Broadway's CINDERELLA Stars Reunite for Bucks County Playhouse's Oscar Hammerstein Festival 2016

A benefit concert featuring the original Tony-nominated stars of the recent Broadway production of Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA -- Laura Osnes, Santino Fontana and Victoria Clark -- and an evening of new work focusing on the award-winning, rising musical theatre writer Adam Gwon are among the highlights of Bucks County Playhouse's Oscar Hammerstein Festival, today, April 29, through May 1.

Playhouse Producers Robyn Goodman, Alexander Fraser, Stephen Kocis and Josh Fiedler recently announced the new details on their second Oscar Hammerstein Festival, a weekend that celebrates the importance of lyrics in the creation of new musicals. The festival will be held at the historic playhouse in New Hope, Pa.

Named in honor of the master writer whose countless accomplishments during his illustrious career include having mentored a young Stephen Sondheim at Hammerstein's Bucks County farm - the festival is a year-long program that offers expert mentorship to early career composers and lyricists.

The concert is part of an extensive and impressive schedule. This year's festival brings musical theatre experts, artists, and enthusiasts together for a weekend featuring new lyric writing talent as well as the Saturday evening event the will benefit the Playhouse and its year-long musical theatre development programs. For information on available sponsorship opportunities for the Hammerstein Festival, call Chuck Finch at 267-740-2090.

"We remain committed to providing a home for talented writers to create new work, and give them a taste of the welcome retreat that Hammerstein found when he moved from New York to Bucks County in 1940," says Ms. Goodman, Bucks County Playhouse Executive Producer. Mr. Fraser adds "We continue to be inspired by Hammerstein's blending of dialogue and song in the seminal musicals he created. Almost a century later, they remain essential guideposts in the creation of modern musical theatre."

Over the course of three days, the Oscar Hammerstein Festival will feature special events all devoted to musical theatre. The Playhouse offers Festival Passes for attendees to enjoy all events, and can be purchased online or at the box office.

The weekend kicks off today, April 29th, with "New Songwriters Tonight!", an evening of new work focusing on the award-winning, rising musical theatre writer Adam Gwon ("Ordinary Days," "String," "Cake Off"), joined by a cast of Broadway singers showcasing new songs and the writer's take on how musicals are created. The evening will also feature a sneak peek at a future Bucks County Playhouse production.

Saturday, April 30 will feature "Don't Ever Leave Me: The Love Songs of Oscar Hammerstein II," a special benefit concert created and hosted by Ted Chapin, head of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization and featuring Victoria Clark, Laura Osnes, Santino Fontana and Lewis Cleale. Hammerstein's masterful use of words, in shows like "South Pacific," "Carousel," "Show Boat" and "The King and I" created some of the most indelible moments in musical history. Musical direction is by Andy Einhorn (Broadway's hit production of "Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella"); Sarna Lapine is the director.

Clark is a Tony-award winner and four-time nominee who is best known to Broadway audiences for her roles in "The Light in the Piazza," "Sister Act," and "Titanic." Osnes, a Tony nominee for "Cinderella" as well as "Bonnie & Clyde" also appeared on Broadway in "Anything Goes," "South Pacific" and "Grease." Fontana made his Broadway debut in the 2009 revival of "Sunday in the Park with George." He also appeared in Billy Elliot, Brighton Beach Memoirs and Act One, and voiced the role of Prince Hans in the Disney hit "Frozen." He can currently be seen on the TV musical comedy, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" and alongside Jennifer Lopez in the NBC drama series, "Shades of Blue." Cleale is currently on Broadway in "The Book of Mormon." Other Broadway appearances include "Spamalot," "Amour," "Once Upon a Mattress" and "Swinging on a Star."

In addition, pass-holders will enjoy special seminars with artists and experts within the musical theater field, including a farewell brunch on Sunday at the historic home of producing director Alexander Fraser.

The Oscar Hammerstein Festival marks another milestone in the return of Bucks County Playhouse to the original mission it was founded upon in 1939: to create "a laboratory to nurture the talents of young playwrights and actors to help keep alive traditions of the American stage." Since its rebirth in 2012, two new plays have transferred from the Playhouse stage to Broadway: Terrence McNally's "Mothers and Sons" and this season's "Misery" starring Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalfe. For more information or to purchase a Festival Pass, visit: www.buckscountyplayhouse.org or call 215-862-2121.

Bucks County Playhouse, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, is the oldest and largest professional Equity performing arts center in Bucks County, and provides the finest theatrical entertainment for visitors and residents of New Hope, Doylestown, Lambertville and the Delaware Valley. Under the direction of Tony Award-winning Producers Alexander Fraser and Robyn Goodman, its mission is to present first class professional entertainment and regain the Playhouse's historic place in the national theatrical landscape; and to stimulate, support, inspire and celebrate the performing arts via community programs, partnerships and arts education.

Located between Philadelphia and New York, Bucks County Playhouse opened in 1939 in a converted 1790 gristmill after a group of community activists, led by Broadway orchestrator Don Walker and playwright Moss Hart, rallied to save the building. The Playhouse quickly became one of the country's most famous regional theaters, featuring a roster of American theatrical royalty including Helen Hayes, Kitty Carlisle, George S. Kaufman, Grace Kelly, Robert Redford, Bert Lahr, Walter Matthau, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters, Alan Alda, Tyne Daly, Liza Minnelli and Audra McDonald and remained in continuous operation until December 2010. In 2012, the Playhouse re-opened thanks to the efforts of the Bridge Street Foundation, the nonprofit family foundation of Kevin and Sherri Daugherty, and Broadway producer Jed Bernstein.

Since its renovation, significant productions include Terrence McNally's "Mothers and Sons" starring Tyne Daly which moved to Broadway and was nominated for two Tony Awards; "Misery" by William Goldman based on the Stephen King novel which opened on Broadway in fall, 2015, "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike", starring Marilu Henner and playwright Christopher Durang, and this summer's hit production of "Company" starring Justin Guarini, which the Wall Street Journal claimed "borders on the miraculous. The Playhouse is surely headed back into the spotlight." In December, the Journal also named two of the Playhouse's productions as among the "Best Theatre of 2015."