Photo Coverage: Red Carpet Arrivals at First Night Nashville Theatre Honors, Part 2

The glitterati of Nashville's theater community took to the red carpet Sunday night, September 19, prior to the start of the First Night Nashville Theatre Honors. Held at the Troutt Theatre at Belmont University, the First Night Honors recognized eight leaders of the Nashville theater community for their lifetime achievements and contributions to the art form.

Paying tribute to the honorees -- who included Scot Copeland, producing artistic director at Nashville Children's Theatre; Paul Gatrell, chair of the department of theatre and dance at Belmont University; Kathleen O'Brien, president and CEO of Tennessee Performing Arts Center; A. Sean and Robert A. O'Connell, co-founders of ACT 1 and GroundWorks Theatre; Mac Pirkle, founder of Southern Stage Productions and Tennessee Repertory Theatre; Barry Scott, actor/director/producer and faculty member in the department of speech and theatre at Tennessee State University; and Shannon Wood, owner and co-founder of Darkhorse Theatre -- was a veritable who's who of Nashville stage talent.

Photographer Stacy Battles, one of Nashville's best known celebrity photographers, was on hand to shoot the red carpet arrivals that heralded the return of First Night, after an absence of some 14 years. First Night is presented by Jeffrey Ellis, who covers Nashville theater for BroadwayWorld.com, and who is the founder of the awards celebration that was first held on September 17, 1989.