The Folger Spotlight
Q&A with Marcus Gardley
Playwright Marcus Gardley discusses why he added a wife for Lear, how LEAR may be adapted for your own city, and how he interweaves Shakespeare’s royal tragedy with a modern moment in American history.
Q&A with Barbara Fuchs
Barbara Fuchs shares insight into her work as founder and director of Diversifying the Classics, which promotes the vibrant, Spanish-language theatrical tradition developed on both sides of the Atlantic. In this Q&A she also discusses Lope de Vega’s prolific career as a playwright and what it’s like to adapt his work for younger audiences.
Q&A with Alberto Bonilla
Playwright Alberto Bonilla shares how Shakespeare’s Cymbeline reminds him of telenovelas and spaghetti westerns. He also discusses the process of adapting a bilingual play and why setting Cymbeline in the American West works.
'Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries' Resource Guide
On December 4, 2025 the Folger’s virtual book club returns with a discussion of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. To prepare for the discussion, we have pulled together a list of resources related to Shakespeare, fairies, and folklore.
About 'Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries'
Introductory information on the December 2025 Folger Book Club selection, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett.
Poet Rose Solari reflects on "Virtuosos of Violin and Verse"
Rose Solari shares stories from her Italian-American family background and the inspiration behind poems she wrote in response to the life and work of two 16th- and 17th-century Italians who are central to the concert’s program.
'You Dreamed of Empires' Resource Guide
On November 6, 2025 the Folger’s virtual book club returns with a discussion of You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue. To prepare for the discussion, we have pulled together a list of resources related to Spanish colonialism, early modern America, and Shakespeare.
About 'You Dreamed of Empires'
Introductory information on the November 2025 Folger Book Club selection, You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrigue.
'A Haunting on the Hill' Resource Guide
On October 9, 2025 the Folger’s virtual book club returns with a discussion of A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand. To prepare for the discussion, we have pulled together a list of resources related to Shakespeare, horror, and Book Club’s spooky past.
About 'A Haunting on the Hill'
Introductory information on the October 2025 Folger Book Club selection, A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand.
Sampling the Past and Remixing References: A First Look from the Julius X Creative Team
During the first rehearsal and design presentations for Julius X, the creative team shared an artistic vision of this amalgamation of Shakespeare, American history, and Roman history—and how it all resonates in our current cultural moment.
Truly Rooted in DC: Folger Artistic Director Karen Ann Daniels Offers a First Look at 'As You Like It'
In this Q&A, Karen Ann Daniels discusses anchoring her spring 2026 production of As You Like It in DC culture.