New York Post

HEARING IS NOW IN SESSIONS

- By LINDA MASSARELLA

All the world’s a stage — but corporate donors Delta Airlines, Bank of America and now American Express, don’t want to be caught in the spotlight.

All three companies have distanced themselves from the Public Theater’s controvers­ial Shakespear­e in the Park production of “Julius Caesar,” which depicts the assassinat­ion of a leader who resembles President Trump.

American Express was initially reluctant to sling arrows at the nonprofit organizati­on staging the play in Central Park, but The Post discovered that the financials­ervices giant’s banner had been removed from the Public Theater’s Web site on Monday afternoon.

Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, in an open letter on the play’s Web site, urged everyone to keep their heads:

“Julius Caesar is about how fragile democracy is. And in case you were wondering: No, we didn’t write any new lines. It’s all Shakespear­e.”

In the modern-era adaptation (above) of the 400-yearold play, based on the true story of the Roman dictator who was knifed by conspirato­rs, Caesar is dressed in a business suit with a red tie and wears a blond wig.

It is being staged at the park’s outdoor Delacorte Theater, where tickets are free, through June 18.

The production comes on the heels of comedian Kathy Griffin’s video in which she gripped a bloodied rendering of the president’s head.

On Sunday, Donald Trump Jr. retweeted a Fox News story about the play and wrote, “I wonder how much of this ‘art’ is funded by taxpayers? Serious question, when does ‘art’ become political speech & does that change things?”

Delta responded by saying the play “crossed the line,” while Bank of America said it felt deceived.

American Express said it did not “condone this interpreta­tion of the play” — but added that it would remain a sponsor of the Public Theater’s 2017-2018 season in the East Village.

Defenders of the new adaptation include city Comptrolle­r Scott Stringer, who tweeted, “What a mistake. Actually reading Julius Caesar might help in the future. Your copy is in the mail.”

Mayor de Blasio said New York City will continue funding the Public Theater — and he wouldn’t mind if he were the one portrayed as Caesar.

“It’s a cautionary tale about the decline of democracy, about the horrible impact of political violence . . . It is literally decrying the horrible effect of political violence,” he said on NY1.

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