Clyde Alves, NaTasha Yvette Williams & More Will Join Laura Osnes and James Snyder in Bucks County Playhouse's SHOW BOAT

Executive Producer Robyn Goodman, Producing Director Alexander Fraser and Producers Stephen Kocis and Josh Fiedler announced final casting for Bucks County Playhouse's world-premiere concert adaptation of Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern's legendary musical, "Show Boat," which will set sail this Saturday, June 23 at 7 p.m.

The benefit concert, which is part of the Playhouse's fourth Oscar Hammerstein Festival, features an all-new adaptation by Rob Ruggiero and includes a cast of top Broadway talent performing Hammerstein and Kern's score with direction by Josh Rhodes (BCP's "Ebenezer Scrooge's Big Playhouse Christmas Show" and Encores "Grand Hotel"). Andy Einhorn (Broadway's "Carousel" and "Hello, Dolly!") is musical director. Ted Chapin, President and Chief Creative Officer of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization will narrate. Casting is by Geoff Josselson, CSA.

Tony-nominee Lee Wilkof ("Kiss Me, Kate", "Little Shop of Horrors") is replacing previously announced Michael McGrath as Captain Andy. Marcy Harriell ("In the Heights," "Rent") joins the cast as Julie. Anna Shea (Walnut Street's "Annie") will play young Kim. Suzanne Bodine will play the Old Lady on the Levee.

Others joining the ensemble for this one-night event include Sumayya Ali (Broadway's "The Great Comet"), Glenn Seven Allen (Broadway's "The Light in the Piazza"), Dwelvan David (National Tour of "Finding Neverland"), Ta'Nika Gibson (Encore's "Me and My Girl"), Beth Kirkpatrick (Broadway's "Les Miserables"), Brandon Michael Nase (Oslo Rep's "Evita"), Lindsay O'Neil (Broadway's "A Christmas Story") and Jason Simon (National Tour of "Sister Act").

They round out a cast that includes previously announced two-time Tony nominee Laura Osnes (Broadway's "Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella") as Magnolia and James Snyder (Broadway's "Cry-Baby," Encore's "Grand Hotel") as Gaylord Ravenal and Emmy-award winner Jessica Walter (BCP's "Steel Magnolias" and TV's "Arrested Development") as Parthy. Clyde Alves (Broadway's "On the Town" and BCP's "The New World") will play Frank, NaTasha Yvette Williams (Broadway's "Waitress") is Queenie and Stephanie Gibson (Broadway's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and BCP's "The Rocky Horror Show") will appear as Ellie. Michel Bell will reprise his Tony-nominated role of Joe, the soulful singer of "Ol' Man River," from the 1994 Broadway Revival.

The "Show Boat" benefit concert is the culmination of Bucks County Playhouse's Fourth Oscar Hammerstein Festival. Named in honor of the master writer Oscar Hammerstein II whose countless accomplishments during his illustrious career have included mentoring a young Stephen Sondheim at Hammerstein's Highland Farm in Bucks County - the Festival is a year-long program that offers expert mentorship to early career composers and lyricists.

Considered by many historians to be the first modern musical, "Show Boat" was groundbreaking when it first premiered in 1927. The timelessly romantic musical tale follows the lives of three generations born on the Cotton Blossom as it sails the Mississippi River from the 1880s to the 1920s.

"I first fell in love with Show Boat when I saw the remarkable 1936 film with Irene Dunne, Paul Robeson and Helen Morgan. We are thrilled to present our first Hammerstein musical at the Playhouse and to continue our study of how Hammerstein's legacy can inform future generations of musical writers," said Producing Director Alexander Fraser.

"Ever since we first arrived in Bucks County - the home of Oscar Hammerstein II during perhaps his most prolific writing period - we have dreamed of presenting "Show Boat,"" says Executive Producer Robyn Goodman. "We are very excited and proud to present Rob Ruggiero's concert adaptation with this extraordinary Broadway cast."

This year, Bucks County Playhouse is partnering with Roundabout Theatre Company's Space Jam Program by offering two teams of composers and lyricists an artistic retreat in Bucks County. Space Jam is a playwright-support initiative designed to give writers the time and space to work through various types of solo and group writing retreats.

"Bucks County Playhouse is thrilled to partner with Roundabout Theatre Company and its Space Jam program to offer this artistic retreat during our Oscar Hammerstein Festival," says Producer Josh Fiedler. "We look forward to welcoming these songwriters as guests of honor at the benefit concert and to hearing their own work performed as part the weekend's activities."

A limited number of tickets to the benefit concert of "Show Boat" are available and range from $75 - $125. For complete details, and to purchase tickets, please visit buckscountyplayhouse.org, call 215-862-2121, or visit the box office at 70 South Main Street, New Hope, PA.

Bucks County Playhouse is a year-round, nonprofit theatre that has grown to a $6 million producing organization with an annual audience of over 73,000. Founded in 1939 in a converted 1790 gristmill, Bucks County Playhouse quickly became "the most famous summer theatre in America," featuring a roster of American theatrical royalty including Helen Hayes, George S. Kaufman, Moss Hart, Kitty Carlisle, Angela Lansbury, Alan Alda, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters, and Liza Minnelli and remained in continuous operation until 2010. In 2012, the Playhouse re-opened after a multi-million-dollar restoration thanks to the efforts of the Bridge Street Foundation, the nonprofit family foundation of Kevin and Sherri Daugherty, and Broadway producer Jed Bernstein. This fall, the Playhouse will unveil a 4,000 square foot Delaware-river facing restaurant and bar expansion.

In 2014, Tony Award-winning producers Alexander Fraser and Robyn Goodman took helm of the Playhouse, and today the Playhouse has reclaimed its reputation of attracting Broadway and Hollywood artists. Its productions of "Company" starring Justin Guarini, and William Finn's "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" were named by Wall Street Journal to its "Best of Theatre" list for 2015. The 2017 season included four world premieres and audiences grew by over 34%. Box office record has been repeatedly broken by Signature Productions of "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story", "Steel Magnolias" directed by Marsha Mason, and "Guys & Dolls" directed by Hunter Foster. The creative teams who come to create new productions at the Playhouse are among the most talented artists working in the professional theatre today and relish the opportunity to work on the historic stage where Grace Kelly, Robert Redford and Jessica Walter began their careers.