First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare – New Jersey

First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare was a touring exhibition from the Folger Shakespeare Library that visited one location in all 50 United States, Puerto Rico, and Washington DC in 2016 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.


This article provides highlights from the exhibition’s visit to New Jersey.

Exhibition Location: Madison, New Jersey

Exhibition Venue: Drew University and The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey

Exhibition Dates: October 6 – 31, 2016


Partner Organization:

  • Drew University Theatre and Dance Department
  • Drew University Library
  • Drew Methodist Archives and History Center
  • “Short Stories” Book Store
  • “Drip Coffee” in downtown Madison
  • Madison Public Library
  • Madison, NJ Office of the Mayor


Complementary Exhibitions:

  • Richard III on Page and Stage, October – November 6, 2016
    • Curators Kimberly Rhodes and Cassie Brand, with help from Caitlin Shannon, show how artists and theatre companies have depicted Richard III on books and theatrical performances. The focus is on actors who played the lead role between 1745 and 1900. The exhibit, in the lobby of the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, coincides with the theatre’s production of the play.
  • Will and the Word, October 6 – November 6, 2016
    • Student curators showcase the production and significance of rare books from the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries and their role in religious debates transforming Europe. Includes a digital mapping of the collection from London.
  • Books in the Time of Shakespeare, October 6 – December 31
    • Curator Cassie Brand explains how books were created in the early modern era, with a look at papermaking, typography, typesetting, and binding.


Event List:

  • October 5, 2016 – Measure for Measure: The Music of Shakespeare’s Plays by Ensemble Chaconne of Boston
  • October 5, 2016 – Lecture, Shakespeare’s First Folio – An Introduction by Professor Frank Occhiogrosso
  • October 5 – November 6, 2016 – Performances of Richard III by Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
  • October 13, 2016 – Lecture, What’s New on the Rialto? The Origins of Journalism in the Age of Shakespeare by Professor Jonathan Rose
  • October 15, 2016 – Tea and Sonnets at Short Stories Book Store with Drew Department of Theatre and Dance
  • October 15, 2016 – Bookbinding Demonstration
  • October 19 – 29, 2016 – Performances of Hamlet by Drew Department of Theatre and Dance
  • October 22, 2016 – Lecture, Seeing Saints in the Forest of Arden: Visual Art, Religious Themes and As You Like It by Professor Kimberly Rhodes
  • October 22, 2016 – Bookbinding Demonstration
  • October 26, 2016 – Lecture, Stayin’ Alive: Shakespeare and the First Folio by Professor George Bodman
  • October 29, 2016 – Lecture, Shakespeare’s First Folio – An Introduction by Professor Frank Occhiogrosso


Click here to learn about the First Folio that visited New Jersey.