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Shakespeare & Beyond

Shakespeare & Beyond

The Shakespeare & Beyond blog features a wide range of Shakespeare-related topics: the early modern period in which he lived, the ways his plays have been interpreted and staged over the past four centuries, the enduring power of his characters and language, and more.

Play on! Q&A: Ellen McLaughlin on translating 'Pericles'
Ellen McLaughlin translated Pericles
Shakespeare and Beyond

Play on! Q&A: Ellen McLaughlin on translating 'Pericles'

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Shakespeare & Beyond

Ellen McLaughlin writes about translating ‘Pericles’ for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and what she learned about this less frequently produced play.

What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in August
Shakespeare and Beyond

What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in August

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Ben Lauer

This month might be your last chance to catch some of that sweet, sweet summertime Shakespeare before the weather starts to cool down and it’s time to head back to school. See what the Folger’s theater partners have onstage this…

Discovering Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play
William Shakespeare's Long Lost First Play (abridged)
Shakespeare and Beyond

Discovering Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play

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Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor of the Reduced Shakespeare Company writes about the creation of William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged).

Leading ladies, missing characters, and singing witches: Three differences between Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' and William Davenant's adaptation
Kate Eastwood Norris
Shakespeare and Beyond

Leading ladies, missing characters, and singing witches: Three differences between Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' and William Davenant's adaptation

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emma poltrack

Adapted by William Davenant and first performed in 1664, the version of the Scottish play taking to the Folger stage in September was the most popular one well into the 18th century despite—or perhaps because of—the numerous departures from Shakespeare’s original…

Who decides what’s in a canon? Jeremy Lopez on English literary history
A select collection of old plays
Shakespeare and Beyond

Who decides what’s in a canon? Jeremy Lopez on English literary history

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Shakespeare & Beyond

Lopez looks at which early modern plays were considered better than others (and why) and how the works selected to represent the era might change.

Play on! Q&A: Migdalia Cruz on translating 'Macbeth'
Migdalia Cruz
Shakespeare and Beyond

Play on! Q&A: Migdalia Cruz on translating 'Macbeth'

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Shakespeare & Beyond

From her work translating ‘Macbeth’ for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Play on! project, Migdalia Cruz shares reflections about ambitions, loyalty, the witches, and the porter scene.

What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in July
Shakespeare and Beyond

What's onstage at Shakespeare theaters in July

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Ben Lauer

Each month, we take a look at what’s onstage at our theater partners across the country. Find your region and see what shakin’ (like, Shake-speare—get it?) near you.

Quiz: Which copy of "Midsummer" are you?
IMAGE: Collage of copies of
Shakespeare and Beyond

Quiz: Which copy of "Midsummer" are you?

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Author
Ben Lauer

The Folger’s collection includes a lot of editions of Shakespeare’s plays; some copies of these editions have their own, unique stories. Which of these special copies of Shakespeare’s classic A Midsummer Night’s Dream matches your personality? Take our quiz to…

Shakespeare's patriotic empathy
Photograph from Laurence Olivier's movie of Henry V
Shakespeare and Beyond

Shakespeare's patriotic empathy

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Austin Tichenor

Austin Tichenor writes about Shakespeare’s history plays, the political considerations of the day, and patriotic portrayals centuries later.

Taffety Punk and Bootleg Shakespeare: Henry VI, Part 3
Taffety Punk - Henry VI, Part 3
Shakespeare and Beyond

Taffety Punk and Bootleg Shakespeare: Henry VI, Part 3

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Shakespeare & Beyond

Taffety Punk presents Henry VI Part 3 for its 2018 Bootleg Shakespeare performance, in which actors perform after only one day of rehearsal.

Six things to look for when you watch "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
Shakespeare and Beyond

Six things to look for when you watch "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

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Ben Lauer

What should you watch for in a production of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream?” We asked some friends what they look for in this classic play.

Thomas Jefferson and Shakespeare
Shakespeare and Beyond

Thomas Jefferson and Shakespeare

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Shakespeare & Beyond

“Shakespeare must be singled out by one who wishes to learn the full powers of the English language,” Thomas Jefferson wrote.

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