A New York City tradition for over 60 years, The Public Theater's Free Shakespeare in the Park returns this

summer with HAMLET, a contemporary take on Shakespeare’s classic tale of family and betrayal. Directed by

Kenny Leon, the show is currently running through August 6 at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

On Saturday, August 5, the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL) will host The Public Theater for a

free ticket distribution event. Staff from The Public Theater will set up a table in the lobby of JCAL around

10:00 a.m. and hand out tickets starting at 12:00 p.m. for the Saturday, August 5 performance at 8:00 p.m.

Anyone with a Public Theater account is eligible to receive up to two vouchers, which can be redeemed for

tickets that evening at The Delacorte Box Office from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Confirm if you have an account or make a

new one at publictheater.org/register. Come by before noon to get in line for your chance to enjoy HAMLET!

This summer, Corinne Gologursky (they/them) is the Props Manager for HAMLET. This means they are

responsible for the collection, construction, and preparation of all items used by the actors on stage, other than

costume elements. Corinne also currently lives in Queens!

In this Q&A, Corinne discusses how they got involved in Free Shakespeare in the Park, their connection to

Queens, and their favorite aspects of props management.

What is involved in a typical day for you working on HAMLET?

Corinne: I always start with my morning coffee and head to the gym (Cliffs LIC!), and then make my way to the

office to catch up on emails and notes from the night before. Then I get our fabulous props team

started—depending on the notes, that can mean doing anything from going shopping for supplies, to making

plastic baggies filled with stage blood, to building a coffin. A typical day in props is very atypical!

What is one unique memory from this production of Hamlet you will take away with you?

Corinne: It’s always a fun experience to carry a prop casket down the street and watch people do a doubletake.

What is your favorite prop from the show, and why?

Corinne: My favorite prop would have to be the Queen’s bed—we had a lot of challenges around it to figure

out, and I think we came up with some really successful solutions. It needs to be puzzled together in a very

particular way because of the height constraints below the stage, and also the curtains have to be ripped down

and be able to drag a body across the stage while still looking beautiful.

What is your favorite part about living in Queens?

Corinne: I live in Jackson Heights, so I’m surrounded by amazing food—it’s so hard to pick a favorite spot! I’d

say it’s a tie between Samudra (love their samosas) and Momo Crave (obsessed with their chili momo). I also

love that we have a farmer’s market every weekend. It’s always nice to go down there with my partner and the

dog to get some fresh veggies and baked goods and then hang out in the park with our coffees from Espresso

77.

What does Free Shakespeare in the Park mean to you?

Corinne: My first experience with Free Shakespeare in the Park was back in 2015 when I had a summer

internship, which was the summer I fell in love with props, so it holds a special place in my heart. Seeing a

show at The Delacorte is magical—to have this collective experience, witnessing art that hundreds of our

community members had a part in creating, in the open air as the sun is setting with 1,800 fellow humans from

all walks of life is so unique. A true New York moment!

Why do you think people should come to HAMLET? Or, what makes this HAMLET different?

Corinne: Well first off, the set is pretty awesome and there are so many cool things to look at! I'm so proud of

the scenery department, props team, and production department as a whole for pulling this massive feat

together.

The storytelling in this production of HAMLET is very clear from all aspects, so even if you think

Shakespearean language is tough, you'll still be fully engaged in what's going on. Hamlet can be a pretty

dense, wordy play, but Kenny did a great job at cutting it down and only keeping what was necessary for this

particular story, which really allows some of the iconic lines to shine through.

CORINNE GOLOGURSKY (Prop Manager). The Public: As You Like It, Suffs, cullud wattah, Merry Wives,

Ain’t No Mo’, Eve’s Song, Sea Wall/A Life, Kings. Off-Broadway: Sandra, The Search for Signs of Intelligent

Life in the Universe, 72 Miles to Go, All the Natalie Portmans. Regional: Once (BCP); Singin’ in the Rain,

Beauty and the Beast, (MSMT). Opera: Der Freischütz, Fidelio, Don Giovanni, Dragus Maximus, Hot Mama

(Heartbeat Opera).

More about HAMLET:

Director Kenny Leon said, “A 400-year-old play exploring the need for a strong foundation of family, with

music and words, Shakespeare’s Hamlet has much to say about humanity and the importance of our

connectedness to each other. We set this production in 2021, filled with all of the challenges we face as

Americans as we explore our need to love more profoundly both nature and its people.”

Tickets to The Public Theater's Free Shakespeare in the Park are distributed in a number of ways. Free tickets

may be acquired on the day of the performance in person at The Delacorte Theater, in person at a borough

distribution site, via an in-person lottery in the lobby of The Public Theater at 425 Lafayette Street, or through a

digital lottery via the TodayTix mobile app. All tickets are subject to availability. Come by JCAL before noon

on Saturday, August 5 for your opportunity to see this captivating show!

Learn more about the show and how to access free tickets at publictheater.org/hamlet23.

Photo

Credits:

Greg Hildreth and Ato Blankson-Wood. Photo by Joan Marcus.

Coffin progress. Photos by Corinne Gologursky.

Photo of Corinne Gologursky. Courtesy of Corinne Gologursky.