It's really a good deal. Get someone to wait in that godforsaken Shakespeare in the Park line for you all day, pay them less than you'd probably pay to see a Broadway show, and enjoy your culture free of hassle. But Attorney General Andrew Cuomo doesn't think that's right, and wants you to take off work and wait on line for your own free tickets! He said in a press release, "The not-for-profit Public Theater provides Shakespeare for all regardless of ability to pay. Selling tickets that are meant to be free deprives New Yorkers of enjoying the benefits that this taxpayer-supported institution provides."
Cuomo cut a deal with Craigslist on Thursday, and now the online classified service will ban any ads selling Shakespeare in the Park tickets or line sitting services. The site has taken down all the existing ads, and with working with the Public Theater on a filter that would prevent more from going up. However, the Craigslist deal doesn't seem comprehensive yet. This guy is still selling two tickets to a Winter's Tale for $100 and two for The Merchant of Venice (whoo-ahh, Al Pacino!) for $125. Get 'em while supplies last!
Scalpers are, of course, furious at the ban. One wrote the Daily News, "I don't see any problem with offering free tickets for a price, especially for such an event like this. It's very popular and a staple of summer in N.Y.C. Also, who wants to wait in line for seven hours for tickets? A lot of people are extremely busy." Besides, they can't afford to make any more enemies now that H.O.V.A. is after them.
