The 2025 festival took place March 11-13 and March 18-20.
The Folger Secondary School Festival has brought all kinds of middle and high students to the Folger for over 40 years. It’s a treasured memory for generations of people from Washington, D.C. and the wider DMV.
Applications will open later this year for the 2026 festival. If you have any questions about the festival, please contact the Associate Director of Education, Liam Dempsey at ldempsey@folger.edu.
Why does the Folger have a festival?
- Kids from all over the DMV come together, meet one another, celebrate themselves and each other . . . and interact with this playwright who has had so much to say to so many for so long.
- An excellent and powerful way for students to connect with Shakespeare is to get that language in their mouths and just do it!
- Tons of learning happens in the process described above, and that’s what we’re after.
- It’s big fun for all!
- In no way is the Folger Secondary School Shakespeare Festival competitive, nor is it a drama festival focused on acting talent.
What happens during the festival?
- You’re a group from an English class, an afterschool program, a drama class, a school club, or maybe you just started teaching the play or just started teaching, period.
- Student performers, student musicians, student editor, student directors put together a 15-minute (by the clock) piece of Shakespeare, edited and produced any way you’d like.
- You can’t modernize Shakespeare’s language . . . the real thing is the real thing . . . but this year, we’re looking for some cool adaptations. Think bilingual productions or students talking back to Shakespeare through other playwright/authors.
- No full-on costumes, only costume pieces (hats, capes, etc.) and minimal props.
- You perform on the Folger stage, and we’ll be so happy to see you there!
What does a day at the festival look like?
- Your group of student cast and crew members, dramaturg and/or director arrives at the Folger at 8:00 am and you stay until the day ends.
- You perform your 15 minutes and you’re a fabulous audience for the groups performing for you.
- As always, the Mistress of Revels will play an important role in the joyous and wonderful community you’ll create.
- At the end of the day students get a certificate, a book, and of course a festival T-shirt.