So I don't know if anyone has seen the weather forecast for this week;

[jagfkb]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 7:51am

Isolated thunderstorms almost every single day this upcoming week, and on Monday, 60% precipitation starting exactly at 8:00. I've been planning on camping out for Into the Wood's first preview for months now, getting there around midnight; should I still go? As much as I'd love to camp out for 13 hours in Central Park, if there's such a heavy chance that it will be cancelled, is it even worth it?

[winston89]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 9:56am

You cannot camp out in central park. The park is closed at midnight.

[macnyc]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 10:24am

That's the chance you always take with Shakespeare in the Park. I know it's a shame to wait THAT long and have the show cancelled though. I'm told that the shows goes on, even with a bit of rain, and is only cancelled if the rain is pretty severe. I guess that would include thunderstorms.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 10:33am

^For safety reasons, they do generally cancel for thunderstorms.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 10:37am

I have an advanced ticket for Friday. Lordy be, let it rain and pour Monday through Thursday.

[jagfkb]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 10:44am

winston- They start the line along Central Park West by the 81st Street entrance and bring them into the park at 6AM.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 10:47am

They try to avoid cancelling, if at all possible Of course, on occasion, they have no other choice.

But generally, they take a "the show must go on" attitude, even if it means having the cast assist in the cleanup. There's a rather famous story about Meryl Streep wanting to continue a performance one night after a rainstorm, picking up a mop, and going out to wipe off the stage herself.

Updated On: 7/22/12 at 10:47 AM

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 10:47am

Yes, that is what people do but I don't think midnight will be necessary for the first preview with chances of thunderstorms, but I guess better safe than sorry.

[jagfkb]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 10:52am

Well I hadn't planned on it raining, will probably get in for 6AM now

[beltingbaritone]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 3:24pm

It rained on and off the night I went to see Twelfth Night. The performance still happened, though. I guess I was luck that most of the raining happened prior to the show.

It just so happened that it was raining the night before as well (while we were all huddled in our sleeping bags outside of CP) and Anne Hathaway and the cast brought boxes and boxes pizza to hand out. It was incredibly sweet of them.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 3:49pm

I already have my summer supporter ticket, and I will be crushed if tomorrow's first preview is cancelled. Especially since I'm traveling in from further than usual.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 8:10pm

"There's a rather famous story about Meryl Streep wanting to continue a performance one night after a rainstorm, picking up a mop, and going out to wipe off the stage herself."

I don't remember if she mopped, but watching Meryl Streep and Raul Julia perform TAMING OF THE SHREW in the rain remains one of the highlights of my theater-going life. There were a few stops and starts for downpours, but if anybody left, I didn't see it. (I was one of the lucky few to be seated on the stage.)

But that was in 1981. I'm sure producers are much more concerned with lightning nowadays; I know they are more careful at sporting events.

[morosco]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 9:35pm

Having never been and not anticipating being able to get a ticket can anyone comment on listening to the show from the outside of the Delacorte? Do they allow that? And can you even hear the show outside of the amphitheatre?

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 9:55pm

"There's a rather famous story about Meryl Streep wanting to continue a performance one night after a rainstorm, picking up a mop, and going out to wipe off the stage herself. "


Very near the truth, but not quite.

I was there that night (one of the best nights of theater in my life...period). The show (Mother Courage) stopped about 2 or 3 times throughout due to horrible rain. (A friend of mine ended up buying a SITP towel for 40 bucks, if I'm not mistaken, to keep us close to dry.) By the last stop in the performance, the stage crew appeared with mops and began cleaning...and then Meryl appeared in full costume with a large rag, got on all fours, and started cleaning. As you can guess, the audience BLEW UP with excitement.

By the end of the performance EVERYONE (audience, cast, crew) were drenched and cheered. After, the stage manager announced that it was because of the cast that the performance continued until the end. Such a night never to be forgotten!!

[singtopher]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 10:09pm

Apologies for both the thread jack, and annoying question, but: I'm planning on waiting in line on Tuesday. My plan is to get there shortly before 6am. Do you think my chances are good for getting tickets? (Weather be damned!!)

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 10:17pm

Best was seeing HAIR and when it started raining the audience started chanting. "Hell no! We won't go!"
Another night it rained so hard, you could not see the stage! Called the show after 3-5-0-0.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 11:30pm

They do their best to avoid canceling in most cases; unless the forecast is for like, dangerous storms and torrential downpours consistently all night, they'll typically hold for as long as they can with the time constraints before canceling.

[michellek45]

Posted: 7/22/12 at 11:54pm

Singtopher, wait until tomorrow afternoon; there will be plenty of people, myself included, who will have lined up for the first show and be able to give you more information.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/23/12 at 12:25am

Don't plan on seeing it tomorrow.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 7/23/12 at 1:10am

^I don't mean to be rude but where are you getting this information?

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/23/12 at 1:19am

Trust Kad.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 7/23/12 at 1:25am

I almost feel like this is a grand conspiracy to make tickets easier to get. (I'm mostly joking, I gotcha )

[Kad]

Posted: 7/23/12 at 1:28am

I can't speak for why the Public has yet to release the info. I just know it's valid, and would like to see people not waste their time.

I don't make things up to screw with people.

[broadwaydevil]

Posted: 7/23/12 at 1:30am

I just got a double confirmation, not that I didn't trust you Kad, but I guess you never know. I imagine a lot of people won't find out and will be lining up in the morning.

What are the chances the second preview gets canceled? Unfortunate this had to happen but given Shakespeare in the Park's history, the situation must have been very dire as they would do anything possible to have the show if they could. I imagine all the rain/thunderstorms made tech week a nightmare.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/23/12 at 1:41am

As of now, I can't say. We'll have to wait until tomorrow night. My initial reaction is to say Tuesday will go as scheduled.

But believe me, this delay is for the best.