Free Shakespeare in the Park is going classic — and contemporary — at the same time.

The Public Theater is bringing “Romeo & Juliet” back to the Delacorte Theater in Central Park for the first time in nearly 20 years, in a new production directed by Associate Artistic Director and Resident Director Saheem Ali. Performances run from May 22 through June 28, with an official opening set for June 11.

Ali’s staging keeps Shakespeare’s text in English but gives Romeo and Juliet a private language: They speak to each other in Spanish, turning code‑switching into both love language and quiet rebellion. Set in border‑town Verona, split by ideology and street violence, the production leans into the play’s warning about what happens when a society decides who belongs — and who doesn’t.

The cast is led by Ra’Mya Latiah Aikens as Juliet and Daniel Bravo Hernández as Romeo, joined by an ensemble that includes Caleb Joshua Eberhardt (Mercutio), Francis Jue (Friar Laurence), LaChanze (Lady Capulet), Deirdre O’Connell (Nurse), Okieriete Onaodowan (Benvolio), Jason Manuel Olazábal (Lord Montague), Jessica Pimentel (Escalus), Mariand Torres (Lady Montague), and others.

The production also marks the first “Romeo & Juliet” at the Delacorte since the theater’s recent renovation, which updated the grandstand, backstage areas, and accessibility while preserving the beloved open‑air setting in the middle of the park.

As always, tickets are free, with distribution via same‑day in‑person pickup, borough sites, and lottery (including a digital option), plus select accessible performances with audio description, open captioning in English and Spanish, sensory‑adapted offerings, and ASL‑interpreted dates.