s DID YOU EAT? (밥 먹었니?) are fearless, heartfelt,  and wildly original plays that reflect the richness and complexity of the Asian American experience,” said  Ralph B. Peña, Producing Artistic Director of Ma-Yi Theater Company. “We’re humbled and honored  to bring Ma-Yi’s work to The Public Theater—an iconic home for bold storytelling and civic imagination. It’s  especially exciting to present all-women-led projects featuring two rising theater artists whose voices speak  to the vitality and vision of the AANHPI theater community.”  

 PUBLIC THEATER PROGRAMMING   

In addition to a robust mainstage season downtown at Astor Place, The Public continues its year-round  engagement through its vital, mission-driven programs. Focused on furthering The Public’s belief that art  and culture belong to everyone, these programs and initiatives offer free and low-cost tickets, build  community through theater, and develop the next generation of theater artists. In Summer 2026, Mobile  Unit returns to tour the city with free performances of a Shakespeare play across the five boroughs. Public 

Works engages year-round with community members by offering classes, free tickets to performances, and more. 

Joe’s Pub, The Public’s venue for experimental and iconic artists in music, comedy, and live performance,  continues with a new season of vibrant nightly performances by artists from all over the world. The Joe’s  Pub season will additionally feature the 2025-26 Vanguard Residency curated by downtown icon Justin  Vivian Bond. 

Dedicated to nurturing artists through all stages of their careers, The Public hosts several artist  development programs, residencies, and fellowships, including supporting upcoming theater artists and  writers through the Emerging Writers Group, Joe’s Pub Working Group, Vanguard Residency, New York  Voices Commissioning Program, and Jose Solís’ BIPOC Critics Lab. Residencies and fellowships include 

Writer in Residence Suzan-Lori Parks; theater company The Apothetae; and Directing Fellow Emma Rosa  Went. The Judith Champion New Work Series, which presents public readings of exciting new plays from  a dynamic group of visionary playwrights, will return in January 2026. 

The Library at The Public serves food and drink Tuesday through Sunday, beginning at 5:00 p.m. and  closing at midnight. The Library is closed on Mondays. For more information, visit publictheater.org.  Become a Partner or a Supporter of The Public Theater today at publictheater.org. 

SUMMER 2026 PROGRAMMING 

Shakespeare for the City returns in Summer 2026, presented by Citizens. The Public’s annual summer  celebration of free theater across New York City will include a Mobile Unit tour of a classic Shakespeare  play around the five boroughs, a season of Free Shakespeare in the Park at The Delacorte Theater, and  a Public Works production featuring Public Works community members. Every performance of  Shakespeare for the City is completely free and open to all.  

Free Shakespeare in the Park at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park is one of the cornerstones of The  Public Theater’s mission. Since its inception, over six million people have enjoyed more than 160 free  productions of Shakespeare and other classical works and musicals at The Delacorte Theater. Conceived  by founder Joseph Papp to make great theater accessible to all, Free Shakespeare in the Park continues  to be the bedrock of The Public’s vision of artistic excellence and free access to culture.  

The Public has launched Forever Public, an ambitious, multi-year capital campaign with a goal of raising  over $175 million to secure the transformative mission of free theater for everyone. In addition to  establishing the Fund for Free Theater endowment, capital support for Forever Public made the Delacorte  revitalization possible. 

Built in 1962, the theater had not undergone meaningful capital upgrades since 1999. The Public, in  partnership with the Central Park Conservancy, NYC Parks, and the New York City Department of Cultural  Affairs, and Ennead Architects to create a design and construction plan that minimized impact on Central  Park and foregrounded resilience and sustainability to ensure the longevity of Free Shakespeare in the  Park for many years to come. 

The Delacorte project is publicly and privately funded with $42 million contributed by the New York City  Mayor, City Council, and Manhattan Borough President, as well as $1 million from New York Assembly  Member O’Donnell. The Public also wishes to acknowledge State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and NYC  Parks who have contributed funding to the Central Park Conservancy’s Delacorte restroom renovation  project. 

The Delacorte will reopen in July 2025 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by a full schedule of tours,  special events, and performances. Supporters can leave their mark in the new Delacorte grandstand by  claiming a seat for a gift of $5,000 or more. For more information, visit publictheater.org/about/forever public.

The Public Theater’S 2025-26 SEASON:

New York Premiere  
THE OTHER AMERICANS 
By John Leguizamo  
Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson  
In Association with Arena Stage 
September 11-October 12 (Opening: September 25) 

Emmy Award winner John Leguizamo is Nelson Castro, a Colombian-American laundromat owner in  Queens grappling with a failing business and buried secrets in his new play THE OTHER AMERICANS.  When his son Nick returns from a mental wellness facility after a traumatic incident, Nelson's world  unravels. Committed to protecting his family and business, he tackles racial and identity challenges to  achieve his dream, proving his success. Nelson must navigate morality's murky waters to salvage his  future. Will he emerge victorious, or will his past consume everything he holds dear? Tony Award winner  Ruben Santiago-Hudson directs this gripping tale of resilience. 

THE OTHER AMERICANS will feature John Leguizamo (Nelson). Additional casting will be announced  at a later date. 

New York Premiere 
OH HAPPY DAY!  
By Jordan E. Cooper  
Original Songs by Donald Lawrence  
Directed by Stevie Walker-Webb  
Presented in Association with Baltimore Center Stage 
October 2-26 (Opening: October 15) 

An impending flood is the least of the Johnson family’s troubles in this outrageous reimagining of Noah’s  Ark from Tony Award-nominated writer and director duo Jordan E. Cooper and Stevie Walker-Webb. OH  HAPPY DAY! begins in Laurel, MS, at a birthday BBQ for Lewis, the patriarch of the family. Shortly after  his estranged son Keyshawn (played by Cooper) makes a surprise appearance, absurdity ensues on a  day that will change their world forever. Grammy Award-winning gospel artist Donald Lawrence writes  original songs for this biting new play about confronting the divine. 

OH HAPPY DAY! will feature Jordan E. Cooper (Keyshawn). Additional casting will be announced at a  later date. 

New York Premiere  
DID YOU EAT? (밥 먹었니?) 
Written and Performed by Zoë Kim 
Directed by Chris Yejin 
Ma-Yi Theater Company in Residence 
October 14-November 9 (Opening: October 24) 

DID YOU EAT? (밥 먹었니?) is Zoë Kim’s autobiographical journey through love’s many forms–how it’s  learned, given, and reflected inward. In a nimble and tender solo performance, Zoë shapeshifts into the  souls of her family through a landscape of memories where tears and laughter collide. It’s not just a story,  but a reckoning—weaving through the textured threads of Korean/American identity, belonging, and  

healing. DID YOU EAT? (밥 먹었니?) is a poetic love letter to the inner child, and hopefully yours too.  Directed by Chris Yejin. 

World Premiere  
THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS 
Adaptation, Music, and Lyrics by Ethan Lipton  
Based Upon the Play The Skin of Our Teeth by Thornton Wilder  
Choreography by Sunny Min-Sook Hitt 
Directed by Leigh Silverman 
October 23-November 30 (Opening: November 13) 

Obie Award-winning playwright and songwriter Ethan Lipton brings his irreverently funny new musical  THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS to the Public this fall. A rollicking adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of  Our Teeth, this new musical about age-old problems tells the twisting, often absurd story of the Antrobus  family, who have been alive for 5,000 years but live in the same existential dread as the rest of us. Mired  in the hot mess of their everyday worries, the Antrobuses survive all manner of catastrophes in an endless  quest to begin again, and again, and again. Choreographed by Sunny Min-Sook Hitt and directed by two time Tony nominee Leigh Silverman, this bracingly original spectacle is a musical reminder that surviving  is what we do best. 

THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS will feature Ally Bonino (Fortune Teller), Bill Buell (Turkey/Ensemble),  Damon Daunno (Henry Antrobus), Andy Grotelueschen (Announcer/Ensemble), Amina Faye (Glady  Antrobus), Allison Ann Kelly (Ensemble/Musician), Nat Lopez (Ensemble), Ruthie Ann Miles (Mrs.  Antrobus), Geena Quintos (Mammoth/Ensemble), and David Ryan Smith (Ensemble). Additional casting  will be announced at a later date. 

Principal production support for THE SEAT OF OUR PANTS at The Public provided by Teresa Tsai  Productions. Generous support is provided by Alexandra Shiva & Jonathan Marc Sherman and Steven  & Benay Taub. Special thanks to the Laurents / Hatcher Foundation. 

World Premiere  
INITIATIVE 
By Else Went  
Directed by Emma Rosa Went  
November 4-30 (Opening: November 20) 

Playwright Else Went, alumnus of The Public’s acclaimed Emerging Writers Group, brings her  transformative new play INITIATIVE to The Public this fall. A bittersweet reflection on adolescence at the  dawn of the new millennium, INITIATIVE charts the intertwined lives of seven teens from 2000-2004, as  they become friends and more than friends, wrestle with their potential, face incalculable loss, and struggle  to find their way in (and get out of) “Coastal Podunk, California.” Emma Rosa Went directs this epic world  premiere guaranteed to make you remember the most difficult and beautiful things about growing up.  

ULYSSES 
Created by Elevator Repair Service  
Text: Ulysses by James Joyce  
Co-Direction and Dramaturgy by Scott Shepherd 
Directed by John Collins 
January 2026 

Following last fall’s sold-out encore of Gatz—“The most remarkable achievement in theater of the decade”  (New York Times)—Elevator Repair Service (ERS) takes on the Mount Everest of twentieth-century  literature. James Joyce’s ULYSSES has fascinated, perplexed, scandalized, and/or defeated readers for  over a century. In this New York City premiere, seven performers sit down for a sober reading but soon  find themselves guzzling pints, getting in brawls, and committing debaucheries as they careen on a fast 

forward tour through Joyce’s funhouse of styles. With humor, pathos, and a richly layered design, ERS  stitches together verbatim passages from Joyce’s epic masterpiece into a two-and-a-half hour tour de  force. 

World Premiere 
ANTIGONE (THIS PLAY I READ IN HIGH SCHOOL)
By Anna Ziegler 
Directed by Tyne Rafaeli 
Winter/Spring 2026 

A riveting take on Sophocles’ classic, ANTIGONE (THIS PLAY I READ IN HIGH SCHOOL) reimagines  the story of Oedipus’ daughter Antigone through a bold new lens. Written by award-winning playwright  Anna Ziegler, this lyrical epic follows a fiercely independent young woman determined to control her own  body in a kingdom ruled by archaic laws that regulate women’s autonomy. Incisively witty and  breathtakingly intelligent, ANTIGONE (THIS PLAY I READ IN HIGH SCHOOL) paints a world that is both  modern and ancient; a world of lost leaders, hapless cops, and one very righteous daughter on an all-night  bender. Drama Desk Award nominee Tyne Rafaeli directs this daring new work about the timeless quest  to find your voice. 

ANTIGONE (THIS PLAY I READ IN HIGH SCHOOL) will feature Celia Keenan-Bolger (Chorus) and  Tony Shalhoub (Creon). Additional casting will be announced at a later date. 

World Premiere  
PUBLIC CHARGE 
By Julissa Reynoso and Michael J. Chepiga 
Directed by Doug Hughes 
Winter/Spring 2026 

In 1982, seven-year-old Julissa immigrates to the U.S from the Dominican Republic. In 2009, she leaves  her successful practice at a Wall Street law firm to supervise Caribbean and Central American Affairs for  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. PUBLIC CHARGE chronicles the challenging education of a twenty-first century American diplomat as she works with scores of other dedicated public servants to  deploy humanitarian aid to an earthquake-ravaged Haiti, navigate the roiling politics of immigration,  confront the reality of international espionage, and free a wrongly imprisoned American from a Cuban  prison. This bracing world premiere by former United States Ambassador Julissa Reynoso and award 

winning playwright Michael J. Chepiga is, at its core, about a group of Americans who believe, sometimes  against all appearances to the contrary, that their government might actually be a force for good upon the  frighteningly chaotic world stage. Tony Award winner Doug Hughes directs this first-hand account of the  principled use of power and the enormous potential of keen intelligence, hard work and good will to  bridge seemingly irreconcilable conflict. 

World Premiere  
JESA 
By Jeena Yi 
Directed by Mei Ann Teo 
Ma-Yi Theater Company in Residence 
Winter/Spring 2026 

JESA by Jeena Yi, directed by Mei Ann Teo, is a riotous and heart-wrenching new play that explodes the  idea of the “perfect family gathering.” When four estranged Korean American sisters reunite in Orange  County to perform their father’s Jesa—a traditional ritual honoring the dead—old wounds erupt, secrets  surface, and ghosts (literal and emotional) refuse to stay buried. With razor-sharp dialogue, explosive  humor, and unexpected tenderness, JESA asks how we honor our ancestors when we can barely stand  each other. Come for the sibling brawls and burning shrimp, stay for the aching truth of what binds us. 

JOE’S PUB 

Joe’s Pub at The Public celebrates nearly three decades as a home for visionary artists in music, comedy,  cabaret, and other forms of live performance, with a new season of artist development programs and  nightly performances. The recipient of the 2025-26 Joe’s Pub Vanguard Residency is eminent artist and  performer (and MacArthur “Genius”) Justin Vivian Bond, who will curate a year of performances  throughout the 2025-26 season. Bond’s curated season will open with a show by Garnet Williams (Jellicle  Ball) on September 29, 2025. 

Joe’s Pub’s 2025-26 New York Voices commissions feature three works-in-progress, led by multi hyphenates Barsha and Jo Lampert. This project will ultimately be presented in full at Long Wharf  Theatre. The season will also feature A Musical for Henrietta, a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story  written and performed by singer, musician, actor, and theater-maker Lisa Stephen Friday, and a new, as yet-untitled work from another MacArthur “Genius,” award-winning theater artist Taylor Mac. 

The Joe’s Pub Working Group celebrates its 10th year of enriching the sustainability and growth of New  York-based emerging and established artists’ careers. Alumni of the program include Tony Award winner  Shaina Taub, Mellon Foundation grantee Samora Pinderhughes, Whiting Award winner LaTasha N.  Nevada Diggs, and Drama Desk Award winner Ikechukwu Ufomadu. Applications for the 2025-26 Joe’s  Pub Working Group are currently open and available at joespub.org.  

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