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City Cast Nashville

 is celebrating its 37th year this summer with a performance of “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” opening tonight! Here’s the history of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, and details about this year’s performance.

 “As You Like It” in Centennial Park for free. According to 

, the group had no money for marketing or costumes, no producers, and did not get paid. Yet, the event attracted a large audience full of families, the kinds of people who likely would only attend that one play all year.

Inspired by their success, the group performed “Pericles” the following year, and, despite being one of Shakespeare’s least known plays, it also did surprisingly well. Their third performance was their first professional production, and the official launch of Nashville Shakespeare Festival. Just like this year, the troupe put on “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” And for the first time, the actors were paid — about $50-60! (Actors are now paid a living wage.)

, performing fifty-minute “Shakespeare Samplers” at schools across Nashville. The festival began performing in the winter in collaboration with Belmont in 2008, and has also teamed up with the Nashville Public Library for 

, where anyone can read parts from Shakespeare’s plays along with the actors.

In 2018, Summer Shakespeare moved from Centennial Park to oneC1TY, due to 

 at Centennial’s bandshell. In 2026, they 

will return to the now-renovated bandshell

 to perform “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

 Every Thursday through Sunday evening from Aug. 21-Sept. 21

 Before each performance of “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” there will be nightly concerts, free lecture series, food trucks, and more starting at 5:30 p.m., with curtain at 7 p.m. Bring a picnic blanket or lawn chairs!

🎭 Interviews with the cast

Nashville Shakespeare Festival has performed in Music City since 1988. Here's its history.

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The History of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival

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The History of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival