On sale now: 2026-2027 Folger Theatre season
Join us next season as we explore three of Shakespeare’s works in the playwright’s American home. Student matinee tickets are now on sale for Measure for Measure, Hamlet, and a Shakespeare comedy whose title will be announced later this year.
The stories that Shakespeare tells speak to audiences now as urgently as they did 400 years ago. There is something magical and joyous in seeing live theater together and in hearing familiar lines spoken by new voices.
What happens at a student matinee
- Students are exposed to professional theater of the highest quality, developing and deepening a respect for and love of the arts.
- Students engage with Folger actors and staff during a post-show discussion and are encouraged to think critically about theater and connect it to their lives.
- Students are offered a chance to explore our galleries before they open to the general public.
- Teachers receive a “Know Before You Go” packet, curated by our Folger Education team, with synopses, program notes, classroom exercises, and more. View example
Explore the season
Measure for Measure
by William Shakespeare
Wednesday, Oct 7, 2026 at 10am
Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026 at 10am
TICKETS: $25
In Shakespeare’s rarely staged comedy, human nature and the law collide. Newly enforced regulations penalize the everyday citizens of Vienna, but don’t stop the hijinks of a rambunctious crew of bawdy residents. In this morally lax city, a corrupt official tries to coerce novice nun Isabella to submit to his desires. Can Isabella maintain her vow of chastity and save her incarcerated brother’s life? Measure for Measure offers considerations into societal upheaval and asks whose voices are silenced and whose voices break through.
Hamlet
by William Shakespeare
Wednesday, Mar 10, 2027 at 10am
Wednesday, Mar 17, 2027 at 10am
Wednesday, Mar 31, 2027 at 10am
TICKETS: $30
To be or not to be? Shakespeare’s most popular play returns to the playwright’s American home. Haunted by the sudden death of his father and feeling alienated in the royal court, Hamlet becomes the ultimate anti-hero, a tortured prince who is by turns cruel and kind. A poet, lover, philosopher, and madman, Hamlet remains a character full of contradiction and meaning for each generation. This great revenge tragedy revolves around the complexities of human experience and—after 400 years—it remains as urgent, radical, and profound as ever.
Shakespeare Comedy: Title to Be Announced
by William Shakespeare
Tuesday, May 26, 2027 at 10am
TICKETS: $25
Shakespeare’s comedies feature mistaken identities, romantic entanglements, and escapes from confinement to a magical green world where mischief and freedom rule. These plays continue to appeal to audiences because they affirm that love, laughter, and community make our lives richer.
The Folger seeks to make performances accessible to all audiences. Please reach out to our box office at groupsales@folger.edu to discuss payments as needed.
Enhance your experience
The Folger provides many experiences to deepen your students’ engagement with the performance and the Folger. Consider booking a 45-minute tour of the Folger galleries and historic spaces on the day of your matinee, ordering boxed lunches for the bus ride back to school, or planning for a Student Experience during a second visit.
- Book a tour: For elementary, middle, or high school group tours, the cost is $10 per person. DC Public Schools and Title 1 schools from DC, Maryland, and Virginia are welcome with a flat $150 fee. Learn more
- Student Experience: These combine a tour with a workshop or display of rare materials from the Folger collection for a more in-depth exploration of a particular topic, geared to wherever your school group is with their studies. Student Experiences must be booked at least four weeks in advance. Learn more
- Order boxed lunches for your students: These are available for pick-up after the performance. Lunches are $15 per student and include a sandwich, kettle chips, apple, chocolate chip cookie, and bottled water. Gluten-free options are also available. View menu
Contact us
For more information and to book your experience, please contact the box office at groupsales@folger.edu or (202) 544-7077.