PBS’s Great Performances returns with its fifth annual “Broadway’s Best” lineup, which premieres on Fridays, May 13-27 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS.

One highly anticipated feature is Merry Wives, recorded live from The Delacorte Theater, marking the return of The Public Theater’s beloved Free Shakespeare in the Park following the COVID-19 shutdown. 

'Merry Wives' was recorded during the summer of 2021 at The Public Theater’s famous Free Shakespeare in the Park.

It’s a product of playwright Jocelyn Bioh’s critically acclaimed adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedic spinoff “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” and is directed by The Public’s Associate Artistic Director and Resident Director Saheem Ali. The production is set in South Harlem where immigrants of the West African diaspora are living side-by-side with their African American neighbors. The story is about tricks of the heart, featuring the Bard’s most beloved comedic characters, this farce tells the story of the charlatan Falstaff and the wily wives who outwit him in a celebration of Black joy, laughter, and vitality. Stars Jacob Ming-Trent as Falstaff, Pascale Armand as Madam Ekua Page, and Susan Kelechi Watson as Madam Nkechi Ford.

Check local listings on when it airs. Also, download the PBS Video app as part of #PBSForTheArts. 

Check out an exclusive clip below: