Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night. These famous plays and 15 others by Shakespeare would probably have been lost to us without the First Folio. Published in 1623, the First Folio is the first collected edition of Shakespeare's plays, and only 233 copies are known today. This year, to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, the Folger Shakespeare Library is sending a First Folio to every state in the United States, and we have been selected for Connecticut. Join us in September 2016 in celebrating the greatest playwright of the English language with this exhibit from the world's largest Shakespeare collection.
Shakespeare’s Plays at UConn’s Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Othello, Connecticut Repertory Theatre (2010)
The Folger Shakespeare Library + UConn
The Folger Shakespeare Library, located on Capitol Hill in Washington DC, a block from the US Capitol, is home to the world's largest Shakespeare collection. The Folger serves a wide audience of scholars, visitors, teachers, students, families and theater and concertgoers.
An internationally recognized research library, the Folger offers advanced scholarly programs in the humanities. The Folger is an innovator in the preservation of rare materials, and major new digital initiatives in humanities research. The Folger is a national leader in how Shakespeare is taught in grades K-12. By promoting understanding of Shakespeare and his world, the Folger reminds us of the enduring influence of his works, the formative effects of the Renaissance on our own time, and the power of the written and spoken word.
UConn had the great privilege of joining the Folger Shakespeare Library Consortium in 2014. The Consortium consists of over 40 colleges and universities in North America and abroad who work with the Folger's scholarly wing, The Folger Institute, to produce educational programming, conferences, fellowship opportunities, and public outreach events. Membership allows UConn students and faculty priority access to that programming, which is offered at the Folger Library in Washington DC, and covers a wide variety of topics in Renaissance studies. Ranging from one-day colloquia to academic-year long seminars, offerings focus on the skills of researching and writing and on "content" areas of academic interest. UConn names a faculty member to sit on the Folger Consortium's Executive Committee and thus has a voice in deciding programming and in strategic planning. Currently, Brendan Kane, Associate Professor of History and Associate Director of the Humanities Institute sits on the Executive Committee. The Consortium is among the world's most prestigious academic collectives, and UConn students and faculty are already benefitting by attending seminars and taking up residential fellowships.
Exhibit Dates + Hours
The First Folio exhibit, which is free and open to the public, can be found at the William Benton Museum of Art located at 245 Glenbrook Road in Storrs.
September 1-25, 2016
Tuesday – Friday, 10 AM – 4:30 PM
Saturday and Sunday, 1 – 4:30 PM