The Bucks County Playhouse to Re-Open With Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, 7/2

The Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) in New Hope, Pennsylvania, has announced that the re-opening of the legendary and beloved landmark will kick-off with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, July 2 at 7:00 p.m. with the first performance of A Grand Night for Singing by Rodgers and Hammerstein to follow.

This celebration will take place exactly 73 years and a day after The Playhouse first opened in 1939. Tickets for the re-opening are $75 - $85 and are available at bcptheater.org or by calling 215-315-7788.

The week’s festivities will continue with a gala performance for A Grand Night for Singing on Thursday, July 5th at 8:30 p.m. Proceeds from this evening will support the continued restoration of The Playhouse and the effort to bring it back as a centerpiece of the New Hope and Bucks County community. A pre-show cocktail party will be held at Martine’s RiverHouse Restaurant (14 East Ferry Street) and a post-show reception at Marsha Brown (15 South Main Street). Tickets for the pre-show cocktail party, the show, and post show reception range from $275 – $350, with the show and post-reception from $200 – $275. Tickets for the performance only are $150 and $75.00 for the pre-show cocktail party only. Tickets are available at bcptheater.org or by calling 215-315-7788.
Directed by Tony® Award nominee and Emmy Award® winning Lonny Price, A Grand Night for Singing by Rodgers and Hammerstein features over 30 of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s greatest hits, from “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” to “Some Enchanted Evening.” This 1993 Tony® Award-nominated musical revue is “something wonderful” for all lovers of classic musical theater. Performances are Monday, July 2 through Sunday, July 22.

The summer will continue with Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon. First seen on the BCP stage nearly 50 years ago prior to its original 1963 Broadway run, this iconic and beloved play about the trials and tribulations of two newlyweds on the top floor of a New York brownstone has been leaving audiences breathless with laughter for generations. Directed by Tony® Award nominee Sheryl Kaller (2010’s Tony® Award-nominated new play, Next Fall) this timeless comedy provides a breath of fresh air for the dog days of summer. Performances are Tuesday, August 7 through Sunday, August 26.

The third production of 2012 will run from Tuesday, December 4 through Sunday, December 30. Full details for this production are forthcoming. Casting for all productions will announced at a later date.

In addition to the summer and holiday productions, Bucks County Playhouse will present a cabaret series Thursday, July 19 – Saturday, July 21 at 11:00 p.m., and Thursday, August 16 – Saturday, August 18 at 11:00 p.m. at Havana Restaurant & Bar (105 South Main Street). December dates will be announced soon. The series will invite Playhouse cast members, etc. to step outside their traditional roles to perform in a 45 minute cabaret style show. The July edition will be hosted by award winning playwright Christopher Durang, a long time Bucks County resident.

Tickets are on sale now! Regular single ticket prices range from $29 to $54, subscription prices range from $55 to $153, and groups of 10 or more range from $21 to $41. Members will receive discounts on both subscriptions and single tickets along with other Playhouse benefits. For full details, and to purchase tickets, please visit bcptheater.org or call 215-315-7788.

Week one of A Grand Night for Singing will play Monday at 8:00 p.m., Tuesday at 8:00 p.m., Thursday at 4:00 and 8:30 pm (Gala), Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 4:00 and 8:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. The regular performance schedule for the rest of the summer will be: Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m., Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m., Thursdays at 4:00 and 8:30 p.m., Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4:00 and 8:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

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.

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