A pop-up performance surprises library patrons in University City, as Shakespeare takes center stage in San Diego.

Its all to celebrate a book described as one of the most important pieces of literature. The 1623 First Folio was published just seven years after Shakespeares death, which was 400 years ago, and contains 36 of Shakespeares plays. More importantly, 18 of the plays had never been printed before, including the works Macbeth, The Tempest and Comedy of Errors.

Without the First Folio, we wouldnt know Shakespeares words, said Kara West, Library Arts & Culture Exhibition Manager. The First Folio is really what makes these accessible to us.

San Diego will be the only stop in California for a first-ever national tour of this treasured text. From community events to performances on the outdoor stage at The Old Globe, events are planned throughout the summer to showcase why San Diego is the perfect venue for this prized piece of literature. On loan from the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., the First Folio will be displayed for five weeks starting June 4 inside the art gallery on the ninth floor of the Central Library @ Joan Irwin Jacobs Common.

One of the things we were really able to provide at the public library was the gallery, our state-of-the-art gallery, a way we could meet all of the requirements of the exhibition while still making it free and open to the public, said West.

First Folio will be available for viewing and opened to the page with the famous phrase To be or not to be from Hamlet. Accompanying the rare book will be a multi-panel exhibition exploring the significance of Shakespeare, then and now, as well as the importance of the First Folio. A supplemental exhibition will showcase original props, costumes, photographs and ephemera from The Old Globes 80-year archive, with a focus on the productions of Shakespeare that have made the Globe one of the most important Shakespeare theatres in North America.

Tourists from across Southern California are expected to visit San Diego for a glimpse at the book and to experience the Bard.

One of the reasons why hes so timeless is that he wasnt afraid to stare humanity in the face, said West. His characters are real, theyre flawed, they do good and bad just like we do today.

For a complete line-up of events and free tickets for the exhibition, visit the First Folio San Diego website.