Public/Private Audiobook By Gail Merrifield Papp cover art

Public/Private

My Life with Joe Papp at The Public Theater

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Public/Private

By: Gail Merrifield Papp
Narrated by: Kathryn Grody, Gail Merrifield Papp
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.95

Buy for $24.95

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Blending a behind-the-scenes history of New York City’s Public Theater with an affecting remembrance of her husband, Public Theater founder Joe Papp, Public/Private is Gail Merrifield Papp’s enthralling and heartfelt memoir of a legendary theatrical institution. Opening with the venue’s early days in the '60s and '70s, Papp describes the couple's 25-year association with The Public, which saw hundreds of productions staged, including Shakespeare in the Park, musicals such as Hair and A Chorus Line, and plays like For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf. The list of actors whose careers were launched at the Public includes James Earl Jones, Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Colleen Dewhurst, Martin Sheen, Gloria Foster, George C. Scott, and Morgan Freeman, all of whom make appearances in the book’s many anecdotes.

Just as importantly, Papp gives a firsthand look at Joe's creative process. She highlights his ambition to create a producing home focused on original plays and musicals from new voices with nontraditional casting, which made The Public a haven for many of the leading lights of American popular culture. She traces the evolution of Shakespeare in the Park, from a modest festival limited to small venues around New York City to its current home in Central Park, where its productions have become an indelible feature of summer in the city. Recounting setbacks and frustrations alongside moments of passionate artistry and theatrical innovation, this is a remarkable account of how The Public Theater became a lasting beacon for social change—and of the man who made it happen.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Gail Merrifield Papp (P)2023 Audible, Inc.
Entertainment & Celebrities Entertainment & Performing Arts Celebrity Heartfelt New York
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Public/Private

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.