World Premiere CLUE Stage Adaptation and More Headed to Bucks County Playhouse in 2017

Bucks County Playhouse's Executive Producer, Robyn Goodman, Producing Director Alexander Fraser and Producers Stephen Kocis and Josh Fiedler are pleased to announce The Playhouse's 2017 subscription season.

Featuring five productions in the historic playhouse, the new season includes two world premieres - "Clue: On Stage," adapted from the cult classic film, and an outrageously funny new musical "The New World" about the origins of our great nation.

Along with the two world premieres, the 2017 season will also include Larry Shue's rollicking comedy "The Nerd," the classic Big Broadway musical "Guys and Dolls," and Jon Robin Baitz's acclaimed play "Other Desert Cities."

"We are very excited to launch our 2017 season with the world premiere of 'Clue: On Stage' directed by Hunter Foster (BCP's "Company," "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story"), whose work will be showcased in three Playhouse productions this summer," says Goodman. "Based on an iconic Paramount film and the beloved Hasbro game, 'Clue' not only has broad appeal, but will feature our biggest, most complicated physical production yet, with the kind of tricks and stagecraft that only scenic designer Anna Louizos can deliver."

"It is fitting that our other world premiere this season, 'The New World,' grew out of our 2014 Oscar Hammerstein Festival," says Fiedler. "This musical, which is both hilarious and timely, explores a world turned upside down when the Native Americans are forced to welcome an unruly group of Puritanical immigrants who come crashing onto their shore."

The 2017 season comes on the heels of a 2016 season that saw two productions break box office records. They are "Steel Magnolias" starring Jessica Walter, Susan Sullivan and Patricia Richardson and "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" with direction by Hunter Foster with choreography by Lorin Latarro (Broadway's "Waitress). "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" will make a return engagement to Bucks County Playhouse as a non-subscription event, May 27 - June 17, prior to moving to Philadelphia's Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

"The success of 'Buddy' last season was overwhelming and encouraging," says Kocis. "The Kimmel Center's enthusiasm for the production and their participation in its remounting this summer is just one example of Bucks County Playhouse's growth and momentum. We look forward to sharing this musical with audiences this year both in New Hope and Philadelphia."

"The new season reflects our mission to honor the long tradition of Bucks County Playhouse and present first class productions of well-loved revivals and new works with the some of the best artists working in American theater today," says Fraser. "We're delighted to welcome back director Sheryl Kaller, who directed Terrence McNally's 'Mothers and Sons,' which moved from The Playhouse to Broadway and was nominated for two Tonys, to helm the sensational play 'Other Desert Cities'."

The producers also announced the return of The Playhouse's production of "Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show" in October after a successful run in 2016. The production, which is being presented off-subscription, features direction by Hunter Foster and choreography by Lorin Latarro.

All play titles, artists, and dates are subject to change. Details on casting will be announced shortly.

Season subscription tickets are now available and start at $149 for all five shows. Single tickets for "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story," "Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show" and the Oscar Hammerstein Festival with special guest Shirley Jones (April 22 and 23) are also currently on sale. Single tickets to all other shows will go on sale on Tuesday, March 14. For tickets and information, visit www.BucksCountyPlayhouse.org or call 215-862-2121.

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Bucks County Playhouse's 2017 Season:

CLUE: ON STAGE
May 2 - 20
A World Premiere Comedy
By Jonathan Lynn adapted from his screenplay
By special arrangement with The Araca Group, Work Light Productions, Michael Barra Productions and Aged in Wood Productions
Directed by Hunter Foster

On a dark and stormy night, six unique guests, plus a butler and a maid, assemble for a dinner party at the home of Mr. Boddy. When their host turns up dead, it is clear that no one is safe! Soon the guests are racing to find the killer and keep the body count from stacking up. Based on the popular board game and adapted from the cult classic film, "Clue" is the comedy whodunit that will keep you guessing (and laughing) to the very end.

THE NERD
June 23 - July 15
By Larry Shue
Directed by Marc Vietor

Willum's birthday party is about to get a jolt of excitement. Rick Steadman, a fellow ex-soldier who had saved Willum's life in Vietnam, but who he actually never met, has decided to pop by for a visit. Delighted at first, Willum's enthusiasm wanes when he finds out that Rick is not only socially inept, but also never plans to leave! Desperate to get him out of the house, Willum must hatch an outrageous plan to rid his life of this wacky GI who came to dinner!

GUYS AND DOLLS
July 21 - August 12
A Musical Fable of Broadway
Based on a Story and Characters of Damon Runyon
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Choreographed by Jeremy Dumont
Directed by Hunter Foster

Let the wooing begin when notorious gambler Nathan Detroit and Adelaide bring their stalled engagement to The Playhouse stage in one of Americas legendary musicals. Trying to bankroll his latest crap game, Nathan Detroit challenges notorious gambler Sky Masterson to a bet he's sure he will win. This big, brash Broadway musical includes lots of dancing and Loesser's iconic score that features "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat," "If I Were A Bell," "I've Never Been in Love Before," "Luck Be A Lady" and so much more!

OTHER DESERT CITIES
August 18 - September 2
By Jon Robin Baitz
Directed by Sheryl Kaller

Family intrigue abounds in this award-winning play by Pulitzer nominee Jon Robin Baitz. Cocktails are poured and Christmas Eve reservations are made and the zingers fly as Brooke Wyeth returns to her parents' Palm Springs home toting an explosive, about-to-be-published tell-all memoir. While she's ready to battle it out for their blessing to publish the book, nothing prepares her for what her parents have in store!

THE NEW WORLD
World Premiere Musical
November 7 - 26
Book by Regina DeCicco and L.F. Turner
Music by Gary Adler
Lyrics by Phoebe Kreutz
Choreographed by Lorin Latarro
Directed by Stafford Arima

There goes the neighborhood! It's 1620 and, much to the Wampanoag Indians' chagrin, the Pilgrims are moving in - ready to rock the "new" world. From the producers and co-creator of "Altar Boyz," this outrageously funny big new musical is everything you never learned in history class!

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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 Wall Street Journal to its "Best of Theatre" list for 2015. The Playhouse's productions of "Steel Magnolias" and "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" broke box office records in 2016.