Founded by the late, legendary Joe Papp, the Public Theater has been an essential space for game-changing, socially engaged theater for over fifty years. Led for the last ten years by artistic director Oskar Eustis (director of an explosive new Julius Caesar, updated to the Trump Age), the Public—with its downtown stages, Joe’s Pub venue, and the annual summer Shakespeare series in Central Park—continues to produce innovative, prize-winning work: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton, Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron’s Fun Home, Lynn Nottage’s Sweat, David Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s Here Lies Love, etc.

On Monday, June 5, join Eustis and executive director Patrick Willingham as they celebrate the legacy of the late LuEsther T. Mertz—an unparalleled early champion of the Public Theater—with a one-night-only gala, HAIR TO HAMILTON: CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF REVOLUTIONARY MUSICALS FROM THE PUBLIC THEATER.

This 90-minute concert is directed by Daniel Sullivan, and performers include: Sasha Allen, Brian d’Arcy James, Nikki M. James, John Lithgow, Kevin Moon Loh, Mary Kate Morrissey, Diane Phelan, Paris Remillard, Anika Noni Rose, Phillipa Soo, Eric Lajuan Summers, Will Swenson, Kirstin Villanueva, and Dan’yelle Williamson.

HAIR TO HAMILTON, Monday, June 5.

6:30 pm — Drinks and dinner. 8 pm — Concert. 9:30 — After-party

DELACORTE THEATER, CENTRAL PARK, West 81st Street and Central Park West entrance, New York City.

publictheater.org/Support/Events/Gala/

JULIUS CAESAR, nightly at 8 pm, June 6 through June 18. Dark Wednesday, June 14.

DELACORTE THEATER, CENTRAL PARK, West 81st Street and Central Park West entrance, New York City.

publictheater.org/Julius-Caesar/

Image credit: Public Theater