Posted: 6/2/16 at 12:57am
I really want to see Shakespeare in the Park. What is the best way to get a ticket? According to the Public website there's a lottery over on Lafayette st or you can wait at the Delecorte. How early would I need to get there? Also how many enter the lottery on Lafayette? Which is a better option?
Posted: 6/2/16 at 3:42am
The stand by line is a good bet. If you get there 4 hours before the show, that should be plenty early to get in.
Posted: 6/2/16 at 8:44am
What if you accidentally oversleep? Is there a standby line?
Posted: 6/2/16 at 9:19am
There is a standby line for every performance. It technically begins as soon as the last ticket is given out. The Public has staff in the park all day; they can tell you if tickets are still available, or if not, direct you to the standby line.
Unlike the general distribution, in which everyone waiting is entitled to two tickets, the standby line is one ticket per person. So, if you need multiple tickets, everyone in your party has to be present. The staff begin monitoring the line at 6PM and tickets are handed out as they become available.
Posted: 6/2/16 at 10:08am
I saw the show last Sunday and arrived at the Delacorte just a little after 7:00am and there were already over 200 people in line ahead of me. The wait until 12:00pm didn't feel quite as strenuous as I had expected, but when the staff spoke to my stretch of the line they pretty much implied that we were guaranteed tickets because of our proximity to the front. I've done the lotteries all summer for years and only got lucky once and the show wound up being rained out, so your best bet is to just show up at the Delacorte and either do the general line or try standby.
