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THE PUBLIC THEATER was renamed the Joseph Papp Public Theater yesterday to honor the man who acquired the landmark building a quarter of a century ago and made it a major cultural landmark. The occasion was timed to fall on the birthday of William Shakespeare, Papp's favorite playwright.
Papp, who died Oct. 31, made the building the headquarters of his New York Shakespeare Festival. He was eulogized in a rededication ceremony outside the building on Lafayette Street by Mayor David N. Dinkins; JoAnne Akalaitis, the festival's artistic director; Robert W. Pittman, chairman of the festival's board of directors; actor Raul Julia, Jason Steven Cohen, the festival's producing director,...