The design is circular, a nod to the concentric rows of seats at the Delacorte, as well as “Shakespeare for the City,” a series of performances all around NYC to celebrate the reopening.
Since 1994, Paula Scher has designed the promotional campaigns for Shakespeare in the Park, the free summer performances presented by The Public Theater at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. This August, the Delacorte reopens following a major 18-month revitalization with a new production of “Twelfth Night” starring Peter Dinklage, Lupita Nyong’o, Sandra Oh and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, directed by Tony Award nominee Saheem Ali. The renovation was designed by Stephen Chu of Ennead Architects.
The auspicious occasion inspired an especially exuberant poster campaign. Each year, the Shakespeare graphics update the spirit and use of Knockout, the font of the Public identity. Variations have included typography that is slashed, slanted, skewed, stretched, stenciled and scribbled. This year, for the first time, the design is circular, a nod to the concentric rows of seats at the Delacorte, as well as “Shakespeare for the City,” a series of performances all around NYC to celebrate the reopening. In posters and dynamic digital animations, the type is layered over shapes to create a vibrant tapestry of color.
On June 11, Scher will be honored at The Public’s Annual Gala, in recognition of her three decades of visionary design and branding excellence. Congratulations, Paula!
