Nashville Shakes' 30th Anniversary Celebration Continues with 'Pop-UpRight' Shakespeare

All of Nashville is a stage - or will be at some point - as Nashville Shakespeare Festival's celebration of its 30th anniversary continues at venues both expected and unexpected during the coming months.

"People have been asking us for more Shakespeare year-round, and the Pop-UpRight readings are one answer to that. They are so much fun because anything can happen," says Denice Hicks, the company's artistic director.

Want to go on a Shakespearean adventure, "pop-up" style? As part of NSF's 30th anniversary season, six directors will choose their casts and stage "lively 'upright'" readings of the bard's plays in and around Music City. Kicking it all off is Much Ado About Nothing, directed by David Wilkerson.

Ticket holders will be texted the site address 24 hours in advance and travel to unique settings inspired by each of the plays. Some of Nashville's favorite actors will bring Shakespeare's words to life and ensure that audiences will experience these magnificent plays in an exciting and unusual way. For walk-up audiences, locations will be posted at www.nashvilleshakes.org and on Nashville Shakes' social media pages the morning of the show.

Plays and Directors Much Ado About Nothing (March 24) directed by David Wilkerson; The Merchant of Venice (May 19) directed by Santiago Sosa; The Tempest (June 16) directed by Natalie Risk; Titus Andronicus (July 21), directed by Laramie Hearn; The Taming of the Shrew (October 20) directed by Kim Bretton; and Richard III (November 17) directed by Stella Reed.

Tickets "Pop-Up Passes" are $50 for all six plays, which ensures a seat up front, or $10 for individual plays. Walk-ups are also encouraged! Tickets will be $12 at the "door." Purchase tickets at www.ticketsnashville.com.

Up Next in Nashville Shakes' 30th Anniversary season: There will be a very special "Bard's Birthday Bash" on April 23 in collaboration with Vanderbilt University Library. The 30th Anniversary Shakespeare in the Park in August/September 2018 will be the Bard's most beloved comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream.