Folger Theatre Reveals Cast And Creative Team For JULIUS X

Folger Theatre will open its 2025–26 season with Julius X: A Re-envisioning of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, written by Al Letson, directed by Nicole Brewer, and starring Brandon Carter in the title role. Performances will take place September 23 through October 26, 2025, at the Folger Shakespeare Library’s Elizabethan-style Theatre on Capitol Hill.

“‘This is not the story you know, but somewhere in-between’ is how Julius X begins, reminding us that this story is not fact but an imagined truth that blends two iconic historical characters,” said Artistic Director and Director of Artistic Programs Karen Ann Daniels. “Just like Shakespeare did with Julius Caesar, which he adapted from Plutarch, Al Letson created a dramatized mythology of Malcolm and Caesar to help us explore the struggle for power, friendship, and free will in our own age.”

Peabody Award-winning journalist, playwright, and podcaster Al Letson (Reveal, DC Comics’ Mr. Terrific: Year One) reframes Shakespeare’s tragedy through the lens of the American Civil Rights Movement, drawing parallels between ancient Rome and 1960s Harlem. Directed by Nicole Brewer (By the Queen at Folger Theatre’s Reading Room Festival), Julius X explores Malcolm X’s last days, the cyclical nature of ambition and revolution, and the brotherly love between Black men, set against internal and external forces of opposition.

“In many ways, you already know the story—whether through Shakespeare or American history,” Brewer shared. “But you’re compelled to watch it unfold again, because of how Letson remixes his own verse with excerpts from Malcolm X’s speeches and Shakespeare’s most notable lines. Ultimately, Julius X is a love story of faith, community, and brotherhood.”

Brandon Carter will star in the title role of Julius X. The Acting Company also includes Jonathan Del Palmer as Marc Anthony, Jay Frisby as Cassius, Lilli Hokama as Addara, Greg Alverez Reid as Brutus, OBIE Award winner Nikkole Salter as Calpurnia, Gaelyn D. Smith as Cinna and the Black Soothsayer, Shawn Sebastian Naar as Octavius and Marullus, Dwayne Alistair Thomas as Casca and Flavius, and Renee Elizabeth Wilson as Portia.

The production will feature choreography by Shawn Short, scenic design by Jonathan Dahm Robertson, costumes by Danielle Preston, lighting design by Porsche McGovern, sound design by Thom J. Woodward, projections by Andrés Poch, props by Isabel Simoes deCarvalho, and dramaturgy/voice and text coaching by John “Ray” Proctor.