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New York City just spent $85 million renovating a theater in Central Park. The Delacorte Theater reopened this month after being closed for nearly two years. While the project aims to bring free Shakespeare to the people, many taxpayers are asking tough questions about the price tag.
The renovation was funded partly by $42 million in government money from local leaders. That’s $42 million that could have gone to fixing roads, supporting police, or cutting taxes for hardworking families. Instead, it went to fancy upgrades for a theater that was already serving the public just fine for 60 years.
The Public Theater runs this program and claims it’s about making culture accessible to everyone. They installed 34 wheelchair-accessible seats and built new ramps and elevators. These improvements are good, but did they really need to cost $85 million to achieve basic accessibility?
The theater’s new exterior uses reclaimed wood from old water towers around the city. This sounds nice and environmentally friendly, but it’s just expensive window dressing. The old gray walls worked perfectly well for decades of performances that delighted audiences.
Liberal elites are celebrating this project as some kind of victory for democracy and inclusion. The Public Theater’s website even calls it “a platform for democracy” and uses political language about fighting tyranny. This shows how the left turns everything into a political battleground, even Shakespeare.
The reopening features big Hollywood names like Lupita Nyong’o and Sandra Oh in “Twelfth Night.” These wealthy actors will perform on a stage paid for by taxpayers who can’t afford Broadway tickets. It’s another example of government subsidizing entertainment for the rich and famous.
Free Shakespeare in the Park has been running since 1962 without needing this massive renovation. The program worked fine with the old setup and brought culture to millions of people over the decades. Sometimes the best government spending is no spending at all.
Conservative taxpayers should ask their representatives why $85 million went to theater renovations instead of essential services. New York has real problems with crime, housing costs, and crumbling infrastructure that need attention first. Arts funding should come from private donors, not hardworking families who are already overtaxed.
