How Shakespeare Saved My Life at Folger Shakespeare Library
Dates: 6/9/2026 - 7/5/2026
📍 Theatre: Folger Shakespeare Library
Folger Theatre
201 East Capitol St SE
Washington, DC, DC 20003
Phone: 2025447077
Tickets: $20-$90
How Shakespeare Saved My Life is an autobiographical-inspired theatrical work by playwright and Broadway performer Jacob Ming-Trent (Folger Theatre’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and directed by Tony Taccone (The Harder They Come).
In this tour-de-force performance, Ming-Trent dares to rescue himself from the “slings and arrows” of his past. Born with a gift for poetry but rejected as unfit to play the part of the poet, Ming-Trent’s search for home is relentless, and the results are by turns hilarious and tragic.
Invoking a host of artistic geniuses such as Biggie, Tupac, Shakespeare, and Basquiat, Ming-Trent takes us on a propulsive ride that reaffirms the power of language and music. It all adds up to how one man’s attempt to reclaim his life may connect to the deeper parts of ourselves and to each other.
How Shakespeare Saved My Life is an epiphany that begins with Shakespeare but becomes a ritual of salvation and forgiveness that invites the audience to save themselves and each other.
Ages: Children under the age of 4 are not permitted
News About How Shakespeare Saved My Life at Folger Shakespeare Library
Jacob Ming-Trent's HOW SHAKESPEARE SAVED MY LIFE World Premiere is Coming to Folger Theatre
May 15, 2026 Jacob Ming-Trent's How Shakespeare Saved My Life, a solo show blending Shakespeare with the voices of Basquiat, Biggie, and Tupac, will have its world premiere at Folger Theatre in Washington, DC.
Folger Theatre Unveils Plays And Playwrights For The Fourth Annual READING ROOM FESTIVAL
November 20, 2025 Folger Theatre has announced the lineup for the fourth annual Reading Room Festival, which will present staged readings, workshops, panels, and community events exploring new writing inspired by Shakespeare.
Folger Theatre Reveals Plays And Playwrights For The Fourth Annual Reading Room Festival
November 20, 2025 Folger Theatre at the Folger Shakespeare Library revealed the plays and playwrights for the fourth annual Reading Room Festival, a four-day festival of staged readings, panel discussions, workshops, and community celebrations.
HOW SHAKESPEARE SAVED MY LIFE and More Set for Folger Theatre 2025-26 Season
May 27, 2025 Folger Theatre has revealed its 2025-26 season at the Folger Shakespeare Library on Capitol Hill, featuring three productions. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.
Folger Theatre Announces Artists And Releases Full Program Lineup for The Second Year of THE READING ROOM FESTIVAL
January 12, 2024 Folger's Reading Room Festival - full schedule and press contacts for immediate release. Contact Peter Eramo, Jr. at 202.675.0344 or peramo@folger.edu.
Folger Theatre To Expands Reading Room Festival With Slate Of Engaging Programming
December 07, 2023 Folger Shakespeare Library has announced Folger Theatre's eagerly-awaited second iteration of The Reading Room Festival.About the Theatre
Folger Shakespeare Library Frequently Asked QuestionsFAQ
What shows are coming up next at Folger Shakespeare Library?
Where is Folger Shakespeare Library located?
What shows have played recently at Folger Shakespeare Library?
The Reading Room Festival (01/22/26-01/25/26)
Julius X: A Re-envisioning of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (09/23/25-10/26/25)
Julius X (09/23/25-10/26/25)
The Love Birds: Chaucer’s A Parlement of Foules (02/14/25-02/16/25)
Tale of Two Cities: Music of Florence and Venice (09/13/24-09/15/24)
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