In an excerpt from "Thinking Through Shakespeare," author David Womersley looks at "Richard II" and how the monarch misunderstands the divine right of kings in ways that lead to his eventual downfall. www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

Announcing Folger Theatre's 2026/27 Season! 📣 The season begins with Shakespeare’s "Measure for Measure," then Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy "Hamlet," followed by one of Shakespeare’s treasured comedies. The Reading Room Festival returns in January 2027. www.folger.edu/tickets/subs...

"Shakespeare’s Unruly Women," a 1997 Folger exhibition, focused primarily on the ways in which Shakespeare’s heroines were appropriated into the moral, literary, and theatrical culture of the 19th century. For Women's History Month, we're revising it on our blog: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

"AS YOU LIKE IT" IS NOW EXTENDED! 🎉 🥂 ❤️ 🌳 If you haven't had a chance to see Folger Theatre's "splendidly sharp-witted, joyful, and highly entertaining" (Tom Navratil, Washington Unbound) production, you can see it now through April 19. 🎟️ : folger.edu/ayli

We’re celebrating the upcoming start of spring with Shakespeare quotes about the season—a time of renewal, rebirth, and new beginnings. www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

Welcome to the Shakespeare Championships bracket! As our own form of March Madness (or maybe just madness in general), we’re running a bracket of your favorite plays. Head over to our IG stories to vote! More info at the link: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

"As You Like It" offers an abundance of pleasures, among them memorable songs, one of Shakespeare’s best-loved female characters, Rosalind, and the Seven Ages of Man speech. But how much do you know about the details of the play? Test your knowledge with this quiz. www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

In "Thinking Through Shakespeare" from @princetonupress.bsky.social, scholar David Womersley suggests that Shakespeare's plays offer a way of exploring some of the deepest questions about human life. Listen to the "Shakespeare Unlimited" podcast: www.folger.edu/podcasts/sha...

DC's own KOKAYI is a grammy-nominated artist, MC, a producer, a published author, and more. He's the composer for both our production of "As You Like It" and Mosaic Theater Company's upcoming "Young John Lewis." He spoke to the Theater District podcast: www.theaterdistrictdc.com/kokayi

The Ides of March have not yet come or gone...but they're on their way! On the blog, we explore what "Ides" are and how Shakespeare helped cement them in the popular imagination: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

Over on the Collation, we take a look at Edwin Austin Abbey's snowy Stratford scene of "The Guild Chapel & Grammar School," and what it illustrates about Shakespeare's life: www.folger.edu/blogs/collat...

"As You Like It" is a sparkling story of love, hidden identity, and an escape to a world beyond society’s strictures. But there are also heavier themes. We asked Folger Director Dr. Farah Karim-Cooper for her take on Shakespeare’s beloved comedy. www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

On the blog, we're exploring collection items from early 20th century outdoor performances of "As You Like It" and designs from the Folger's upcoming production: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

Henry Irving and Ellen Terry were beloved for their Shakespeare performances, particularly notable pairs like Hamlet and Ophelia and Benedick and Beatrice. New additions to the Folger collection show the acclaimed artists at work and play in Victorian England: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

In 1936, Britain's first feature-length Shakespeare "talkie" premiered. "As You Like It" featuring Elisabeth Bergner and Laurence Olivier in his first Shakespeare role on screen. Explore the film's press kit and study guides in the Folger collection: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

In London in 1789, publisher John Boydell began an ambitious project: a gallery devoted entirely to scenes from Shakespeare. On the podcast, we explore the rise and fall of the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery: www.folger.edu/podcasts/sha...

Filmmaker and Folger Artistic Research Fellow Fred Kuwornu found himself looking at Renaissance paintings and wondering who the Black Africans were in some of these iconic works. In his documentary, "We Were Here," Kuwornu shares what he discovered: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

Last week,we shared a Collation blog post with a Folger mystery - could readers spot the difference between two versions of "A Midsummer Night's Dream"? For inquiring minds, the answer is now up on the Collation: www.folger.edu/blogs/collat...

Congratulations to our fantastic "Twelfth Night" costume designer Olivera Gajic and our stellar ensemble! 👯 💛 We can't wait to celebrate you at the Helen Hayes Awards in May.

We're honoring Anna Lena Phillips Bell, the 20th winner of the Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize, on Tuesday, February 24, at 7:30pm! 🎉 www.folger.edu/whats-on/the...

Shakespeare's beloved comedy "As You Like It" (onstage at Folger Theatre March 10 - April 12) overflows with wit and poetry, including the memorable Seven Ages of Man speech which begins "All the world's a stage." Explore some of the play's most well-known lines here: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

We've got a mystery over on our Collation blog! Can you spot the difference (other than spelling) between this "Midsummer Night’s Dream" as printed in the 1600 Quarto and the 1623 First Folio? www.folger.edu/blogs/collat...

An absolutely fitting celebration of @austintichenor.bsky.social's 100th blog with us - a reflection on the power of storytelling. 🥳

Our March Book Club selection imagines a young Lady Macbeth growing up in and navigating the political perils of medieval Scotland. Join us on March 5 for "Queen Hereafter" by Isabelle Schuler. Register 📚 : www.folger.edu/whats-on/fol... Books available in store or online at the Folger shop.

On "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" @colbertlateshow.bsky.social, Sir Ian McKellen shared a monologue that some believe Shakespeare may have written. The speech, known as "The Strangers’ Case," comes from an Elizabethan play, "Sir Thomas More." We explore: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

We love showcasing the work of undergraduate students! On the Collation blog, Riley Martin talks about her time exploring the collection as part of the @gwu1821.bsky.social course "Art in the Age of Shakespeare": www.folger.edu/blogs/collat...

Shakespeare’s plays are well stocked with merchants of Venice, gentlemen of Verona, and other Italian characters. But what did Shakespeare—and his audiences—really know about such distant places and people? www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

"All the world’s a stage/ And all the men and women merely players." We're delighted to announce *our* players for "As You Like It." Envisioned by Folger Theatre Artistic Director Karen Ann Daniels and directed by Timothy Douglas, it's on stage March 10-April 12. 🎫 : folger.edu/AYL

We often pigeonhole people as either a "maths " or an "arts“ person, but in Shakespeare’s time this divide didn’t exist. I spoke with @Folger.edu about why looking at Shakespeare through the eyes of a mathematician can help students to appreciate both disciplines. www.folger.edu/podcasts/sha...

19th-century American actor Ira Aldridge is remembered as a pioneering performer who refused to let racism keep him from his passion for Shakespeare, first in New York and then abroad. Explore more on our blog: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

Is your feeble Latin keeping you from finding the right early modern cure for what ails you? Look no further than "John Ward’s Latin," a 17th Century glossary of Latin medical terms and ingredients. Bob Tallaksen and @sbschliep.bsky.social explore: www.folger.edu/blogs/collat...

In our most recent blog, reference Associate Erika Giddens, who manages the Folger’s Ask a Librarian service, takes us behind the scenes to share some of the most asked questions. Any guesses what they are? www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

We’re sharing some of the stories about Shakespeare from the news in December and January, including filmmakers continued fascination with the “To be or not to be” speech; the similarities actor Luke Thompson finds with Shakespeare and "Bridgerton," and more: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

In the new Collation blog series Folger Faves, Folger staff introduce you to unexpected items from the Folger vaults. William Davis, Senior Photography Associate, who just retired after nearly 33 years at the Folger, shares some of his favorite finds: www.folger.edu/blogs/collat...

How sweet to learn that the 15th Century songs being performed in this Valentines Day tribute came from a heart shaped manuscript-- Click the link to read the preview in the Picture This Post Music section-- @folger.edu #FolgerConsort #WashingtonDCMusic #DCMusic #PictureThisPostMusic #MedievalMusic

Shakespeare's poetry, plots, and characters have inspired dozens of musicals, as well as comic songs and even special cameos. @austintichenor.bsky.social explores the musical theater that keeps us brushing up our Shakespeare: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

While Shakespeare was reshaping English drama, Spain's Golden Age was producing its own theatrical revolution. Barbara Fuchs discusses the innovations of Lope de Vega and others and Diversifying the Classic's mission to bring plays in Spanish to new audiences. www.folger.edu/podcasts/sha...

Shakespeare’s "Cymbeline" combines tragic and comic elements in an improbable, plot-tangled tale in a mythic world filled with unusually powerful emotions. Check out are some of the most well-known lines: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we're exploring the larger-than-life role played by an English playwright from more than 400 years ago in American entertainment, education, and history. Here's our round-up of blogs and podcasts on Shakespeare's influence: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

The Folger is pleased to announce Adjoa Andoh MBE as the inaugural resident in its new Director’s Residency program. The Director’s Residency aims to connect a prominent artist or thinker with the resources of the Folger in order to engage with Shakespeare and the humanities in innovative ways.

John Douglas Thompson of HBO's "The Gilded Age" joins the cast of our Reading Room Festival's LEAR! The Tony Award nominee is the recipient of 2 Drama Desk Awards, 3 Obie Awards, an Outer Critics Circle Award, and a Lucille Lortel Award. See LEAR Sat, Jan 24, at 8pm. www.folger.edu/whats-on/lea...

Folger Artist Fellow Dominick Porras drew inspiration from our collection’s 16th-century books about the colonization of the Americas for his new triptych, "de Bry’s Slipsteam." Read our our blog for more about Porras' exhibition at the Folger, on view through Feb 15. www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

Do you ever hear a famous quotation and wonder who said or wrote it? If someone does not know the answer, they sometimes credit it to Shakespeare—even if the person who came up with the line is a well-known figure who may have lived centuries after Shakespeare. www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

CfA 📢Folger Institute Short-Term Fellowships for 2026-2027 @folger.edu 🏦Folger Shakespeare Library |🌍Washington DC ⏰Deadline: 15 January 2026 🔗 www.folger.edu/research/the... #callforpapers #Fellowships

Folger Fellows, staff, program participants, and undergraduates contributed to another great year on our Collation blog. Explore the top five posts here: www.folger.edu/blogs/collat... @heatherwolfe.bsky.social @leahhampton.bsky.social

Why does Samuel Pepys's diary still matter today, 200 years after its publication? Historian Kate Loveman @samuelpepys.bsky.social shares how Pepys's diary illuminates life in Restoration England and how his diary has been edited over the centuries. Listen now: www.folger.edu/podcasts/sha...

It's not too late to revisit the best of 2025. Here are our top five "Shakespeare and Beyond" blogs of last year: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

Shakespeare’s tragedy "King Lear" explores power, loyalty, and betrayal though some of Shakespeare’s most memorable language. On the blog, explore some of the most well-known lines, in order of their appearance in the play. www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

Happy Twelfth Night! 🥳 Shakespeare didn't write any plays about Christmas, but he did write one for the festive season. www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...

In need of a great pod to listen to while you travel this holiday? 🎧 From actor Simon Russell Beale on "Hamlet" and "Titus" to director Rosa Joshi on "Julius Caesar," here are our most popular podcasts of 2025. Find them all here: www.folger.edu/blogs/shakes...