This summer's production of "Twelfth Night" features Peter Dinklage, Lupita Nyong'o, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Sandra Oh. It's a story of mistaken identities and love triangles.
The famed theater hasn't put on a show since 2023 so fans were eager to get tickets early Thursday morning ahead of the debut performance.
"Shakespeare wanted the theater to be free to the people, and that's what we've done here, it's just an amazing program," said Dean Thomas.
Free tickets were given out at noon, but more than 300 people camped out all morning -- and some even lined up at 4:30 a.m.
"I've missed it, I think a lot of New Yorkers have missed it, it's been two years, and it's such a great cast and there has been lovely buzz...I was worried if I wasn't here by 4:30 I wouldn't get a ticket at all," said Mary Peterson.
The original theater was built in 1962 and hasn't had any meaningful upgrades since 1999.
According to the Public Theater, which runs Shakespeare in the Park, the $85 million project made big improvements like more accessible seating, modified stage areas, improved lighting, water drainage systems and more.
The facade of the renovated theater was built using reclaimed redwood from decommissioned water tanks across all five boroughs of New York City.
"Twelfth Night" runs almost every night until Sept. 14 with a few nights off. Click here to check the schedule.
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