Photo credit: Shakespeare First Folio, 1623. Folger Shakespeare Library.
OXFORD, Miss. – A rare copy of William Shakespeare’s First Folio will be on display for three weeks this spring at the University of Mississippi’s Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts.
First Folio is the term scholars use to describe “Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies,” a collection of 36 plays published in 1623. It includes 18 previously unpublished works, including “Macbeth,” “Julius Caesar” and “Twelfth Night.” Only 233 copies of the book are known to exist.
This year marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death and, in commemoration, the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is sending a copy of the folio to each state. The Ford Center is the selected location for Mississippi.
The exhibit will begin with an opening reception at 6:30 p.m. April 11 at the Ford Center. At the reception, Ivo Kamps, UM chair and professor of English, will trace the path from Shakespeare’s manuscripts to the First Folio’s publication.
The three-week celebration also features performances, workshops and master classes. Some of the highlights include:
April 14 – “Tina Packer’s Women of Will,” Ford Center. Packer explores Shakespeare’s female characters through themes of love, loss freedom and power.
April 15-17, 21-23 – “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Fulton Chapel. This popular Shakespeare comedy performed by Ole Miss Theatre celebrates changes in love through wedding festivities, conflicts among the fairies and a play-within-a-play.
April 17 – “Shakespeare Activities for Families,” Ford Center and University Museum. Staff from the Folger Shakespeare Library conducts two workshops, designed for children ages 6 to 12 and their families, to introduce children to Shakespearean language and explore how the First Folio was put together. These sessions will be at 2 p.m. at the Ford Center and at 3 p.m. in University Museum.
April 20 – “Shakespeare and Swordplay: A Stage Combat Demonstration,” Fulton Chapel. Matthew Wilson, professional fight director and Ole Miss assistant professor of performance, will demonstrate how performers stay safe while looking dangerous in the use of diverse weapons throughout Shakespeare’s plays.
April 30-May 1 – Music from Shakespeare’s Theatre, Ford Center and Nutt Auditorium. The Mockingbird Early Music Ensemble presents a concert of music from the plays of Shakespeare, including references to songs and folk melodies from the time period.
For a full schedule of events, visit http://www.fordcenter.org/.