This year’s playwrights and adaptors of Shakespeare’s works include Barry Edelstein, Emily Lyon, Reynaldo Piniella, and Whitney White. Staged readings of their works will be accompanied throughout the festival by post-show conversations facilitated by critics and scholars, workshops led by scholars and artists, panel discussions with artistic leaders and scholars, and community celebrations.
Other highlights of the Reading Room Festival 2025 include:
- The free opening night discussion “Shakespeare as a Starting Point,” which explores how Shakespeare’s works act as a catalyst for contemporary theater-making and connecting to today’s audiences and local communities
- An open rehearsal for “The Beatrice Project,” a nascent work that that explores the character Beatrice from Much Ado About Nothing through text and music, and will be co-devised during the festival with playwright Karen Ann Daniels, dramaturg Faedra Chatard Carpenter, and MC Miki Vale
- Interactive workshops that lead participants through writing, revising, and adapting exercises and prompts responding to Shakespeare’s works
- Community-building opportunities, inviting attendees to connect with fellow theater professionals and supporters in a welcoming and festive environment
Single tickets for staged readings, panels, talks, and workshops go on sale today at 12pm for $20 each, and free student rush tickets are available 30 minutes before each reading with a valid student ID. There are still a limited number of All-Access Passes available for $150, which include access to all four staged readings, invitations to Reading Room Festival parties, and the full lineup of events detailed in the schedule below. Reading Room Festival All-Access Passes and tickets for individual staged readings are available at folger.edu/readingroom or by contacting the Folger box office at (202) 544-7077.
Please visit our press kit for a complete schedule of the Reading Room Festival 2025: http://www.folger.edu/readingroom-presskit/.
About the Folger Shakespeare Library
The Folger Shakespeare Library makes Shakespeare’s stories and the world in which he lived accessible. Anchored by the world’s largest Shakespeare collection, the Folger is a cultural center where curiosity and creativity are embraced, and conversation is always encouraged. Visitors to the Folger can choose how they want to experience the arts and humanities, from interactive exhibitions to captivating performances, and from path-breaking research to transformative educational programming. The Folger welcomes everyone to connect in their own way—from communities throughout Washington, DC, to communities across the globe. Learn more at http://www.folger.edu.
Media Contact
Colleen Kennedy, Folger Shakespeare Library, 202-608-1703, [email protected], www.folger.edu
Peter Eramo, Jr., Folger Shakespeare Library, 2026750344, [email protected], www.folger.edu
SOURCE Folger Shakespeare Library
