The Shakespeare Ball, 1966

The Public Theater's free Shakespeare plays draw large crowds to the Delacorte Theater and its adjacent Great Lawn in Central Park on select summer evenings. The two-month-long festival, once known as the New York Shakespeare Festival, is now simply known as Shakespeare in the Park. Serving as a fundraiser for the festival, the Shakespeare Ball, held in 1966 at the notorious Plaza Hotel, was an occasion for the city's elite to gather and celebrate in costumes inspired by the playwright's works.

Wearing Shakespearean-styled gowns, actress Pamela Tiffin and Gloria Steinem frolic at Bard's benefit ball, June 13, 1966. Miss Tiffin is dressed as Kate, of Taming of the Shrew, and Miss Steinem is garbed as Lady MacBeth

Shirlee Fonda, wearing a gown by Frederic Forquet inspired by
Virgilia in Coriolanus, and Susan Stein wearing a gown
designed by Donald Brooks, inspired by Ophelia in Hamlet, at
the Shakespeare Ball at the Plaza Hotel

Mrs. Montague Hackett wearing a Pucci-designed gown inspired
by Hermione in A Winter's Tale at the Shakespeare Ball

Actress Lee Remick wearing a gown by Rouben Ter-Arutunian
inspired by Hippolyte in A Midsummer Night's Dream at
the Shakespeare Ball

Socialite Amanda Burden wearing a gown by costume designer
Theoni V. Aldridge inspired by Rosaline in Love's Labors Lost
at the Shakespeare Ball 

Socialite Robin Butler wearing a Christian Dior gown inspired
by Helen of Troy in Troilus and Cressida at the Shakespeare Ball

Actress Susan Kohmer wearing a gown designed by her husband,
John Weitz, inspired by Hamlet, at the Shakespeare Ball

Socialite model Contessa Christina Paolozzi Bellin wearing a
gown by John Kloss inspired by Doll Tearsheet, Henry IV,
Part 2 at the Shakespeare Ball

Socialite Judith Peabody wearing a gown by Bob Bugnand
inspired by Marina in Pericles at the Shakespeare Ball

Glamour magazine editor Ellin Sadowsky Saltzman wearing
a gown by Shannon Rodgers inspired by Octavia in Antony
and Cleopatra at the Shakespeare Ball

Photographer Bert Stern dancing with his wife, ballet dancer
Allegra Kent, who is wearing a gown by Geoffrey Beane
inspired by Cassandra in Troilus and Cressida
at the Shakespeare Ball

Socialite Mrs. Harry Theodorocopoulos wearing a gown by
John Moore inspired by Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream
at the Shakespeare Ball

Actress and radio commentator Katharine Balfour wearing
a gown by Pauline Trigere inspired by Calpurnia in Julius
Caesar at the Shakespeare Ball

Baroness Gottfried von Meyern-Hohenberg, wearing a Chester
Weinberg gown inspired by Katherine of France, Henry V,
at the Shakespeare Ball

Socialite Chessy Rayner wearing a gown by Bill Blass inspired
by Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Shakespeare Ball

Socialite Minnie Cushing wearing a gown by Oscar De La
Renta inspired by Desdemona in Othello at the Shakespeare Ball

Socialite Baby Jane Jolzer wearing a gown by Simonetta inspired
by Ariel in The Tempest, and fashion model China Machado
wearing an Yves St. Laurent gown inspired by Cleopatra in
Antony and Cleopatra at the Shakespeare Ball