Photo Coverage: Opening Night of NSF's Love's Labor's Lost

Nashville Shakespeare Festival kicked off its 23rd year of Shakespeare in the Park on Thursday, August 19, with the opening night of Love's Labor's Lost at Centennial Park. Photographer Rick Malkin, one of Nashville's busiest artists, captured some of the highlights of opening night with his camera, sharing them with Nashville.BroadwayWorld.com.

Directed by company artistic director Denice Hicks, Love's Labors Lost is described as "a witty romantic comedy about four young men who take an oath to dedicate three years to strict study, renouncing the distractions of love and the company of women.  But on that very day, four beautiful women show up, and nature takes her course!  Focusing on the theme of "the birds and the bees," the play will be set in the late 19th century: bustles and tail coats, gloves, fans and whimsical hats will make the show look like a Victorian Valentine.  Adding a layer of physical comedy, the actors have studied birds' courtship rituals in order to incorporate the distinctive bobbing, strutting and fluttering of birds into their performances. The show features original music, with the violinist taking on the role of Cupid. This show will delight all ages with colorful, animated characters, clownish antics, romance and ridiculousness in the pursuit of love!"

Performances are Thursday through Sunday evenings, with a performance slated for Labor Day Monday (September 6), through September 12. Each night's festivities at the Centennial Park Bandshell start at 6:30 p.m. with pre-show entertainment, with the show getting under way at 7:30 p.m. Food and drink are available on-site during performances.

Follow @nashvilleshakes on Twitter for weather updates and other announcements.

photos by Rick Malkin for Nashville Shakespeare Festival

Jeffrey Ellis is a Nashville-based writer, editor and critic, who's been covering the performing arts in Tennessee for more than 25 years. He is the recipient of the Tennessee Theatre Association's Distinguished Service Award for his coverage of theatre in the Volunteer State and was the founding editor/publisher of Stages, the Tennessee Onstage Monthly. He is a past fellow of the National Critics Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center and is the founder/executive producer of The First Night Honors, held during Labor Day Weekend, which honor oustanding theater artists in Tennessee in recognition of their lifetime achievements and includes The First Night Star Awards and the Most Promising Actors. Midwinter's First Night, held the first Sunday in January after New Year's Day, honors outstanding productions and performances throughout the state. Further, Ellis directed the Nashville premiere of La Cage Aux Folles, The Last Night of Ballyhoo and An American Daughter, as well as award-winning productions of Damn Yankees, Company, Gypsy and The Rocky Horror Show, with Ellis honored by The Tennessean as best director of a musical for both Company and Rocky Horror.

More Articles by This Author...