Folger Shakespeare Library

Bring a friend to see “a truly powerful work of theatre" (Patrick Thomas, Talkin’ Broadway). Use code BOGO to buy one ticket and get another for performances June 9-21. Book by midnight on Monday, June 8 to save. 🎟️ at folger.edu/saved

Margaret of Anjou provides a wealth of insight into Shakespeare’s understanding of ideas of gender and sexuality. In this excerpt from "Shakespeare's Margaret: The Dramatic Life of a Warrior Queen" (W. W. Norton & Company) authors Charles O'Malley and Scott W. Stern look at her portrayal as part of the long tradition of community performances of "Henry VI, Part 3" and "Richard III" on the Honduran island of Roatán. Read the full excerpt at the 🔗 in our comments.

The world premiere of "How Shakespeare Saved My Life," written and performed by Broadway star Jacob Ming-Trent, starts performances on the Folger stage on Tuesday, June 9! Here's what's coming up during the run of this propulsive one-man show.

Summer reading is one of the season’s great pleasures. 🏖️ 📚 We’re sharing a list of fiction and non-fiction books exploring Shakespeare and his world, many from Folger blogs, podcast interviews, and our book club. The full list at the link in our comments! Happy reading!

We're thrilled to see Folger Artist Fellow Missy Dunaway and her beautiful "The Birds of Shakespeare" project featured in Smithsonian Magazine! Dunaway's work depicts all 65 birds mentioned in Shakespeare and was on view at the Folger this winter.

Shakespeare Referenced Dozens of Bird Species in His Work. This Artist Has Made It Her Mission to Paint Them All Missy Dunaway’s colorful illustrations combine natural history, folklore and literature to depict the Bard’s birds

Performances of "How Shakespeare Saved My Life" begin next week! Starting June 9, Jacob Ming-Trent takes us on a propulsive ride that reaffirms the power of language and music. 🎟️ at folger.edu

📷 : Jacob Ming-Trent, "How Shakespeare Saved My Life," Berkeley Rep Theatre, 2026. Photo by Kevin Berne.

We're moving into the summer season with a new slate of events, including the beginning of performances for "How Shakespeare Saved My Life," the return of our printing press demos, and a brand new Humanities Lab! More here and at folger.edu.

Did you know that the oldest item in the Folger collection is about 2072 years old? It's a silver denarius of Julius Caesar (shown here on the side depicting a bust of Venus). It was purchased by Henry and Emily Folger in 1910 for $1.60. As we commemorate America's 250th, we're looking at the birthdays of some older collection objects. More on the Collation blog at the link in our comments.

🪙 : Call Number: Coin Env. 701

Inspired by the Folger temporary exhibition "Imagining Shakespeare," this Humanities Lab course explores how various art forms and material culture helped shape Shakespeare’s reputation across generations. Join us June 17 from 5:30-8pm to explore the exhibition, discover objects from our collection, and join a discussion with guest scholar Paul Menzer, professor of Shakespeare and Performance at Mary Baldwin University. Register today at the link in our comments.