Steps from the Supreme Court is the home of the world鈥檚 largest collection of the printed works of William Shakespeare.
The Folger Shakespeare Library鈥檚 Folger Theatre has taken one of the Bard of Avon鈥檚 comedies and reimagined it as a love letter to D.C.
Shakespeare’s 1623 pastoral comedy set in two different worlds, a royal court and the Forest of Arden, takes on a new life from the mind of artistic director Karen Ann Daniels.
Daniels transforms the two worlds as the Capitol and 鈥渢he familiar vibes, culture, and characters that mark the District as a singular, resilient, and redemptive place of belonging.鈥�
Meaning in this version of the Forest of Arden, it looks a lot like Malcolm X Park.
鈥淒.C. is a beautiful city, is it not?鈥� Nikkole Salter, who portrays the poet Jaques in the play, said. 鈥淚t’s a gorgeous city, both in its pomp and circumstance, but also in its history, in its people and also in its vibrancy.”
A lot of the D.C. landmarks in the play are ones that only Washingtonians will recognize, from murals of artists who resemble Chuck Brown and Roberta Flack to U Street and Anacostia.
Jefferson A. Russell, who portrays both Duke Senior and Duke Frederick, spoke of the beauty of Folger Theatre, telling 91欧美激情, 鈥淭here鈥檚 something special about being able to do this play at this time in the shadow of the Capitol.鈥�
鈥淚t’s a transient city, but the soul of the city 鈥� people who are raised here, who live here 鈥� those are the people I think are best represented in this particular play,鈥� Russell said.
Russell, who is a Baltimore native, used to earn a living as a police officer and is no stranger to the District.
鈥淎 thing that I love most about D.C. is the different characters that each section of the city possesses, all the different neighborhoods possess,鈥� Russell said.
As the actors stood on stage, both spoke about the beauty of the Folger Theatre.
鈥淚t鈥檚 also a replica, I believe, of the Old Globe. So the structure itself is harkening to the structure in which Shakespeare’s play is actually played,鈥� Salter said.
“The history that exists within these walls,鈥� Russell said. “That’s a pretty special place to come to work to every day.鈥�
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