The rebirth of Bucks County Playhouse (BCP) was celebrated with over 300 guests at the Second Annual Galavant in the Garden on Saturday, October 1, 2016 at the magnificent 100-acre 18th century Hortulus Farm in Wrightstown, PA. There was a outstanding concert by the renowned Broadway and television star Megan Hilty. The gala is the premiere fall event of Bucks County complete with aperitifs, a moveable feast, live auction, Hilty's performance and a lavish dessert buffet. Scroll down for photos from the festivities!
This was the first BCP Gala presented under the auspices of Playhouse Artists, the new charitable organization whose mission is to support the growth and sustainability of The Playhouse. Playhouse Artists was certified as a 501(c)3 public charity in June 2016. The gala chairs were Sally Weisman, Bill O'Donnell and Kimberly Gibbons.
Marvin Woodall, Chairman of The Playhouse Artists Board of Directors, was thrilled with the enthusiastic crowds who attended the gala. He said, "We are so grateful that famed garden and event designer Renny Reynolds and noted garden author Jack Staub of Hortulus Farm hosted our second annual gala. Their estate has been called 'a garden of world-class charm' and it was clear to all of us in attendance how true that is!"
Proceeds from the event will support the nonprofit mission of Bucks County Playhouse, which includes the Oscar Hammerstein Festival, a new musical development program, and innovative education programs like the Student Theatre Festival, BCP Youth Company and year-round engagement programs for young people and adults.
Megan Hilty made her Broadway debut playing Glinda in Wicked alongside Idina Menzel. She went on to lead Broadway productions of 9 to 5, Noises Off, and renowned ENCORES! Productions of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Annie Get your Gun. Television stardom came with her role in Smash. Ben Brantley of the New York Times has called her performance "one of those single, golden nights, so cherished by theatregoers that thrust its leading lady into the firmament of musical stardom."
Bucks County Playhouse, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, is the oldest and largest professional Equity performing arts center in Bucks County. Under the direction of Tony Award-winning producers, Alexander Fraser and Robyn Goodman, The Playhouse provides first class professional theatrical entertainment as well as community events, partnerships and arts education programming for visitors and residents of New Hope, Doylestown, Lambertville and the Delaware Valley.
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, and "Misery" by William Goldman based on the Stephen King novel which also went on to a Broadway run in the 2015-16 season. Two of The Playhouse's recent productions -- "Company" starring Justin Guarini, and William Finn's "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" - were named by The Wall Street Journal to its "Best of Theatre" list for 2015. The productions of "Steel Magnolia" and "The Buddy Holly Story" broke box office records in 2016.
Photo Credit: Corinda Bravo
Bucks County Playhouse Youth Company's Sierra Safran and Eduardo Rovira
FrEd White, Greg Kammerer and Alexander Fraser
Hope Horwitz, Broadway and TV star and special guest Megan Hilty, and Sharla Feldscher
Megan Hilty and Walt Stoertz, Jr.
Megan Hilty performing songs from her Broadway role in WICKED and her TV role in SMASH
Robyn Goodman, Marvin Woodall, Megan Hilty and Alexander Fraser
Sam Shipley, Helen Chaitman, Robyn Goodman and Happy Shipley
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