Michael Witmore
Renovation timeline extended to 2024
Read a note from Folger Director Michael Witmore about this important building renovation update.
Director's Statement on the Breach of the US Capitol
A statement from Folger Director Michael Witmore in response to the violent breach of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021
The Merry Wives of Windsor: What sets this comedy apart from Shakespeare’s other plays?
Simple (Derrick Truby) and Mistress Quickly (Kate Eastwood Norris) in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Folger Theatre, 2019. Cameron Whitman Photography. The Merry Wives of Windsor was written at the end of the 16th century, and is what I would…
From the Director: Preserving a Living Monument
William Shakespeare, Poet and Gentleman
The Guardian newspaper recently published an article about new manuscript discoveries concerning the life of William Shakespeare. These discoveries, made by Heather Wolfe, are described as a decisive blow to the belief that Shakespeare was a front man for someone…
Shakespeare belongs to all of us
Shakespeare died 400 years ago this week. Who cares? Well, millions and millions of people. Shakespeare remains the most produced playwright in America. Over 90% of American high school students study his plays and poetry, not to mention half of…
Shakespeare, the ultimate connector
Michael Witmore. Photo by Chris Hartlove. Once again, Shakespeare. This year the Folger is leading a nationwide celebration—The Wonder of Will—to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, or better, the fifth century of his afterlife. Why do we keep returning…
Buzz or honey? Shakespeare's Beehive raises questions
Shakespeare’s birthday week begins with a bang: two New York booksellers, George Koppelman and Daniel Wechsler, announced that they have found Shakespeare’s dictionary. In their new book, Shakespeare’s Beehive, Koppelman and Wechsler present their reasons for believing that William Shakespeare…