What's on
There’s something for everyone. From theater and music, to poetry and exhibitions, experience the power of the arts with us.
Upcoming events
Measure for Measure
Measure for Measure
Shakespeare’s dark comedy, where human nature collides with the letter of the law, comes to life under the direction of Psalmayene 24, Helen Hayes Award winner for Folger Theatre’s production of Metamorphoses.
Sep 22 – Nov 01, 2026
Folger Salon with Anne-Claire Michoux, Jagrut Raval, and Mads Sheahan
Folger Salon with Anne-Claire Michoux, Jagrut Raval, and Mads Sheahan
Learn about research happening at the Folger in real time! Each month, Folger Institute scholar and artist fellows will share their most exciting finds and thought-provoking challenges, followed by casual open conversation.
Thu, Sep 24, 2026 at 4:30pm
Director Talk: Measure for Measure
Director Talk: Measure for Measure
Measure for Measure director Psalmayene 24 engages in conversation on Shakespeare’s rarely staged comedy in this insightful pre-performance discussion that considers the themes within the play alongside the current Folger Theatre production.
Fri, Sep 25, 2026 at 6:30pm
Folger Book Club: 'Diavola' by Jennifer Thorne
Folger Book Club: 'Diavola' by Jennifer Thorne
Our traditional spooky reads asks the question, what’s scarier: a Renaissance ghost bent on destruction, or spending a week-long vacation with one’s own family?
Thu, Oct 1, 2026, 6:30pm
Family Workshop: Haunted Learning Lab
Family Workshop: Haunted Learning Lab
In this free workshop, families will learn about supernatural characters in Shakespeare’s plays and recreate one of his most iconic spooky scenes.
Sat, Oct 3, 2026 at 11:30am & 1pm
Shared Stages: To Hear Her Speak
Shared Stages: To Hear Her Speak
Drawing on the themes of To Hear Her Speak: Black Women and Shakespeare, this conversation highlights the abundance of Black women directing, acting, and engaging with Shakespeare in theatre today.
Thu, Oct 8, 2026 at 6:30pm
Cocktails & Conversation: "Fools Breaking Rules" with Chase Brantley
Cocktails & Conversation: "Fools Breaking Rules" with Chase Brantley
Join us for Cocktails & Conversation with Artistic Research Fellow Chase Brantley! Brantley will lead an interactive conversation using contemporary clowning technique as a lens into the Renaissance stage.
Fri, Oct 9, 2026, at 7pm
Printing Press Demonstrations
Printing Press Demonstrations
To learn more about our replica 17th-century printing press and to see it in action, join us for printing press demonstrations.
Sat, Oct 10, 2026, 1:30pm & 3pm
Humanities Lab: To Hear Her Speak
Humanities Lab: To Hear Her Speak
Dive into themes in the Folger exhibitions while talking with scholars, exploring the Folger collection, and seeing Shakespeare's Measure for Measure as part of this course at the Folger.
Sat, Oct 17, 2026, 10:00am – 5:30pm
Season subscriptions
Explore the 2026-27 seasons for Folger Theatre, Folger Consort, and the O.B. Hardison Poetry Series.
Folger Theatre subscriptions
Folger Theatre
Folger Consort subscriptions
Folger Consort
O.B. Hardison Poetry Series subscriptions
O.B. Hardison Poetry Series
Folger Theatre
Measure for Measure
Measure for Measure
Shakespeare’s dark comedy, where human nature collides with the letter of the law, comes to life under the direction of Psalmayene 24, Helen Hayes Award winner for Folger Theatre’s production of Metamorphoses.
Sep 22 – Nov 01, 2026
Hamlet
Hamlet
“To be or not to be?” Shakespeare’s most celebrated play returns to the playwright’s American home, helmed by acclaimed Broadway director Kate Whoriskey.
Mar 02 – Apr 11, 2027
The Comedy of Errors
The Comedy of Errors
An uproarious farce filled with mistaken identities, romantic entanglements, and pratfalls, this Shakespeare comedy directed by Folger favorite Holly Twyford shows how all roads lead to home.
May 18 – Jun 27, 2027
Folger Consort
An English Christmas for the Ages
An English Christmas for the Ages
Celebrate the holidays with a centuries-spanning program of medieval Yuletide songs, English Christmas carols, and festive works from the royal courts of both King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I.
Fri, Dec 11 – Sun, Dec 20, 2026
Folktales and Storied Traditions
Folktales and Storied Traditions
Folger Consort explores oral histories, heroic sagas, folk tales, and epic romances across the West African, Arabic, and European musical traditions.
Fri, Feb 12 – Sun, Feb 14, 2027
Folger Consort’s Golden Jubilee
Folger Consort’s Golden Jubilee
To close this special anniversary season, Folger Consort returns to the music of its very first season, much of which has canonical status in the early music world.
Fri, May 7 – Sun, May 9, 2027
Folger Poetry
The 2027 O.B. Hardison Reading: Cornelius Eady
O.B. Hardison Reading: Cornelius Eady
Join Folger Poetry in honoring the legacy of former Folger Shakespeare Library Director O.B. Hardison, Jr. with acclaimed poet Cornelius Eady.
Tue, Oct 20, 2026 at 7:30pm
The 2027 Emily Dickinson Birthday Tribute: Rebecca Lehmann
Emily Dickinson Birthday Tribute: Rebecca Lehmann
The Folger invites poet, essayist, and debut novelist Rebecca Lehmann for this annual event celebrating the legacy of one of America’s most beloved poets, Emily Dickinson.
Tue, Dec 8, 2026 at 7:30pm
The 2027 Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize Reading
Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize Reading
The Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize, created in honor of the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Anthony Hecht, is awarded annually for a poetry collection by a writer who has published no more than one book of poetry.
Tue, Feb 16, 2027 at 7:30pm
National Poetry Month Reading: Matthew Shenoda
National Poetry Month Reading: Matthew Shenoda
In celebration of National Poetry Month, the O.B. Hardison Poetry Series is launching its inaugural National Poetry Month Reading with American Book Award winner Matthew Shenoda.
Tue, Apr 6, 2027 at 7:30pm
The 2027 O.B. Hardison Poetry Series Finale Reading: Natalie Diaz
O.B. Hardison Poetry Series Finale Reading: Natalie Diaz
The Folger Poetry season concludes with a finale reading by a poet chosen by the Folger Poetry Advisory Council. The evening’s honored guest will be Pulitzer Prize–winning Mojave American poet Natalie Diaz.
Tue, Jun 8, 2027 at 7:30pm
Current and upcoming exhibitions
To Hear Her Speak: Black Women and Shakespeare
To Hear Her Speak: Black Women and Shakespeare
This landmark exhibition explores the histories of Black women in Shakespearean performance and highlights the ways in which Black women have engaged Shakespeare’s language, stories, and characters in their work.
Oct 16, 2026 – May 2, 2027
Shakespeare Exhibition
Our Shakespeare Exhibition
See the Folger First Folios, learn more about Shakespeare and his plays, and explore the complexities of his cultural legacy.
Ongoing
What’s next for Book Club
Our virtual, monthly Book Club is free and open to all.
Folger Book Club: 'Diavola' by Jennifer Thorne
Folger Book Club: 'Diavola' by Jennifer Thorne
Our traditional spooky reads asks the question, what’s scarier: a Renaissance ghost bent on destruction, or spending a week-long vacation with one’s own family?
Thu, Oct 1, 2026, 6:30pm
Folger Book Club: 'Mona Acts Out' by Mischa Berlinski
Folger Book Club: 'Mona Acts Out' by Mischa Berlinski
In our November selection, a Shakespearean actor looks back on her life in the theater as she traverses present-day New York City one Thanksgiving morning.
Thu, Nov 5, 2026, 6:30pm
Folger Book Club: 'The Beheading Game' by Rebecca Lehmann
Folger Book Club: 'The Beheading Game' by Rebecca Lehmann
In our first ever in-person session, Folger Book Club discusses Rebecca Lehmann’s exciting debut novel about Anne Boleyn.
Tue, Dec 8, 2026, 6pm
For families
Register for our free family workshops, once a month on Saturdays, with options for ages 5-7 and 8-11.
Family Workshop: Haunted Learning Lab
Family Workshop: Haunted Learning Lab
In this free workshop, families will learn about supernatural characters in Shakespeare’s plays and recreate one of his most iconic spooky scenes.
Sat, Oct 3, 2026 at 11:30am & 1pm
Family Workshop: Collecting Your Story
Family Workshop: Collecting Your Story
In this free workshop, families will learn about the importance of collecting to telling their story.
Sat, Nov 7, 2026 at 11:30am & 1pm
Family Workshop: To Be a Shakespearean Actor
Family Workshop: To Be a Shakespearean Actor
In this free workshop, families will try out Elizabethan acting styles and learn about the power of Shakespeare’s words to inspire actors, trends, and riots.
Sat, Dec 5, 2026 at 11:30am & 1pm
Family Workshop: The Fantastical World of Shakespeare
Family Workshop: The Fantastical World of Shakespeare
In this free workshop, families will explore the world of fairies and wizards seen in Shakespeare’s plays.
Sat, Jan 2, 2027 at 11:30am & 1pm
Family Workshop: My Shakespearean Monologue
Family Workshop: My Shakespearean Monologue
In this free workshop, families will use words and phrases from Shakespeare’s plays to create personal monologues about who they are, with a chance to proudly perform it for everyone to hear.
Sat, Feb 6, 2027 at 11:30am & 1pm
Family Workshop: Expressing Your Story
Family Workshop: Expressing Your Story
In this free workshop, families will explore the Folger exhibits and create their own artwork showcasing who they are.
Sat, Mar 6, 2027 at 11:30am & 1pm
Family Workshop: Drama in the Learning Lab
Family Workshop: Drama in the Learning Lab
In this free workshop, families will recreate scenes from Shakespeare sure to make other participants gasp and swoon.
Sat, Apr 3, 2027 at 11:30am & 1pm
Family Workshop: Learning Lab Print Shop
Family Workshop: Learning Lab Print Shop
In this free workshop, families will learn about printing in the early modern period and try out some printing skills.
Sat, May 8, 2027 at 11:30am & 1pm
Family Workshop: Shakespeare Out Loud
Family Workshop: Shakespeare Out Loud
In this free workshop, families will look at famous speeches and debates from Shakespeare's plays and speak out about what is important to them.
Sat, Jun 5, 2027 at 11:30am & 1pm
For teachers
We offer professional development for teaching Shakespeare, with online and in-person options.
Inventing the Icon: How Shakespeare Became "Shakespeare"
Inventing the Icon: How Shakespeare Became "Shakespeare"
Teachers, join us for a free, one-hour professional development session with Shakespeare scholar Paul Menzer.
Wed, Oct 14, 2026, 8pm ET
Teacher Weekend Intensive: Shakespeare and Civics
Teacher Weekend Intensive: Shakespeare and Civics
Folger Education is offering a two-day professional development workshop for teachers focused on Shakespeare and civic engagement.
Fri, Oct 23 – Sat, Oct 24, 2026
Reading Like Writers: The Folger Method and Student Writing
Reading Like Writers: The Folger Method and Student Writing
Teachers, join us for a free, one-hour professional development session on the Folger Method and student writing.
Wed, Nov 4, 2026, 8pm ET
Teaching Macbeth with the Folger Guide
Teaching Macbeth with the Folger Guide
This two-hour professional development session for teachers focuses on teaching Macbeth using the Folger Guide.
Sat, Nov 14, 2026, 10am ET
Shakespeare’s Midsummer in December
Shakespeare’s Midsummer in December
This free professional development session for teachers focuses on A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Wed, Dec 9, 2026, 8pm ET
Teaching Romeo and Juliet with the Folger Guide
Teaching Romeo and Juliet with the Folger Guide
This two-hour professional development session for teachers focuses on teaching Romeo and Juliet using the Folger Guide.
Sat, Jan 16, 2027, 10am ET
Shake Up Your Classroom with the Folger Method
Shake Up Your Classroom with the Folger Method
This free professional development session for teachers focuses on the Folger Method, using Richard III, The Merchant of Venice, and a Robert Hayden poem to explore flexible strategies.
Wed, Jan 20, 2027, 8pm ET
Teaching Hamlet with the Folger Guide
Teaching Hamlet with the Folger Guide
This two-hour professional development session for teachers focuses on teaching Hamlet using the Folger Guide.
Sat, Feb 6, 2027, 10am ET
The Play’s the Thing: Teaching Hamlet at the Folger
The Play’s the Thing: Teaching Hamlet at the Folger
Folger Education is offering a two-day professional development workshop for teachers focused on taking a deep dive into Hamlet.
Fri, Mar 12 – Sat, Mar 13, 2027
Teaching A Midsummer Night's Dream with the Folger Guide
Teaching A Midsummer Night's Dream with the Folger Guide
This two-hour professional development session for teachers focuses on teaching A Midsummer Night's Dream using the Folger Guide.
Sat, Apr 10, 2027, 10am ET
The Humanities Lab
Have fun while learning! Talk with scholars, explore the Folger collection, and see a play.
Humanities Lab: To Hear Her Speak
Humanities Lab: To Hear Her Speak
Dive into themes in the Folger exhibitions while talking with scholars, exploring the Folger collection, and seeing Shakespeare's Measure for Measure as part of this course at the Folger.
Sat, Oct 17, 2026, 10:00am – 5:30pm
Humanities Lab: Hamlet
Humanities Lab: Hamlet
Learn more about Hamlet by talking with scholars, viewing items in the Folger collection, and seeing the play as part of this full-day course.
Sat, Mar 20, 2027, 10:00am – 5:30pm
Humanities Lab: The Comedy of Errors
Humanities Lab: The Comedy of Errors
Learn more about Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors by talking with scholars and seeing the play as part of this full-day course.
Sat, Jun 12, 2027, 10:00am – 5:30pm
Ticket information
Contact the Folger Box Office at (202) 544-7077 or folgerboxoffice@folger.edu.
