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William Shakespeare’s works are often seen as the pinnacle of high culture today. However, during his lifetime, his plays were crafted for the enjoyment of everyday people. Embracing this inclusive ethos, the Mobile Unit, a dynamic offshoot of New York City’s Public Theater, stages Shakespeare’s plays for communities that often lack access to the arts. Their performances reach prisons, homeless shelters, community centers, and other locations, many situated in the city’s most economically disadvantaged areas.
Founded in 1957 by Joseph Papp, the visionary behind the Public Theater, the Mobile Unit has undergone numerous transformations while staying true to its mission of making Shakespeare’s works widely accessible. Recognizing that not everyone could afford to travel to Manhattan for a performance, Papp pioneered the idea of taking Shakespeare directly to the people. During its early years, the Mobile Unit traveled across New York in repurposed Department of Sanitation trucks, presenting free outdoor performances in public parks throughout the five boroughs. The troupe utilized a collapsible wooden stage mounted on a truck and portable seating that accommodated up to 700 spectators, many of whom might never have experienced Shakespeare’s plays otherwise.
The Mobile Unit experienced intermittent activity over the years, but by 1979, it was temporarily discontinued. With financial constraints limiting resources, the Public Theater chose to focus its efforts on its downtown theater space and the Delacorte Theater, the iconic open-air venue in Central Park that has been home to free Shakespeare in the Park performances since 1954.
In 2010, Barry Edelstein, who leads the Public Theater’s Shakespeare Initiative, brought the mobile unit back to life after a hiatus of more than three decades. Like Joseph Papp, Edelstein was convinced that a traveling theater was crucial to keeping Shakespeare accessible to everyone. Despite the Public Theater offering free tickets and affordable downtown performances, Edelstein noted in a 2012 interview with The Huffington Post that high demand created time and geographic barriers. He explained that many people couldn’t take time off work or travel to Central Park, making the goal of widespread, democratic access harder to achieve.
Edelstein drew inspiration for the revamped Mobile Unit from Ten Thousand Things, a Minneapolis-based theater group known for performing in prisons, homeless shelters, and low-income communities, as well as for public audiences. This nonprofit uses a small cast and minimal sets, costumes, and props, enabling them to stage affordable, mobile productions. Instead of traditional stages, actors perform in the center of a circle of folding chairs, creating an intimate and practical theater experience.
"We combined our origins with their approach, and that’s what shaped the Mobile Unit as it is today," says Stephanie Ybarra, the Public Theater’s director of special artistic projects, in an interview with Mytour.
Michelle Hensley, the founder and artistic director of Ten Thousand Things, traveled to New York to direct the Mobile Unit’s first production, a touring version of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure in 2010. Performances were held at locations such as Staten Island’s now-defunct Arthur Kill Correctional Facility, the Central High School/Boys & Girls Club of Newark, and the Jamaica Service Program for Older Adults, culminating in a six-day run at Judson Memorial Church in the East Village.
Now in its seventh year, the revived Mobile Unit travels across New York in vans (no longer relying on the Sanitation Department vehicles from Papp’s era). One van carries the actors, crew, and director, while a second transports props, costumes, and other essentials. The unit visits various venues throughout New York City and nearby counties, presenting free, minimalist productions of Shakespearean classics like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth.
"We have the opportunity to explore various corners of New York, experiencing the city in ways I never have before," says actor David Ryan Smith, a four-year member of the Mobile Unit who recently portrayed Malvolio in Twelfth Night, in an interview with Mytour. He adds that people, especially those in prisons, are "eager for storytelling."
Joan Marcus, via The Public TheaterThe Mobile Unit performs in gyms, multipurpose rooms, and classrooms, using a portable 14-by-14-foot carpet as their stage, designed to match the theme of the production. (For instance, the carpet for Twelfth Night featured a pink and teal Art Deco pattern.) Without stage lights or additional props, actors wear a base costume and switch outfits behind clothing racks placed offstage. Audience members sit in a circle, creating an immersive theater-in-the-round experience. The number of attendees varies from 15 to 110, depending on the venue.
Each year, the Mobile Unit conducts two free three-week tours—one in spring and another in fall—followed by a three-week paid performance at The Public’s downtown Manhattan theater. This spring marked the unit’s 60th anniversary, celebrated with free tickets to the sit-down run of Twelfth Night from April 24 to May 14. Tickets were distributed through a mobile or in-person lottery, and community organizations unable to host the Mobile Unit were provided with complimentary tickets to each show.
The Public Theater stays true to Shakespeare’s original language but isn’t hesitant to add modern twists or unique interpretations to their productions. Saheem Ali, director of the Mobile Unit’s recent Twelfth Night, aimed to make the play feel "accessible and relevant" to today’s audience, as he explained to Mytour, and to "reflect our modern world." To delve into themes like immigration and identity, Ali reimagined the classic comedy in a 1990s Miami-inspired setting.
Ali drew inspiration from the "wet foot, dry foot" policy of the 1990s, which allowed Cuban refugees who reached U.S. soil to gain automatic citizenship, while those intercepted at sea were sent back. He wondered, "What if Viola and Sebastian were Cuban immigrants trying to reach dry land?" (This policy, introduced by Bill Clinton, was ended by President Barack Obama in early 2017, over two decades after its inception.)
In the Mobile Unit’s rendition of Twelfth Night, Viola is portrayed as a Cuban immigrant who survives a shipwreck and believes her twin brother, Sebastian, has perished. Taking advantage of the policy, she starts a new life in the vibrant city of Illyria, Florida. There, she disguises herself as a man named Cesario, navigates a complex love triangle, becomes entangled in a duel, and ultimately discovers true love.
Ali highlighted Viola’s line, "Conceal me what I am," traditionally interpreted as her hiding her gender. He expanded on this idea, asking, "What if she’s also concealing her origins, her accent, and her identity? What if she’s hiding more than just her gender?" This added depth to her character and the story’s exploration of identity.
Ali’s production was infused with 1990s Miami-inspired music, including rap, house, and pop, capturing the city’s lively culture. The stage featured inflatable palm trees, and key scenes, such as Viola and Sebastian’s reunion, were partially translated into Spanish, adding authenticity and cultural richness to the performance.
"Shakespeare can often seem daunting," Ali notes. "It might appear as though it’s reserved for a specific social class or educational background, but the Mobile Unit breaks down those barriers, making it accessible and meaningful for everyone."
From Rikers Island Correctional Facility in the Bronx to the Brownsville Recreation Center, the Mobile Unit’s performances of Twelfth Night have taken place in diverse venues, each with its own set of challenges and advantages. Many of these locations are "often overlooked or designed to suppress the human spirit," Ybarra explains. Yet, Shakespeare’s plays have a profound impact, bringing laughter, tears, and a renewed sense of humanity to these underserved communities.
