Exclusive Photos: Inside the First Rehearsal of the North American Premier of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE

BroadwayWorld has exclusive photos from inside the first rehearsal of the North American premier of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE. The company began rehearsals this morning in Stratford, Ontario. See the photos below!

Can a play show us the very truth and nature of the world's greatest playwright? As the Bard's legacy is celebrated around the globe in 2016 with Shakespeare 400, the boisterous new comedy Shakespeare in Love takes a glorious stab at doing just that. But with little known of Shakespeare beyond the dates of his birth and death - both April 23 - the fun is all in the imagining.

The Stratford Festival is thrilled to present the North American premier of Shakespeare in Love, based on the screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard and adapted for the stage by Lee Hall, creator of the stage and screen versions of Billy Elliot.

Olivier Award-winner Declan Donnellan takes the helm, as he did for the show's hit London West End run in 2014-15, directing a sensational cast, led by Luke Humphrey as the young William Shakespeareand Shannon Taylor as his muse, Viola de Lesseps, with Tom McCamus as Fennyman, Stephen Ouimette as Henslowe, Karen Robinson as the Nurse and Saamer Usmani as Kit Marlowe. Nick Ormerod will design.

The film had also been supremely popular. It won seven Academy Awards, topped the box office earning more than $289 million worldwide, shot Gwyneth Paltrow to fame, and even inspired Prince Edward's title, Earl of Wessex.

In the Stratford production, Will Shakespeare will be played by Luke Humphrey, a young actor who quickly established himself as a leading player on the Stratford stage and beyond. The production also stars Shannon Taylor, Tom McCamus, Stephen Ouimette, Karen Robinson, and Saamer Usmani.

The production will also feature Thomas Mitchell Barnet as Sam, Brad Hodder as Ned Alleyne, Ruby Joy as Kate, Mike Nadajewski as the Boatman, Sarah Orenstein as Queen Elizabeth, Gareth Potter as Ralph, Andrew Robinson as Wabash, Steve Ross as Burbage, Tal Shulman as John Webster, Colin Simmons as Lady Capulet, Michael Spencer-Davis as Tilney and Rylan Wilkie as Wessex.

Director Declan Donnellan, is renowned for his extensive work with Shakespeare, particularly through Cheek By Jowl, the theatre company he founded with designer Nick Ormerod. He is the winner of four Olivier Awards, for such productions as Sweeney Todd, As You Like It, and Fuente Ovejuna.

The 2016 festival season runs from April 19 to October 30, and features Macbeth, As You Like It, Breath of Kings, A Chorus Line, A Little Night Music, Shakespeare in Love, All My Sons, The Hypochondriac, John Gabriel Borkman, The Aeneid, Bunny and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. For more information and to order tickets, visi twww.stratfordfestival.ca or call the box office at 1.800.567.1600.