Theater and performance

Not for the faint of heart
Thanks to everyone who registered a guess for this month’s Crocodile Mystery and congratulations to those of you who answered correctly! As many of you pointed out, the oddity in the final disposition of characters is Macbeth’s full-bodied presence on…

Trappings of the stage
Thanks to those who registered your guesses on our most recent Crocodile Mystery. All of the guesses gazed upward, when the answer actually lay underfoot. While these strange designs resemble theatrical lighting effects, they are, in fact, designs for stage…

This Post Stinks, or, ‘I hope that the stuff will not smell too vilely’
John Masefield has a burning question he needs answered. Literally. Writing from his home Hill Crest in Boar’s Hill, Oxford, the Poet Laureate asks theater production veteran Allan Wade a crucial question about staging his home theatrical production of Macbeth.1…

10 acclaimed directors on Shakespeare and their work
A few of favorite quotes from some of the directors we’ve had on the Folger’s Shakespeare Unlimited podcast since 2014.

Dramaturg's Notes: The Merry Wives of Windsor
Folger Resident Dramaturg Michele Osherow explores the history of ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor,’ the wit of its wives, and the far-out 1970s setting of Folger Theatre’s production.

A Costume Journey through 'Amadeus' with Mariah Anzaldo Hale
Costume designer and long-time Folger collaborator Mariah Anzaldo Hale’s guides us through the costume journey of Constanze Weber through the first act of the play.

Kenny Leon on Much Ado About Nothing
Director Kenny Leon’s production of Much Ado About Nothing mesmerized audiences during the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park (now available on PBS’s Great Performances). Leon shares how he approaches a new production and how Shakespeare’s comedies speak to our present moment.

Wigging Out: Designer Dori Beau Seigneur on the Fabulous Hair of 'Amadeus'
Wig designer Dori Beau Seigneur takes us through the process of fashioning the fabulous hair currently being sported on the Folger stage.

Photo Gallery: 'Amadeus' First Rehearsal and Read-Through
Explore Folger Theatre’s gallery for a sneak peek at Amadeus’ first read-through.

"They Fight": Choreographing Shakespeare's Violence with U. Jonathan Toppo
Folger Theatre’s ‘1 Henry IV’ closes on Sunday. We celebrate the end of this “must-see” production by chatting with actor and fight choreographer U. Jonathan Toppo.

Dramaturg's Notes: Love's Labor's Lost
Folger Resident Dramaturg and UMBC Associate Professor of English Michele Osherow takes us inside Folger Theatre’s unique production to explore why Shakespeare’s romantic comedy is so perfectly suited to DC in the 1930s.

Costuming 'Confection'
Before we say good-bye to this extraordinary ‘Confection,’ explore how costume designer Karen Young created the look of this lavish feast for the senses.