
William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. He wrote 39 plays and 154 sonnets between roughly 1589 and 1613, including Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and King Lear.
Shakespeare established many of the dramatic structures, character types, and emotional vocabulary that modern theater still uses. His work has been continuously performed for over 400 years and translated into every major language, making him the most-staged playwright in history.
Yes. Disney's The Lion King is loosely based on Hamlet, with a young prince exiled after his father's murder by his uncle and his return to reclaim the throne. The Broadway musical retains the story structure while adding new music and African staging influences.
Broadway musicals based on Shakespeare include West Side Story (Romeo and Juliet), Kiss Me, Kate (The Taming of the Shrew), & Juliet (a reimagining of Romeo and Juliet), and Something Rotten! (set in Shakespeare's London). Disney's The Lion King also adapts Hamlet.
Free Shakespeare in the Park is produced each summer by The Public Theater at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Tickets are distributed via lottery, and standard lottery entries can be made through TodayTix and The Public's website.