THE SAVING OF THE FOLGER SHAKESPEARE THEATRE (WASHINGTON, D.C.)

The Folger Shakespeare Theatre was founded in 1978 in order to present plays in the Folger Shakespeare Library's replica of an Elizabethan theatre. In January 1985, the Amherst College Trustees, who govern the Folger Library's endowment, decided to close the theatre due to the company's mounting financial losses. A few months after the theatre's announced closing, private and community groups worked together to save the theatre. This document examines the efforts that led to the revival of the Folger Theatre, the two-year transition plan that led to its status as an independent entity, and a proposed long-range plan. Research was conducted through interviews with members of the Folger Shakespeare Theatre staff, complemented by examination of pertinent articles, transcripts of congressional hearings, and other documents. The theater plans to expand its community outreach programs. Its long-term goal is to become an institution of national stature.