The Nashville Shakespeare Festival is planning a new Elizabethan-inspired theater structure at the Centennial ParkBandshell beginning in 2027.
Called The Playhouse, the custom-built structure will be designed to fit within the historic bandshell and will serve as a reusable home for Shakespeare in the Park each summer. Festival organizers say the structure will complement, rather than replace, the existing venue.
Inspired by Shakespeare’s Globe, The Playhouse will give productions a more immersive theatrical setting while still allowing each show to transform the space into a variety of environments, from royal palaces to moonlit forests.
The Nashville Shakespeare Festival has launched a $350,000 fundraising campaign to cover construction, installation, storage, maintenance and infrastructure costs. More than $161,000 has already been pledged toward the project.
The Playhouse is based on an original concept by Nashville Shakespeare Festival Artistic Director Jason Spelbring, with original scenic design by Phillip Franck. HASTINGS Architecture is handling refinement, engineering and design.
The announcement comes as Shakespeare in the Park continues its return to the Centennial Park Bandshell. This year’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs through September 20.
Admission is pay-what-you-will, with reserved seating also available.
Beginning in 2027, The Playhouse is expected to become a seasonal centerpiece for the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, creating a more distinctive theatrical setting while preserving the historic character of the Centennial Park Bandshell.
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