Nashville Rep & Nashville Shakespeare Fest Partnering for HAMLET Reading

Nashville Repertory Theatre's REPaloud (Reading Excellent Plays Aloud) series begins for the 2015-16 season with a special staged reading of Hamlet on September 25 and 26, 2015.

If you're excited to see Nashville Rep's production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead in October, but need to brush up on Hamlet (the story behind Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead), we've got you covered! We're teaming up with Nashville Shakespeare Festival to present our latest REPaloud: a staged reading of Hamlet. The reading will feature Nashville Shakespeare Festival's cast of their upcoming King Lear reading the classic, tragic tale of revenge. And then you'll be totally prepared for the Elizabethan buddy comedy that is Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.

Nashville Shakespeare Festival's Artistic Director Denice Hicks will be directing the reading of Hamlet, and is very excited about the partnership, noting, "Our professional theatre community really shines in readings like this. It's a wonderful reminder of the exceptional talent pool in Nashville. Who knew having the King Lear cast do a reading of Hamlet in preparation for the full production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead could be so much fun!?"

Readings of Hamlet are Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26 at 7 P.M. each evening. A talkback will immediately follow each reading. REPaloud events are free for Nashville Rep Members, a $10 suggested donation for all non-members or a $5 suggested donation for students and actors. Reservations can be made online at NashvilleRep.org/hamlet-repaloud.

Performances of Hamlet will be held in Nashville Rep's rehearsal hall: Studio A at Nashville Public Television, located at 161 Rains Avenue in Nashville.

The cast of Hamlet includes Amanda Card (Ophelia), Denice Hicks (Gertrude), Craige Hoover (Horatio), Shannon Hoppe (Bernardo/Rosencrantz/Player-Prologue/First Ambassador), Nettie Kraft (Player Queen/Priest), David Landon (Polonius/Grave digger), Sean Martin (Laertes/Player-Lucianus/Sailor), Maurice Ralston (Claudius/Ghost), Michael Roark (First Sailor/Osric/First Player/Player King), Santiago Sosa (Hamlet), Becky Wahlstrom (Marcellus/Guildenstern/Fortinbras) and Colette Divine (Stage Directions). Hamlet is directed by Nashville Shakespeare Festival's Artistic Director Denice Hicks.

Nashville Rep's 2015-16 season sponsors include The HCA Foundation of behalf of HCA Tristar, Ingram Charitable Fund, Metro Nashville Arts Commission, and Tennessee Arts Commission. The Second Saturday sponsor is Waller.

Nashville Rep is a non-profit theatre bringing classic and contemporary theatre to Nashville that inspires empathy and prods intellectual and emotional engagement in audiences. The 2015-16 season also includes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, A Christmas Story, Good Monsters and Chicago. The season concludes with the Ingram New Works Festival in May, a showcase of new works created in Nashville for the American Theatre.