Folger Theatre Announces Full Roster of Shakespeare's Plays for 2026-27 Season

WASHINGTON, March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Folger Theatre today announced its 2026-27 season with three titles by the best-known playwright in the English language, William Shakespeare, to be performed at the Folger Shakespeare Library, his American home on Capitol Hill. 

"Shakespeare's works speak to our moment and just as urgently as they did over 400 years ago," said Dr. Farah Karim-Cooper, Director of the Folger. "When brought to life on stage, they give people the tools to process the complexities of our contemporary moment and imagine better futures—all while captivating us with the brilliant language and action that we experience together."

The season begins on September 22 with Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. Last seen on the Folger Theatre stage in 2006, the play delves into political and social upheaval. Bawdy humor underscores thorny issues of agency and consent in this rarely produced work. 

In March 2027, Shakespeare's iconic tragedy Hamlet will be produced by the Folger for the first time in over a decade. Hamlet remains one of Shakespeare's most famous plays with complex discussions of mortality, duty, philosophy, and faith.

Folger Theatre's upcoming season will come to a joyous conclusion with one of Shakespeare's treasured comedies. The title for this final play of the season will be announced later.

The Reading Room Festival, founded in 2023 by Artistic Director Karen Ann Daniels, will return at the end of January 2027 for its fifth year, offering exciting opportunities for lovers of stories to experience a series of readings of contemporary plays that respond to Shakespeare, creative workshops, and communal activities with playwrights, scholars, critics, and theater makers. All-access passes, single tickets, and artist information will be released at a later date. 

Season subscriptions for Folger Theatre are on sale now, starting at only $156. Special rates for patrons under 35, students, seniors, members of the military and their families, educators, and groups may be purchased through the Folger Theatre Box Office at (202) 544-7077 or at folger.edu/subscribe-theatre. Single tickets will go on sale this summer.

FOLGER THEATRE'S 2026-27 SEASON

Measure for Measure

by William Shakespeare

September 22–October 25, 2026

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

March 2–April 4, 2027

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

May–June 2027

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.

About Folger Shakespeare Library

The Folger Shakespeare Library showcases the utility of Shakespeare and the humanities in cultivating healthy civic life. Anchored by the world's largest Shakespeare collection, the Folger is also home to a world-renowned collection of books, manuscripts, and prints from the 1500s to the early 1700s. Visitors to the Folger can choose how they want to experience the arts and humanities, from interactive exhibitions to captivating performances, and from pathbreaking research to transformative educational programming. The Folger fosters curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking, and welcomes visitors from Washington, DC and from across the globe. Learn more at folger.edu.

The award-winning Folger Theatre in our nation's capital bridges the arts and humanities through transformational performances and programming that speak inclusively to the human experience. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Karen Ann Daniels, Folger Theatre continues its legacy through exciting interpretations and adaptations of Shakespeare and expands the classical canon through cultivating today's artists and commissioning new work that is in dialogue with the concerns and issues of our time. Folger Theatre thrives both on its historical stage and in the community, engaging audiences wherever they happen to be. For more on Folger Theatre, please visit www.folger.edu/theatre.

SOURCE Folger Shakespeare Library