Barry Kraft explores the First Folio of William Shakespeare’s plays—the first collected edition published in 1623, 7½ years after Shakespeare’s death.

Folio editions were large and expensive books that were seen as prestige items. Shakespeare had a hand in writing about 40 plays, 36 of which are contained in the First Folio. This talk is part of Ashland Library’s celebration of the 400th anniversary of the First Folio’s publication.

Barry Kraft has been an actor and lecturer at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for 31 seasons, including dramaturging nearly 60 productions. Other acting credits include Colorado and Utah Shakespeare Festivals, Old Globe at San Diego, Berkeley Shakespeare Festival, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, A Contemporary Theater in Seattle, American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, and Marin Shakespeare Company, among others. He has acted in 88 full productions of 38 of Shakespeare’s plays, more than 100 roles. Barry has written After Dinner Shakespeare and Shakespeare Insult Generator. He has recorded several books on tape, including Ovid’s Metamorphoses.