Shakespeare Theatre Company - History

History

The Folger Shakespeare Library included a replica of an Elizabethan theatre, which was originally used for lectures and tours. In 1970, it was transformed into a functioning playhouse. The Shakespeare Theatre Company began as the Folger Theatre Group, organized to perform in this space. In 1982 the name was changed to The Folger Theatre.

In 1988 the company was reincorporated as The Shakespeare Theatre at the Folger and Michael Kahn assumed its leadership. The company stayed at the Folger for six more years. Changing its name to The Shakespeare Theatre, the troupe moved in 1992 to the newly built Lansburgh Theatre in the Penn Quarter. At the start of the 2005-6 season, it adopted the current name, Shakespeare Theatre Company. The company constructed a second theatre, Sidney Harman Hall, which opened in 2007 in the lower part of an office building in the quarter. At the same time, the two theatres were joined to become the Harman Center for the Arts.

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