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American Masters

When Joe Papp asked Meryl Streep to take over the theater

Meryl Streep was touched, but perplexed when Papp asked her to run the theater.

06/03/2022

American Masters

When Joe Papp asked Meryl Streep to take over the theater

Clip: 6/3/2022 | 1m 41sVideo has Closed Captions

Meryl Streep was touched, but perplexed when Papp asked her to run the theater.

Meryl Streep was touched, but perplexed when Joe Papp asked her to take over The Public Theater after his passing. "What he wanted was bigger than what could be, which was sort of always what was true with him," said Streep.

06/03/2022

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Support for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo...

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Joe Papp in Five Acts

Video has Closed Captions

Preview: 6/3/2022 | 1m 42s | Papp, founder of Free Shakespeare in the Park, believed great art is for all. (1m 42s)

The origins of Shakespeare in the Park

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Clip: 6/3/2022 | 2m 25s | Papp built a stage on a 35 foot truck so he could bring Shakespeare to other communities. (2m 25s)

Papp turned a dilapidated building into The Public Theater

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Clip: 6/3/2022 | 2m 14s | Joe Papp saved a historic building from demolition, which evolved into The Public Theater. (2m 14s)

Representation in theater was important to Joe Papp

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Clip: 6/3/2022 | 3m 19s | When developing Free Shakespeare in the Park, Joe Papp wanted people to feel represented. (3m 19s)

Why Joe Papp thinks the theater should be free for all of us

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Clip: 6/3/2022 | 1m 3s | Joe Papp made it his mission to have theater be accessible to the public. (1m 3s)

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Support for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo...

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