Free live Shakespeare plays during the summer in Central Park. Past stars include Melanie Griffith, Jeff Goldblum. This year, Anne Hathway!! There are a few ways to get tickets. Since I had an entire day off, I took advantage of it and woke up at 5:30am (!!) to wait in line. My reasoning: if I’m going to wake up super early for free tickets, might as well make it worth it and not risk not getting tickets. Hey, what’s another 30 minutes of sleep if it means losing my chance to see Anne Hathway live?
A teacher friend of mine, Debbie, and I got in line by 6ish and were probably the first 70 people. The two girls in front of us, veterans at Shakespeare in the park, told us since we were so close to the front of the line, we were guaranteed tickets. Yay! We settled in and prepared for a good several hours. First laid down plastic bags to keep the dew from seeping through, then towels for cushion, apply bug spray and sunscreen, Starbucks breakfast sandwiches and finally…naptime. I got such good sleep that I joked about coming out early again the next day for another nap and charging someone for the tickets. By 7:30 the line had grown so long and the people who arrived after that were most likely not going to get tickets. There was an enormous group of about 60 teenagers from a summer day camp, under their EZ Up Tent. I’d hate to be the suckers waiting in line behind them. There are strict rules to waiting in line: No leaving the line for anything (not to go home to nap, not for a Starbucks run, nothing), the only exceptions: to use the one and only designated restrooms and cafe. No saving spots, no switching out people. You may have friends come meet you in line to hang out, but when time comes to get your ticket, the friends must step out of line.
Happy moment at 1pm when Debbie and I had the highly coveted tickets in our hands and went home to nap! The forecast? Rain! And the amphitheater is outside. We brainstormed: rainboots and homemade ponchos out of trashbags complete with armsholes but luckily, it stopped raining 30 minutes before showtime.
Happy Ending: It was well worth waking up early to see the talented cast, including Anne Hathway, perform Twelfth Night. Soo good!! 
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