Bucks County Playhouse Announces 'SING-A-LONG-A SOUND OF MUSIC,' 7/22

The Bucks County Playhouse, which launches its inaugural summer 2012 season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's A Grand Night for Singing on July 2nd will present the worldwide smash hit "Sing-a-Long-a Sound of Music" on Sunday, July 22nd as it continues its re-opening celebration.

A little over one week after what would have been Oscar Hammerstein II's 117th birthday, The Playhouse will present "Sing-a-Long-a Sound of Music", a full-screen Technicolor showing of the classic Julie Andrews film, based on the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, that comes complete with subtitles so that the whole audience can sing along. After more than 10,000 performances in 9 countries, the fun-filled show finally comes to Bucks County. "Bucks County was such an important place in the life of Oscar Hammerstein II, and at Highland Farm he had a retreat where he did much of his creative work," commented Ted Chapin, President and Executive Director of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization.

The presentation at the Bucks County Playhouse will take place on Sunday, July 22, 2012 and will be preceded by a special outdoor BBQ Style dinner hosted by Hamilton's Grill Room. Other local establishments including, The Logan Inn, Giant, Pineville Tavern, and Walker's Liquor will also be supporting the festivities. The show will start with a vocal warm-up led by the evening's host, who will also take the audience through their complimentary 'magic moments pack', containing various props to be used at strategic points throughout the film. Then of course there is the famous fancy-dress competition in which everyone who has come in costume is invited onto the stage to show off their fantastic tailoring skills.

Tickets are on sale now. Tickets to the event (movie and dinner) are $30 for adults and $15 for children under 12 years of age. To purchase tickets, visit bcptheater.org or call 215-315-7788. The BBQ dinner will begin at 5pm and the film screening will commence at 6:30pm.

After a festival debut in May 1999, "Sing-a-Long-a Sound of Music" began running at the Prince Charles Cinema in London's West End on August 13th 1999 (and has been there ever since). In August 2012, it will celebrate its thirteenth birthday. "Sing-a-Long-a Sound of Music" began its UK tour in January 2000. By the end of 2000, it had played in over 100 UK towns and cities, and it's still going strong. For more information, please visit www.singalonga.net/usa.

Located 90 minutes from New York City, the Bucks County Playhouse opened in 1939 on the site of a grist mill dating from the late eighteenth century. Ironically, the structure was at that time in danger of demolition; however, playwright Moss Hart and the local community rallied to save the building and re-opened it as a theatrical venue, which quickly became one of the country's most famous regional theaters. In continuous operation until December 2010, a veritable who's who of American theatrical royalty has trod its boards, including Kim Hunter, Helen Hayes, Kitty Carlisle, Colleen Dewhurst, Shirley Booth, Lillian Gish, June Lockhart, Grace Kelly, Robert Redford, Bert Lahr, Leslie Nielsen and Walter Matthau