The Shakespeare & Beyond blog features a wide range of Shakespeare-related topics: the early modern period in which he lived, the ways his plays have been interpreted and staged over the past four centuries, the enduring power of his characters and language, and more.
Shakespeare & Beyond

Shakespeare & Beyond also explores the topics that shape our experience of Shakespeare today: trends in performance, the latest discoveries and scholarship, news stories, pop culture, interesting books, new movies, the rich context of theater and literary history, and more. As the word “beyond” suggests, from time to time Shakespeare & Beyond also covers topics that are not directly linked to Shakespeare.
Questions or comments? You can reach us at shakespeareandbeyond@folger.edu.

What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in February
See what’s playing at our Shakespeare Theater Partners around the country this February.

Quiz: Shakespeare, love, and lovers
What did Shakespeare’s characters have to say about love and lovers? Try our quiz to complete their lines.

Black artists and scholars on Shakespeare
In celebration of Black History Month, we’re sharing Shakespeare Unlimited podcast interviews, lectures, and blog posts with acclaimed Black artists, poets, scholars, and educators about Shakespeare through history.

Shakespeare's Daughter
In an excerpt from Grace Tiffany’s imaginative novel, The Owl Was a Baker’s Daughter, we meet Judith Shakespeare at age 61, a midwife-apothecary in war-torn 17th-century England on the run to avoid arrest for witchcraft.

Black Theater Artists and Shakespeare
To commemorate Black History Month, we’re sharing interviews with acclaimed Black theater artists—actors, directors, playwrights—and scholars about performing and adapting Shakespeare, then and now.

Esther Inglis meet Taylor Swift
Go behind the scenes of our exhibition, Little Books, Big Gifts: The Artistry of Esther Inglis. 400 years after her death, Inglis “can still make the whole place shimmer.”

Grimoires and games
Immerse yourself in the magic of the Folger and the early modern world with our new game “A Night at the Library” paired with recipes for two conjuring cocktails to enhance playing.

Quiz: Shakespeare, writing, and imagination
How did Shakespeare think about creativity and playwriting? Try out our quiz to learn more.

The vibes of the past in Shakespeare and fantasy
For many creators in the fantasy genre, from books to shows to games, the action takes place in a distant past. Why is medievalism so often the default setting for fantasy and what does that say about us?

The cozy mysteries of Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators
Austin Tichenor discovers the TV series Shakespeare & Hathaway, which features former police detective Frank Hathaway teaming up with amateur sleuth Luella Shakespeare to solve crimes in—where else?—Stratford-upon-Avon.

What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in January
See what’s playing at our Shakespeare Theater Partners around the country this January.

A Lost Opera is Found: Edmond Dédé’s Morgiane
After 138 years, Edmond Dédé’s Morgiane—the first known opera by a Black American composer—is receiving its world premiere. Learn about this important American composer and how his magnum opus is being brought to life.