AFTER HOURS

Pirates in the Park

Pirates in the Park


pubgalaplay

What: The Public Theater’s annual gala and one-night-only performance of The Pirates of Penzance

Where: The Delacorte Theater in Central Park

When: Tuesday, June 11

From left: Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis with Meryl Streep; Zachary Quinto and Lily Rabe.

Who: Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, Martin Short, Eric Idle, and Jonathan Groff took part in a delightful (if charmingly unrehearsed) rendition of the Gilbert and Sullivan musical in front of a star-studded audience, which included Sting, Diane Sawyer, Steve Martin, and Zachary Quinto.

Why: Although the benefit was originally scheduled for Monday evening (and was rained out), the show must go on. Not a seat in the legendary theater was empty as Meryl Streep took to the stage with a touching introduction that honored the Public Theater’s long-time board member Nora Ephron. “One of the good things about getting older,” Streep said, “Is that you realize that you never really lose anybody.” After recalling the time she said “bon appetite!” in front of Ephron, a joke that would eventually lead to the film Julie & Julia, and mentioning that the style-loving writer would have perhaps disapproved of her white shoes, she lead a toast: “Here’s to our darling girl!”

The lights dimmed, and the pirates took to the stage.