If you would rather go online than wait in line to get free tickets for this season’s Shakespeare in the Park, you’re in luck. Thanks to the Public Theater’s Virtual Ticketing system, all you need is an email address and Internet access to join a daily ticket lottery.

Shakespeare in the Park’s “The Comedy of Errors” begins tomorrow and runs through June 30, with all performances at 8:30pm (“Love’s Labor’s Lost” runs July 23 – August 18), so you’ll have plenty of chances to win.  For your best chance, try during the first week of performances. Click here for more info on the production.

Here’s how it works:

• First, create an account. We’ll walk you through how to create an account at the bottom of this page. (If you already have an online account for the Public Theater, no need to create a new one.)
• On any day when there is a public performance of Shakespeare in the Park, log into your account anytime between midnight and 11:59.  Click here to see a schedule of performances.
• Once you’ve logged in, you’ll have the opportunity to request two tickets to that day’s performance. Indicate in the check boxes if your request is for General, Senior (65+), or Accessible (ADA) seating.
• The winners are picked randomly at noon that same day (the day of the performance)
• You will receive an email after noon to tell you if you have or have not been picked.
• If you have been selected to receive free tickets, you can pick up your tickets between 5:30pm and 7:30pm at the Delacorte Theater Box Office under the name and address that you used to create your account. (You’ll need the proper ID.) Any tickets not picked up by 7:30pm will be released to the stand-by line. Get there early, since you’ll want to get to the front of the ticket line by 7:30.

How to Create an Account

• Click here to access the registration page. You’ll be asked to enter first name, last name and your email address.

• Fill in your details and type the letters that you see in the “captcha” – if the letters you see are too hard to figure out, click on the little circle (indicated by the orange arrow in the image below) to bring up new letters.

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• Click the “Next” button. You’ll see a page that has all the information you entered in step 1. Make sure it’s correct (if you need to fix something, click the “Previous” button, make the correction and click “Next” again). Then click the “Next” button.
• The next page will inform you that the system has sent you a confirmation email.
• Go to your email program and look for a new email from the Public Theater. Open it, and click on the link that says “Activate my account!”
• You’ll be taken to a new web page that asks you to enter and re-enter a password for your account.
• That’s it: You’re now all set up to use the Public Theater’s Virtual Ticketing system.

Good luck!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​