Nashville Shakespeare Festival and Lipscomb University to Stage All-Female RICHARD II

The Nashville Shakespeare Festival continues its 2017 season with Richard II, a co-production with Lipscomb University, which will run from Thursday, April 13 - Sunday, April 23. The rarely-produced play features an all-female cast and will be performed at Lipscomb University's Shamblin Theatre.

"We are thrilled to work with Lipscomb University on this production of Richard II at the intimate Shamblin Theatre," said Denice Hicks, executive artistic director of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival. "Director Sean Martin has a clear vision, and the all-female cast is going to heighten the theatricality of the play, allowing the audience to focus on the intriguing story and the magnificent language. Working with local professionals will offer the Lipscomb students a practicum experience that is invaluable."

Richard II is William Shakespeare's historic tale of a vain king and the powers that commandeer him. Sean Martin, a London-trained newcomer to Nashville and adjunct professor at Lipscomb, directs the performance, which features seven local professional actresses and nine Lipscomb students.

"We've had a relationship with the Nashville Shakespeare Festival for several years and this co-production of Richard II formalizes the relationship further," said Lipscomb theatre department chair Beki Baker, who served as the NSF education director before coming to Lipscomb full-time. "Lipscomb students will have the opportunity to work alongside a true professional company, and it will also give Lipscomb's female-heavy department an opportunity to get more of its students on stage."

Spring Shakespeare performances of Richard II are open to the public and run Thursday through Saturdays at 7:30pm, Saturday matinee performances at 2:30 p.m. and a Sunday performance on April 23 at 2:30 p.m. School matinees are available by contacting education@nashvilleshakes.org and tickets are $8. Tickets can be purchased online at theatre.lipscomb.edu or at the door. Lipscomb University's Shamblin Theatre is located at One University Park Drive in Nashville.

On Sunday, April 23, the NSF's traditional celebration, the Bard's Birthday Bash, including the "biggest balcony scene ever" will happen on Lipscomb's campus prior to the final performance of Richard II. All are invited to join the Nashville Shakespeare Festival to play either Romeo or Juliet and read aloud from the famous balcony scene. The celebration is from 12 - 2 p.m. and will feature snacks and live entertainment. In celebration of the Bard's birthday and as a special gift to our supporters, the Festival will offer Royal Package tickets for this summer's Shakespeare in the Park productions of Antony & Cleopatra and The Winter's Tale at 10% off 2016 prices through April 23. To purchase, visit nashvilleshakes.org/royalbox.htm and enter the code BARDSBIRTHDAY.

The Nashville Shakespeare Festival is supported in part by the Metro Nashville Arts Commission and The Tennessee Arts Commission. For more information about the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, performances of Richard II, Bard's Birthday Bash and 2017/2018 season auditions, visit www.nashvilleshakes.org.

Founded in 1988, The Nashville Shakespeare Festival educates and entertains the Mid-South community through high-quality Shakespearean experiences. The company is one of the region's leading professional theatres and since its inception, more than 460,000 Tennesseans have experienced the arts through one of their programs, which include Shakespeare in the Park, Winter Shakespeare, Shakespeare in Action and other educational initiatives. For more information or to attend a show, visit www.nashvilleshakes.org or call 615-255-2273.

Lipscomb University is a private, Christian institution located in Nashville, Tennessee that is joyfully and energetically committed to creating students whose academic excellence, faith and practice, and community service reflects our ideals of global citizenship. Students at Lipscomb University may earn a bachelor's degree in 176 fields of undergraduate study, several pre-professional programs, an accelerated adult degree program and a competency-based program. Lipscomb also offers 24 master's degrees, eight Ed.S. degrees, 23 graduate certificate programs and six dual degrees. To learn more about Lipscomb University, visit: www.lipscomb.edu. To learn more about Lipscomb's theater department, visit: www.lipscomb.edu/theater.