The Shakespeare 200: The Second Folio Collection
A rare opportunity to encounter and acquire Shakespeare history
This June, the Nashville Shakespeare Festival is honored to partner with David Frohman and Peachstate Historical to present a rare collection of surviving leaves and bifoliums from Shakespeare’s Second Folio, published in 1632.
Printed just sixteen years after Shakespeare’s death, the Second Folio played a critical role in preserving the playwright’s works for future generations and remains one of the most important publications in literary history. Today, complete folios are extraordinarily rare and are typically housed within major institutions, museums, universities, and private collections.
Through this special partnership, supporters and Shakespeare lovers alike will have the rare opportunity to encounter and acquire individual folio leaves firsthand while supporting the mission of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival. Fifty percent of all folio acquisition proceeds directly benefit Shakespeare in the Park.
What is the Second Folio?
Published just sixteen years after Shakespeare’s death, the Second Folio remains one of the most significant works in literary history. Building upon the landmark First Folio of 1623, it helped preserve and circulate Shakespeare’s plays for future generations at a time when printed books were expensive, labor-intensive, and comparatively rare.
Without the publication of the Folios, many of Shakespeare’s plays may have been lost entirely. Works such as Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest survive today largely because they were collected and printed in these early editions.
Today, complete folios are extraordinarily scarce - approximately 200 to 300 surviving copies of the Second Folio are estimated to exist today. The surviving leaves and bifoliums featured in this collection offer a tangible connection to the history of theatre, literature, and early modern printing nearly four centuries later.
What is the Shakespeare 200?
The leaves featured in this collection are part of the Shakespeare 200, a limited edition project created by David Frohman of Peachstate Historical to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death in 2016.
The project originated from a damaged and incomplete 1632 Second Folio that, while unsuitable for restoration as a complete volume, still contained historically significant surviving leaves. Mr. Frohman carefully conserved and preserved 200 individual leaves from the volume, creating the Shakespeare 200 collection and providing new opportunities for collectors, educators, libraries, and Shakespeare enthusiasts to experience these remarkable artifacts firsthand.
The Shakespeare 200 was first introduced through a fundraising partnership with the Atlanta Shakespeare Company, helping support the organization’s artistic mission while expanding public access to these rare literary materials.
The Nashville Shakespeare Festival is deeply grateful to David Frohman and Peachstate Historical for his partnership, generosity, and commitment to preserving and celebrating Shakespeare’s enduring legacy through this extraordinary collection.
Featured Leaves in Midsummer Night auction
Three extraordinary leaves from the collection will be featured as silent auction items. These historic pieces will be on display during Midsummer Night for event attendees to experience in person. The silent auction will also be open online to the public, allowing supporters both in attendance and beyond Nashville the opportunity to bid on and acquire these remarkable pieces of literary history while supporting the Nashville Shakespeare Festival.
Othello
Act 4, Scene 3
The famed bedroom scene preceding Desdemona’s death.
“‘Tis neyther here, nor there.”
The Winter’s Tale
Act 4, Scene 4
The celebrated sheep-shearing festival featuring Perdita and Florizel.
“As white as driven Snow”
Cymbeline
Act 3, Scene 4
A pivotal scene in Imogen’s journey through exile and disguise.
“I have not slept one winke.”
Fifty percent of all folio acquisition proceeds directly benefit NSF.
The Second Folio Preview
Supporters participating at the Host Committee level and above for Midsummer Night will receive an invitation to The Second Folio Preview, an invitation-only viewing and acquisition event taking place on June 2. Presented gallery-style, the Preview will feature more than twenty additional folio leaves available for acquisition through Peachstate Historical.
To learn more about supporting Midsummer Night or to inquire about the Preview event, please contact Executive Director Isabel Tipton-Krispin.
Thank you to our sponsors!
