During the spring semester of 2016, Kansas State University has the honor of hosting a series of public events to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the life of poet and dramatist William Shakespeare, 1564-1616.
Shortly after the death of Shakespeare, his actor-friends collected and published 36 of his plays in a large-format book known as the “First Folio.” This 1623 text contained 18 of Shakespeare’s previously unpublished plays and therefore established Shakespeare as a major literary figure.
Most people have never seen an original Shakespeare First Folio. K-State won a grant competition to exhibit the rare text, which is on generous loan from the Folger Shakespeare Library for the month of February, and will be on display at the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art February 4-28, 2016.
Kansans of all ages have a unique opportunity to view the First Folio on display at the Beach Museum in Manhattan, KS and are invited to attend the celebratory public talks, dramatic performances, a teachers’ workshop, and family engagements that will surround the exhibition of this treasured book. The month is packed full of events and programs for the public see the full listing here.
Join us at the Beach Museum of Art, tomorrow, Thursday, February 4 at 5:30, for the opening reception of the First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare. This event is free and open to the public, enjoy Hors d’oeuvres and cash bar will be available. On campus parking is free after 5:00 p.m., and visitors are welcome to use the Beach Museum of Art Visitor Parking Lot located directly south of the museum.
First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare, on tour from the Folger Shakespeare Library, has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor, and by the support of Google.org, Vinton and Sigrid Cerf, and other generous donors.