A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING Opens Bucks County Playhouse Season Tonight

Rodgers & Hammerstein's A Grand Night for Singing, the first production of the Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) 2012 summer season, begins performances tonight, Monday, July 2nd at 8:00 p.m. and will run through Sunday, July 29th.

A ribbon cutting ceremony will precede the performance at 7:00 p.m., in celebration of the re-opening of the legendary and beloved landmark. This momentous occasion takes place 73 years and a day after The Playhouse first opened in 1939. Special guests will include Mayor Laurence Keller (New Hope), Chris Hart (son of Moss Hart), Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Cawley, Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick (U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district), and Will Hammerstein (Grandson of Oscar Hammerstein II).

Directed by Tony® Award nominee and Emmy Award® winner Lonny Price, Rodgers & Hammerstein's A Grand Night for Singing features over 30 of Rodgers and Hammerstein's greatest hits, from "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" to "Some Enchanted Evening." This 1994 Tony® Award-nominated musical revue is "something wonderful" for all lovers of classic musical theater.

The cast features a line-up of some of Broadway's most seasoned performers including Courtney Balan (Broadway: [title of show], Cry-Baby), Ron Bohmer (Broadway: Phantom of the Opera, Ragtime), Greg Bosworth (Atlanta: Xanadu, Clyde and Bonnie: A Folktale), Erin Davie (Broadway: A Little Night Music, Grey Gardens), and Kenita R. Miller (Broadway: Xanadu, The Color Purple). These top Broadway performers have appeared in critically acclaimed New York productions and have collectively played over 4,000 Broadway performances, underlining The Playhouse's commitment to featuring the best performers available.

A Grand Night for Singing will celebrate with a special gala performance on Thursday, July 5 at 8:30pm. 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, $75.00 for the pre-show cocktail party only and $175 for the post-show reception only. Tickets are available at bcptheater.org or by calling 215-862-2121.

A little over one week after what would have been Oscar Hammerstein II's 117th birthday, on Sunday, July 22nd , 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 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 Wine & Spirits 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 215-862-2121. The BBQ dinner will begin at 5pm and the film screening will commence at 6:30pm.

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 open in December. Full details for this production are forthcoming.

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 benefits. For full details, and to purchase tickets, please visit bcptheater.org or call 215-862-2121.

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. Barefoot in the Park will play on Fridays at 8:00p.m.

A Grand Night for Singing has music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Musical arrangements are by Fred Wells with orchestrations by Michael Gibson and Jonathan Tunick. It was originally produced at Roundabout Theatre Company, New York City in 1993 and conceived by Walter Bobbie.

Barefoot in the Park is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

The Bucks County Playhouse 2012 Season is generously supported by Flemington Car and Truck Country, Princeton Automobile Company and Vincent DiBianca & Patty Oceanak. A Grand Night for Singing is graciously sponsored in part by Jones Lang LaSalle and Princeton Global Asset Management.

For more information about employment, internships or auditions at the Bucks County Playhouse please contact us at info@bcptheater.org

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.