First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare - Kansas

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 Kansas.


Exhibition Location: Manhattan, KS

Exhibition Venue: Kansas State University

Exhibition Dates: February 1, 2016 – February 28, 2016


Partner Organizations:

  • Beach Museum of Art
  • Department of English, KSU
  • Hale Library, KSU
  • McCain Auditorium, KSU
  • Program in Theatre, KSU
  • Program in Music, KSU
  • Manhattan Public Library
  • Manhattan Arts Center
  • Civic Plus Corporation, Manhattan
  • Manhattan High School


Event List:

  • January 28, 2016 – “What is a Folio, and Why is it Coming to MHK ?: Preparing for our 400-Year Old Visitor”
  • February 1, 2016 – Scholarly presentations by Don Hedrick and Kara Northway
  • February 2, 2016 – The Bard at the Bar: A Midsummer Night’s Dream Mock Trial
  • February 3, 2016 – O Happy Hour!: A Shakesbeer Pub Crawl
  • February 4, 2016 – Public Opening Reception Program
  • February 5, 2016 – Performance by the London Actors of Midsummer Night’s Dream
  • February 5, 2016 - Beach After Hours - Late viewing hours for the Folio, in advance of the performance by the London actors
  • February 6, 2016 – Day-Long Teacher Workshop
  • February 6, 2016 - Shakespeare in Performance - Scenes by K-State Theatre students, sonnet readings, scenes from Manhattan Experimental Theater Workshop’s Hamlet adaptation, and Folger presentation of Gravedigger’s Tale
  • February 9, 2016 – Jessica Lang Dance - Dance adaptation of Shakespeare’s Sonnets and talk by Jessica Lang
  • February 10, 2016 – Lecture: Lincoln & Shakespeare by Michael Anderegg
  • February 11, 2016 – Beach Museum Children’s Workshop: Costume Design
  • February 13, 2016 – “Shakespeare in Love” Masquerade Ball
  • February 17, 2016 – Lecture: Shakespeare’s Songbook by Dr. Ross Duffin
  • February 20, 2016 – Shakespeare Faire: Shakespeare for All Ages
Program included: English Scholar Speed Talks; costume displays; public reading of sonnets; scene presentations by K-State Theatre; music performances and “instrument petting zoo” by Musicum Collegium; presentation of gift facsimile Folio to library
  • February 25, 2016 – Beach Museum Children’s Workshop: Shakespeare Happening
  • February 25, 2016 - Public Library sponsored group reading of The Comedy of Errors
  • February 28, 2016 – Closing reception: “Farewell, O Folio!”
Programming included: reading of poems on the Folio by student creative writers, as well as a devised performance of Folio Preface by Michael Donnelly, Don Hedrick, and Kara Northway


Click here to learn about the First Folio that visited Kansas.