The Public Theater

The Photog and I have been members at the Public for over a decade, and it’s difficult to imagine ever dropping our membership. Every play is not a slam dunk, but every single one of them pushes against and sometimes past some boundary or limit that I’d never even realized existed. Extraordinary theater at a truly reasonable price — and the opportunity to see a number of plays before they head to Broadway.

I have seen the three current productions running at the public. All have been amazing. Before your very eyes has a group of very talented kids in the show. Eclipsed is moving up to Broadway shortly. Seating is excellent in the three theaters. Staff couldn’t be more helpful. The have elevators and members can hang out in the library.

This review is actually for both the Public Theater itself and for the Public Mobile Unit. I saw Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors here and it was fantastic!
First, how can you not love and support the mission of the mobile unit. «…That Shakespeare belongs to everybody and that making sure his work is available and accessible to the most diverse and democratic audiences is not only good for the audiences, it’s good for the work.”“The mobile unit tours the five boroughs and beyond performing in prisons, homeless shelters, community centers and generally anywhere where we think we can reach audiences who are not normally invited to the table when high culture is on the menu.» They bring us Shakespeare in the Park every summer!
This production was sent in one of the intimate little auditoriums as theater in the round. Now, intimate does not mean dim and dingy. The theater was bright and clean with only a couple rows of seating on all four sides so there isn’t a bad seat in the house!
The cast of comedy of errors was spectacular! Obviously, Comedy is in the title, but I was laughing out loud for most of the play. I would gladly see the show again and recommend that you all catch it before it’s too late!

Top notch. So many shows to choose from and I love the 6pm discounted tickets. The staff are real theatre lovers; very helpful.

Daring productions make this theater very special. Very good seats at all the theaters. Many good restaurants nearby. Unusually diverse casts are a major plus.

I’ve been to a show at Joe’s Pub and The Public Theater (Newman auditorium). There are other auditoriums in The Public Theater but I have yet to visit it.
I went to a show at Joe’s Pub and I found it ridiculously expensive for what you get.
Last night I went to see a play at the Newman Auditorium and there was no bad seat. The stadium seating was super exaggerated at a huge incline. The seats were not ultra tight, there was room to wiggle around! And there was so much leg room too. As anyone who goes to plays can tell you, most theatres squeeze as many seats as possible into tiny auditoriums. This is one of the few times I felt comfortable at a play. It was not too cold, not too hot, not packed in like sardines. And the play I saw, Barbecue, was amazingly funny. It was a very well written play.

This review is for the Library located on the second floor of the Public.
Celebrated my girlfriend’s birthday and participated in Restaurant Week dinner. Upon arrival, the restaurant was completely empty. It has a very intimate setting with just the right amount of lighting.
I ordered the Waiting for Godot cocktail with vodka, dry vermouth, mint, and an awesome watermelon ice cube. It was worth every dollar. The SPF 42 cocktail was also so so good.
The service was great. Our server didn’t rush us as we took our time to order and pleasantly surprised the birthday girl with a birthday candle in her dessert.
I ordered the corn soup with peektoe crab for the appetizer. It was the right amount of creamy richness with sweet, crunchy corn. The heat of the chillies will hit you after a few spoonfuls. I just wish there was more crab.
The flat iron steak was good but portion sizes were a bit off. My portion was smaller than what was served to both my friends. The salad was dressed nicely and the frites portions were huge!
The strawberry rhubarb crumble was a generous portion– the actual crumble was delicious but the filling was a bit too sweet for my liking.
I highly recommend this place for their delicious cocktails and not-​your-​average-​NYC atmosphere!

I adore everything about the Public. Their new building makes you feel like you’re always a part of some exciting, buzzing «happening» when you’re there. And usually you *are*, since their top-​notch programming always attracts a high profile crowd. The lobby bar and Joe’s Pub are great spots as well.

What a disappointment! I don’t understand what all the hype is about. This show is awful. Nothing new, nothing fresh, just noise and rap to a boring history lesson. I feel like I wasted a night.

Travelled to this theater when I heard that Lin-​Manuel Miranda’s new musical Hamilton was playing. I snatched up tickets and dutifully, excitedly showed up in the snow storm. We went straight to the small bar importantly set in the middle of their open lobby that has entrances to different theaters much like spokes coming off a wheel. Above the bar, a modern crown– an art installment called the Shakespeare Machine (generates various phrases from 37 different Shakespeare plays) that was captivating and lighthearted. Two strong gin and tonics later, we sauntered into the theater where there really is no bad seat. The theater was intimate, minimalist and yet every move was meaningfully planned. With a name like Public Theater you’d expect maybe faint rotting wood smell, heavy curtains, lots of carpeting. Not at all here. Very modern. Very clean. Very great.
Three cheers to this theater. Great production and enjoyable venue.

Our last activity in NYC was to watch «Here Lies Love» here at the Public Theater! My boyfriend and I came to the show thinking it would be a regular sit down show; the lobby was pretty quiet, but when we went to the show, we found ourselves in a middle of a dance club like atmosphere! It was crazy energetic from the very start… the show was amazing! The songs were catchy, the setup was amazing (which literally moved around!), and the overall story was very interesting and engaging. The production is very well thought and put together… even the audience had multiple chances to participate… my boyfriend got to dance with the lead actress at the end!!! It was hilarious.
Overall, we had a great time. Going in and out of the show was easy, the show was fantastic, and we ended the night at the restaurant, The Library, located at this theater!

Really awesome venue! It was a restaurant/​bar with a stage… Had a cheese burger, 7 out of 10. Wine selection was small but I had two glasses of the Pinot Grigio from New Zealand and it was pretty good. I came for the Etta James tribute and all the singers were amazing. William Blake, the main singer, was phenomenal and has a voice that gave me chills.
Although the stage was small, and the setup was simple, I thought it was a perfect way to strip everything down to make it all about the music. No fancy clothes or outfit changes. I know this is also (or mainly) a critique about the show, but since the stage was so small I’m assuming most performances have this element of simplicity. It was like going to a nice restaurant with good service (sold out show) and the wait for my food and drinks wasn’t long.
The lighting was nice, dim but not too dim, and there was a good amount of tables yet it wasn’t crowded or stuffy. It didn’t feel like a bar with live music, but more of an upscale restaurant with a theater there.
I wish I had gone more than once. I went to see my friend perform (one of the three backup singers), but the fact the place was so comfortable and nice would have definitely swayed me to have come a couple times.

If you’re on the fence about going to see «Here Lies Love,» I am here to tell you to GO SEE IT NOW! It was undoubtedly the best and most fun off-​Broadway show I’ve ever seen.
We were able to buy rush tickets for $ 40, which are sold an hour before the show. We lined up an hour before that (so two hours before the show time) and were third in line. At least when you’re waiting for these tickets, you can sit and be indoors! Can’t say the same for Shakespeare in the park. There’s also a café inside where you could buy snacks/​drinks while you wait. Once we got tickets, we were free to leave and kill time before the show started.
All tickets for Here Lies Love are standing unless you want to be in the balcony with seats but I don’t recommend this. Since the stages move, you don’t need to get here early for a good spot as you will be moving too! If you like interactive theater and dancing, you’ll love Here Lies Love.

I’m not a big theater/​museum type but when I’m dragged along to these places I’m usually bored out of my mind and end up falling asleep. The Public Theater as a venue is pretty sweet. It’s not like the typical places you see in midtown where the buildings are older and a little more dingy. Whomever designed Public Theater did a great job as it looks modern, exciting, and just visually looks great.

I’m writing this review in regard to Here Lies Love. I want people to be prepared, as we were not. My friend and I thought it was a good idea to eat an edible before the show. We had standing room tickets and thought we would dance and have fun. The issue is that you are NOT ALLOWED to have beverages inside. AND the water fountain is like 7 floors down. Our cotton mouth was so bad that my friend went to find a water fountain and never returned (literally got lost and went home), and then I braved it and had to go backstage and through all these corridors until I ended up on the ground floor where the bathrooms and water fountain are. The show was awesome! It was a great time. And the public theater is a beautiful space. But just be forewarned…

I went to go see Here Lies Love here last night. I don’t mind if there are show requirements, but I think things should be clearly stated. There were issues with bag checks, where are bags were put after the coat check closed down, etc.

Oh Public Theater Box Office. I like you, I do. The staff is a lot more friendlier than they used to be and it’s very appreciated. It really is.
You know what would really help? If you posted the box office hours on your website. Yeah, it would be great, especially for members.
The people who work in this enclosed box are usually friendly and nice (and patient if there is no line). I love that I can leave my tickets there at will call. I also discoved that if you’re a student you can get a student ticket for any performance for $ 25 cash. What? Who can get a student ticket in advance these days? You can. Here. At The Public Theater.

This august institution isn’t what it was under the visionary leadership of Joe Papp, it’s different now. But compared to other theaters in New York it remains indispensable.
I wish they more often produced original shows instead of sometimes relying on presenting shows that had previously been produced at other, often smaller, venues. But there is still value in giving larger audiences an opportunity to see these crucial productions, for example the ERS production of Gatz or the Foundry Theater’s production of The Good Person of Szechwan. The production of Gatz for example I would have missed had it not been extended at the Public.
I also wish that tickets for the Shakespeare in the Park productions were more accessible. Too many seats are now awarded to large, corporate donors. But keeping this place going for so many years now, with a beautiful renovation no less, is heroic work and I imagine that painful compromises have to be struck so I don’t want to complain too much. This is a five star review remember.
If you want to subscribe to one theater in New York, subscribe to the Public. It offers a variety of kinds of shows (cabaret at Joe’s Pub, the aforementioned Shakespeare productions, new plays) in a beautiful building (the old Astor Library). There is also a restaurant (decent food but the location is what makes it awesome) and a bar in the lobby.
Also important to note the Public demonstrates a commitment to New York City that many tourist-​chasing theaters do not. The staff and the artists presented tend to be more demographically inclusive then you see at more staid theaters. Going to the Public gives you a feeling of being connected to this great city.
It’s worth just wandering into the lobby and seeing what is on that night. There are sometimes rush tickets available for the same day. Check the website or call the box office for details. Anything you see at the Public is going to be of quality. Even if a particular production isn’t your cup of tea you’ll for sure have an experience that will teach you something about theater.

Shows come and go, but theaters, especially good ones often remain. Having attended various shows (many of which were free or incredibly inexpensive!), I can say without a doubt The Public Theater is one of the finest venues for any show in the city.
The Public Theater is neither gawdy or visually impressive, but for the many acts that pass through here year in and year out, it is definitely among the most active. Broadway has its own flavor in Midtown, but this place in the hearts of many from theater geeks to live show newbies.
It’s been said before, but its quite true — there is no bad seat in the house. The production value here is good enough for front row fiends to nosebleed ninjas. Sound has never been an issue and the staff is friendly. I always secretly rejoice when I find a show I’m looking to watch happens to be playing here.
Finally, if you can score a rush ticket (same day), it’s worth it. Back in the day they were $ 20 and below, which beats hitting up one of the city’s many overpriced movie theaters any day of the week.

I can’t help but love this place. If you’re a true theater-​loving geek (especially if you love edgy avant garde works), then The Public Theater is your nirvana.
I’ve been there a few times to see various plays (most notably Gatz, an amazing all day reading of The Great Gatsby) and I’ve always enjoyed myself. The tickets are rarely pricey and they often sell rush tickets at steep discounts.
The shows are not the typical glitzy Broadway shows, but smaller more intimate affairs that push the boundaries of what we view as public performance. These quirky, off-​beat, and often simply bizarre works stretch your mind in terms of what you conceive as performance art.

I attended this venue for Astor Hours for the New York City Wine and Food Festival and this is honestly a beautiful space.
When we first walked in we were greeted with an enormous room with plenty of white bright lights and a bar that took up almost 40% of the room.
The chandelier was unique and beautiful — with a modern take on a chandelier.
The other rooms had distinct personalities that seemed to completely take you away from the foyer. From the bar and lounge to the left or the library-​esque room on the second floor, it was all very lovely.
If you can attend an event here — just for the excuse to roam around the space, I would definitely recommend it.